1937	Red was billed as a "Canadian Comic" in early 1937 when he was an emcee at the Capital Theatre in Washington D.C.. The press took notice of Red. He performed before President Roosevelt and came back to appear in many FDR's birthday parties afterwards. Freeman Keye became his radio representative and got Red national attention. In August Skelton appeared on Rudy Vallee show "The Fleischman Hour". Rudy Vallee was know as crooner singer and very popular at the time. Vallee did not care to much for Red's humor but the public did. So did RKO who signed him up to do the movie "Having Wonderful Time". Red tried to movies before but the New York studios were trying to use his good looks not his comedy. Red hoped that this film will get him to Hollywood. After the shooting he found time to visit his hometown.Vincennes Red Skelton Day to honor their native son. After a visit to family and friends, the Skeltons took a vacation to Mexico. When they came back the to the states, Red went back to the stage.	1937 (05/28) Letter from Edna Skelton Clarence Stout Papers. (06/10) Lowe's State. (06/18) Riverside Theatre, Milwaukee. (06/24) Lyric Theatre, Indianapolis, IN. (summer) Letter from Edna Skelton Clarence Stout Papers. Fox, Detroit. Lowe's, DC. (08/12) Lowe's State. (08/12) THE FLEISCHMAN HOUR (Rudy Vallee Show) 'Guest' This appearance started Red career on the radio. (08/19) Hippodrome Theatre, Baltimore. RKO signing for HAVING WONDERFUL TIME. (08/26) THE FLEISCHMAN HOUR. 2nd radio appearance. (09/05) Palace Theatre, Cleveland, OH. Wrote a letter to Mrs. Edna Allen Pierce, NJ. (Sept) 6 week shooting of HAVING WONDERFUL TIME. (11/12) Red Skelton Day, Vincennes. (11/21) Vacation in Mexico. (12/03) Earle Theatre (Philadelphia). Agent Freeman Keyes.
1938	Red toured the country. He tried to produce a show of his own. "Paris in Swing" got good reviews but was cost to much to produce. He had to sell the scenery to pay the bills. "Gentlemen Unafraid" had music by hit song writers but the play was no good. He did not have much luck in his first feature film. HAVING WONDERFUL TIME stared Ginger Rogers and Douglas Fairbanks Jr.. Rogers went to a camp to rest and get away but Fairbank keeped on trying to get her love. Red played the activities directors that popped in at times. Two of Skelton's classic bits are featured. You get to see a yound Red Skelton do "Dunking Doughnuts" and "Walking up Stairs". After these bits are done Red is hardly in the film. The film did not do so well and RKO did not sign him to a contract. Red learn a little about Hollywood business. Before is next big break he learned enough to get his high school diploma. During 1938 he was taking courses by mail from Northwestern University, Chicago. In the next year he will make Chicago his home and gain an education of the radio business.	1938 (01/12) Shubert (Cincinnati). (02/08) State Theatre (NY). (02/11-15) Palace Theatre (Cleveland). (03/16) "Paris in Swing". (04/19) Loew's (Montreal). (06/03) "Gentlemen Unafraid" St. Louis Municipal Opera (1 week). (07/01) State Theatre (NY). (07/01) Having Wonderful Time. (09/22) Palace (Columbus). (11/08) Roxy Theatre (NY). (?) High School diploma by mail from Northwestern University, Chicago.
1939	Red Skelton became a regular on the radio show AVALON TIME. In the beginning of the year, it was broadcasted in Cincinatti, Ohio. It moved to Chicago. The format of the show was Red playing someone that did odd jobs or played a famous character from history. There were episodes of Red dating. The woman who played Red"s girl friend was his real life wife. Edna Skelton was also a writer. Other members of the cast were an announcer, singer, a high pitched voice character called Hercules that popped up in the oddest places and an insulting microphone that was replaced by an insulting fiddle player. Red did not have his classic characters in this show. Most of the time he played himself during the show. SEEING RED was a short film were Red played many characters. He did some films for Vitaphone during his time in New York. This film had Red playing a fired worker telling his boss that he will haunt him every place he goes. The boss sees Red as a doorman, waiter, nightclub MC and even his wife. Skelton does a mime bit as a woman getting dressed in the morning and how to eat corn. Another short was BROADWAY BUCKAROO. I have not been able to see this.	1939 (01/31) President Roosevelt's birthday MC. (01/07-12/20) AVALON TIME (02/19) Visit to Vincennes and shows at the Pantheon Theatre. (02/27) Letter Clarence Stout Papers. (Spring) Moving to Chicago. 425 Serf St., Chicago. [Brother Chris member of Lodge in Mansfield, OH.] Mother lives in Ohio. (Summer) March of Dimes MC. (08/28) Seeing Red. Broadway Buckaroo (Warner Bros./Vitaphone) (09/20) 3rd degree Mason, Vincennes Masonic Lodge No. 1.
1940	Red Skelton went back to the stage and found that he needed new material. The Skeltons came up with "Guzzler's Gin". This classic bit had Red as an announcer that sampled the sponsors produce during a radio show and got drunker during every ad. Red was ready to try Hollywood again. Mickey Rooney has been credited as to bringing him to MGM. Rooney saw Skelton perform at one of the President's birthday parties and arranged a screen test. Red did death scene as major movie stars. This screen test was so funny that it was passed around to MGM executives. Red got a 7 year contract and Edna managed to add a clause that let him do radio and TV. FLIGHT COMMAND was Red's first MGM film. The movie was about a new pilot trying to one of the guys. Skelton was the one of the pilots. He told a joke or two but most of the time he was serious. MGM had a habit of testing new actors in small roles until they found the right way to star their actors.	1940 (Jan) Earle (DC) 3 weeks. (01/30) President Roosevelt's Birthday Party. (03/13) Paramount (NY). 6 weeks in New York. "Guzzler's Gin". (04/10) Appearing with Lupe Velez and Tommy Dorsey's Orchestra with Frank Sinatra. (04/26) Chicago 2 weeks. (04/22) Sun-Comm "Red Skelton Made Honorary Vincennes Jaycee Member". (05/10-23) Earle (DC) (May late) MGM screen test. (Summer) Begins shooting for FLIGHT COMMAND. (10/18) Scottish Rite Masonic Bodies, Evansville, IN. Home: Tarzana. FLIGHT COMMAND. (Dec) Begins a 7 year contract with MGM with clause to do radio and TV.
1941	MGM put Red as the comic relief in THE PEOPLE VS. DR. KILDARE and DR. KILDARE'S WEDDING DAY. In the Kildare film, he was a bit of a clumsy orderly. Not much action in the first film. There a bit with luggage and a telephone booth in the second. WHISTLING IN THE DARK was Skelton's first major starring role. He played a detective a radio show call the Fox. He claimed that he could think of the perfect crime. A fake cult leader kidnaps The Fox's girl friend and the sponsor's daughter to forces the Fox to think up a way to kill someone so that the cult can inherit money. Red is great in this film. It is right blend of verbal and physical comedy. There are moments where is brave and he has quick wit. He has to use a bit of both to get himself out of the jam. MGM had the right type of character for Red but still used him as the best friend nice guy looser in other films. LADY BE GOOD is one of those films were Red gets lost with behind his other co-stars. This is film about songwriters and Skelton plays the friend song plugger. He has one bit about car running boards and that is just about it. This is an key point to the film. He is beginning to be teamed up with fellow contract players that he will work with in the future. Warning: After seeing this film, the song "Lady Be Good" will be with in your head forever. Near the end of the year, Red started his friendship with Gene Fowler. Gene Fowler was a reporter, screenwrtier and biographer to the stars. He was friends to John Barrymore and W.C. Fields. Red had many meetings with Gene hoping that Fowler would write a biography. At the time Fowler did not feel that Red had lived long enough for a bio. They did developed a father-son relationship. Gene Fowler's name was mentioned many time on Red's radio show. Red started is radio show on NBC. It is odd that a visual comic becoming a hit on radio. Red was able to express is comedy by his voice. He became many characters on the show. Clem the fellow from the country, Deadeye western badman that latter became sheriff, Willie Lump Lump always of the wagon, C McPugg the punch-drunk fighter and Junior the mean widdle kid. Skelton became popular with his character voices and catch phrases. One catch phrase helped build up morale during World War II.	1941 (01/30) The President's Birthday Ball. (02/17) Biltmore Bowl (04/11) End filming LADY BE GOOD. (05/16) Joined Al Malaikah Temple (Masons) (05/06) THE PEOPLE VS. DR. KILDARE. (06/23) Bowler's Party (07/30) WHISTLING IN THE DARK. (Aug) World's Largest Postcard (08/14) DR. KILDARE'S WEDDING DAY. (08/09) Indpls News. (08/13) Indpls Star. (08/21) "Skelton Voices Grief Over Death of Frank Schmidt" Red Skelton Papers, Vincennes University. (09/12) LADY BE GOOD. (09/19) Annouced to be in MGM film I'LL TAKE MANILA with Eleanor Powell staring Tony Martin. (10/07-06/06/1944) THE RED SKELTON SHOW. (12/08) Milwaukee Journal "Skelton Writes Life Story Under Title 'I'll Tell All'". (12/13) Liberty "Are Comedians People?" by Red Skelton.
1942	"I Dood It" was said by Junior when he decides to do something that would get him in trouble. This became a rally cry for attacking the enemy during the war. Other radio characterisics appeared in cartoons. Later famous cartoon characters were inspired by Red Skelton. For some reason Red's characters did not go the big screen. SHIP AHOY has Red as a mystery writer that go involved with a dancer. Most of the plot is on the dancer. She is tricked by spies to carry a top secret device overseas. Even Red's partner gets better scene with the dancer's friend. Eventhough Red is the co-star of the film, his talents did not get featured. Red was becoming a star. He was honored at Grauman's Chinese by putting his footprints in cement during the showing of this film. The next film MGM tried to mold Red in one of my lease favorite types, the loud mouth brag with corny jokes type. MAISIE GETS HER MAN had him as a comic want-a-be. He teams up with a ex-perform but finds that he has stagefright. Red ends up being the fall guy to a con man selling fake mineral water stock. Red does show a good range of acting but this is mostly Ann Southerland's film. PANAMA HATTIE was also a Ann Sotherland film. This time Red is a subplot to the main story. He plays one of three sailors that end up stopping spies. There is good team work with the sailors but Red's talent are not featured. He does manage to drop in some of 'Junior's' phrases. WHISTLING IN DIXIE had Red returning as 'the Fox'. This time he helps a friend of his girlfriend solve a murder. This is a strong character and the he works well with the cast. Comic timing is great with Rags Raglands. He manages to solve the mystery with quick wit and bravery. Red Skelton is becoming a stronger draw to the movie theater. The next year MGM will use him in more major films. This Hollywood life may have been affecting his home life. At the end of the year Edna filed for divorce.	1942 (02/21) Biltmore Bowl (02/21) Movie-Radio Guide (03/20) Shrine Auditorium (04/12) SCREEN GUILD PLAYERS "Tight Shoes". (04/18) "Doolittle Dood It!" was the headline in papers after Doolittle's raid on Japan. (May) Move Brentwood. They call it Redna. (Summer) SHIP AHOY. (06/18) Footprints in cement. (Summer) MAISIE GETS HER MAN. (June) Radio and Television Mirror (June) Silver Screen (07/29) Vactions? (Penny Ice Fund benefit in Wichita, KS. Red Cross rally in Louisville, KY. Ft. Knox, KY) (07/31) Family Circle (08/01) Bond selling tour in Kansas City. (09/22) Edna asked to move out. (09/18) PANAMA HATTIE. (Nov) The American Home "Red Skelton - He Dood It!". (12/28) Edna files for divorce. (Dec) WHISTLING IN DIXIE. [Some cartoons inspired by Red] The Blitz Wolf ("Doolittle Dood It"). Case of the Missing Hare (Jr.). The Impatient Patient (Jr.). The Daffy Duckeroo (Clem).]
1943	There are many pretty women on the MGM lot. There has been talk that Red may have been attracted to them. Edna still managed Red's career but could not manage his personal life. He has been seen with a dancer from "DuBarry was a Lady". DuBARRY WAS A LADY had Red in love with a nightclub singer. He becomes rich and trys to win her over with money. He dreams he is King Louie trying to win over DuBarry but she loves a Robin Hood type hero. Most of the film is Red chasing DuBarry or being chased by the hero. WHISTLING IN BROOKLYN was another film that was mostly chasing. The Fox is framed as a murderer. He is chased by the real killers and the law. Not much room for his quick wit. It ends up he gets the villian by dumb luck. Red could have been used better. THOUSANDS CHEER used Red to build up the morale during the war. The film was about a daughter of an officer that puts on a show for the Army. Red appears as himself and performs as a shy person on a drug store and a soda jerk that gets ill from ice cream. These bits may have been from his stage act. I DOOD IT was a big catch praise from his radio show, MGM hoped to make hit movie from the praise. MGM did not use anything from the radio show. They were still trying to find the right type of character of Red. In this film they started to use stories and gags from the great silent comic Buster Keaton. The movie "Spite Marrage" inspired this film of a dry cleaner that uses other people clothes to get near a stage star. The star thinks Red is rich and she marries him. Red ends up taking the place of an actor to get near the star. He latter finds out that the actor is a spy and manages to catch him. Skelton does a great job recreating a Keaton bit. Red's wife takes knockout drops by mistake and Red trys to put her to bed. The physical comedy of moving her limp body is classic. "I Dood It" became a classic morale booster in the World War II. It was painted on a nose cone of Soviet bomber. Red Skelton toured little Army camps that normally do not get major stars. This latter became a full time job when he was in the Army.	1943 (01/13) Hollywood Canteen (performed with Edna) (02/11) Divorce begins. (April) Filming WHISTLING IN BROOKLYN. Meets Muriel (Morris) Chase while filming DuBarry was a Lady. (06/19) Who Killed Who? [Cartoon spoof on murder with a gags of a Red "Skeleton" and "I Dood It".] (July) Visits WACS at Ft. Hood. Photo, Text (07/13) Camp Barclay, TX (08/13) DU BARRY WAS A LADY. (08/14) One Ham's Family [Son to the one of the three little pigs acts as Junior to the Big Bad Wolf.] (Fall) Gave a Douglas A-20 bomber to Russia. (Sept) WHISTLING IN BROOKLYN (limited). (Fall) THOUSANDS CHEER. (09/14) THE RED SKELTON SHOW (NBC) 3rd Season. (11/07) 1000 appearace for the Armed Forces, Treasury Department. Gift of a lamp from a 75mm shell of the 143rd Field Artillery. (Nov) I DOOD IT. (11/12) Sun-Comm. Idea for THE FULLER BRUSH MAN pitched to MGM by director S. Sylvan Simon but passed because Red was entering the army. [Cartoons: Fifth Column Mouse (Jr.)
1944	Before the Army got him, Red tried to marry the Muriel Morris Chase, the dancer he met while filming DuBarry. Just days before the wedding, she called it off. MGM managed to have him do some filming before he had to go to Army. This way they would have some movies released while he was in the service. BATHING BEAUTY was originally titles "Mr. Co-Ed". It had Red starring as a husband getting into a all-womans college to get close to his new wife. The part of the wife went to Esther Williams, MGM latest find. Red had some good moments doing a mime bit of a woman getting dressed and in a ballet class. MGM thought to market the film around Williams. This is why they changed the name. Red was called to serve his country when this movie was released. Private Richard Skelton report to Ft. MacArthur, CA for basic training then to Camp Roberts. I am not sure what his duties were. There are stories that he was the camp clown on and off the training field. Red had to quit movies and radio but his humor was still active. Warner Brothers cartoons were using parts of his radio characters in some of their cartoon characters. Tweety Bird was a bit of the mean little bird type. Some of his cartoon, he wore a sailor's hat. Red wore a sailor's type hat when he played Junior.	1944 (01/29) FDR's birthday. (02/17) Divorce final. (March) WHISTLING IN BROOKLYN general release. Engaged to Muriel Morris Chase. (April) "Guzzler's Gin" filmed for ZIEGFELD FOLLIES. (04/07) Indpls Star "Skelton to Marry Ex-Evanville Girl". (04/07) Indpls News "Red Skelton to Wed Fellow Hoosier". (04/10) "Red and Muriel Aren't Going to "Dood It" Now". Met Georgia Maureen Davis. (06/08) Induction in the Army. Ft. MacArthur, CA basic training. (June) BATHING BEAUTY (Orignially titled "Mr. Co-Ed"). (07/07) Reports to Camp Roberts, CA, Battery F, 53rd Field Artillery. (07/22-30) "Girl Crazy" Camp Roberts. (08/19) [BIRDY AND THE BEAST (WB cartoon) Tweety acts like Junior.] (08/26) [BUCKAROO BUGS (WB cartoon) The Red Hot Ryder acts like Deadeye and Clem.] (08/09) Sun-Comm "Red Just Listen's Now". (09/24 or 28) Sun-Comm "Bill Floerke Home, Tells Skelton Yarns" Boyhood friend. Radio Bugs. [Cartoons: Stage Door Cartoon (Clem).]