EMMETT KELLY SR. - DOCUMENT MULTI-SIGNED 10/31/1955 - HFSID 258616

EMMETT KELLY
He sells the rights to merchandise his universally recognizable character, Weary Willie the Clown.
Typed Document signed: "Emmett Kelly" (twice), 4½p, 8½x11. New York, 1955 October 31. Carbon copy of a contract between Kelly and Classic Merchandising Co., signed in ink. In part: "In consideration of the payment to you of the sum of $2500 and other valuable consideration, the receipt of which you hereby acknowledge, you hereby grant to us for the term hereof the sole and exclusive world wide right and license to exploit and merchandise the name, person, character and likeness of WEARY WILLIE THE CLOWN (portrayed by Emmett Kelly) and/or Emmett Kelly and any other characterizations of Emmett Kelly, including but not limited to the title WEARY WILLIE, any portraits, pictures, caricatures, characterizations of WEARY WILLIE and/or Emmett Kelly, and any other characterizations of Emmett Kelly, in any and all media, including but not limited to, records, stories, future literary works, musical compositions, comic scrips, dolls, toys, candies, foodstuffs, furniture, apparel, paint boxes and paint books, and I any and all fields of merchandising...." Also initialed by Kelly: "EK" three times near crossed-out areas. Emmett Lee Kelly (1898-1979) began his circus career, which spanned 55 years, after a starting out as a cartoonist. First performing as a trapeze artist, he later went into clowning, creating his most famous character, "Weary Willie", from a cartoon character he had drawn years earlier. In 1942, Kelly joined the Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey Circus, where he would star until 1956 (one of his most famous routines was "sweeping the spotlight"). In 1957, he joined the Shrine Circus and settled in Florida (Sarasota is the winter home of the Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey Circus). Kelly, America's most famous clown, continued appearing in commercials and performed in special shows until he was 80. His son, Emmett Kelly, Jr. (1923-2006), followed successfully in his father's footsteps and rivaled his fame, forming his own Emmett Kelly, Jr. Circus in 1972. Creased. Staple holes at upper left blank corners. Nicked at blank right margin of first page. Overall, fine condition.