Otto Griebling

OTTO GRIEBLING (1896 - 1972)

Otto Griebling, part of the 1989 Clown Hall of Fame portrait Inducted into the Clown Hall of Fame 1989, Otto Griebling was German born, and came to this country at the age of 14. Otto started his circus career in Baraboo, Wisconsin, with the Hodgini Riding act. He was an excellent bareback comedy rider. He later worked for Sells Floto Circus. He toyed with his audiences emotions, sometimes being sassy, crazy and quite eccentric. Routines for which he was famous were juggling metal pie plates and attempts to deliver a block of ice, or a plant, or a package at different points throughout the show. The running gag would be the change over time -- for instance, the block of ice would become progressively smaller with each appearance, ending as an ice cube or a puddle of water. Another of his routines (essentially a warm-up) was banging tin pie plates together and pitting the audience on one side of a circus tent against the audience on the other in a contest of screams and applause.

Otto Griebling, on of the great tramp clowns, performing at the circus He always performed a silent act. When in 1970 his larynx was removed, pantomime became a way of life both in and out of make-up. His pantomime skills served him well as one of the early tramp clowns in the circus, also known as a carpet clown. Not only was Otto a featured performer with Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey Circus, but also other shows, including Cole Bros. He remained with Ringling Bros. until his death in 1972. His daughter, Joan Griebling Simons, has recently begun clowning in a re-creation of his "Otto" character.

He can be seen in the movie The Greatest Show on Earth