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Be a Clown!: The Complete Guide to Instant Clowning (Paperback)

~ (Author) "So you want to be a clown?..." (more)
Key Phrases: clown props, clown character, clown shoes, Clown Rule, Jack Benny, Clown One (more...)

4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Written by the towering Turk Pipkin, a 6' 7" professional clown, BE A CLOWN! The Complete Guide To Instant Clowning provides the know-how, techniques, encouragement--and official red plastic nose--needed to put kids of all ages in the center ring. This lively, humorous handbook covers all aspects of clownmanship, including makeup, funny faces, costume (how to make big clown shoes at home), and props like the Bouncing Hankie. Fully illustrated throughout, it reveals step-by-step the secrets of Slapstick, Timing & Takes, and Juggling. Develop your own oddball walk, swallow chair legs--you'll always have a stunt up your sleeve. 72,000 copies in print.

From the Back Cover

STEP RIGHT UP!

Slip into your own red snooter. Now you're a Joey! Make the faces, walk the walks (there's nothing like the feel of 36 inches of shoe leather on your feet). Learn the Spring-Loaded Hat Trick, the Five Great Handshakes, the Bouncing Hankie, "Sword" Swallowing, Clown Levitation. Build a character-the hobo, buffo, cutup, or wag. Hone your new skills: balancing, juggling, slapstick, pie-tossing, and flea circus ringmaster. Plus: the "Crossbow" Violin, Gag Bowling Ball, Stethoscope Plunger, and other great props. Because now you don't have to be afraid to make a fool of yourself-that's the whole point!

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Product Details

Paperback: 104 pages
Publisher: Workman Publishing Company (January 9, 1989)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0894803476
ISBN-13: 978-0894803475
Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 7.8 x 0.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces

Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)

Amazon.com Sales Rank: #239,755 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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More About the Author

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Inside This Book (learn more)

First Sentence:
So you want to be a clown? Read the first page

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
clown props, clown character, clown shoes, dle fingers, clown nose, big finish

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Clown Rule, Jack Benny, Clown One, Clown Two, Marcel Marceau, Safety Note

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Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats

Citations (learn more)

This book cites 5 books:

Red Skelton: An Unauthorized Biography by Arthur Marx in Front Matter
Circus Techniques by Hovey Burgess in Back Matter
Clowns and Pantomimes by Maurice W. Disher in Back Matter
Circus Techniques by Rh Value Publishing in Back Matter
Clown Alley by Bill Ballantine in Back Matter

1 book cites this book:

The Fun Factor: Your Prescription for Stress Relief at Work and at Home by Cheryl Nason in Back Matter

Books on Related Topics (learn more)

Clown Ministry Skits for All Seasons by Floyd Shaffer

Discusses:

Clown Ministry by Floyd Shaffer

Discusses:

Girl Clown by Mary R. Wise

Discusses:

Fools and Jesters in Literature, Art, and History by Vicki K. Janik

Discusses:

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	68% buy the item featured on this page: Be a Clown!: The Complete Guide to Instant Clowning 4.2 out of 5 stars (5)
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	6% buy The Usborne Book of Face Painting (How to Make) 3.7 out of 5 stars (11) $7.99

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Customer Reviews

5 Reviews

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
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Average Customer Review

4.2 out of 5 stars (5 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Be a Clown!, June 25, 2000

By	Tom Raymond (Wausau, WI USA) - See all my reviews

A very nice book - light, easily read, many photos, with a good insight to the mind & heart of a clown. This lively, humorous handbook covers all aspects of clownmanship, including makeup, funny faces, costume, and props. Encourages the reader to create a clown persona with many photos and suggestions. Several getting-started routines are included. Written by the towering Turk Pipkin, a 6' 7" professional clown. Includes plastic clown nose. The more I read it, the more I like it.

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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars You'll catch the "bug" for clowning and creating., February 22, 1998

By A Customer

Encourages the reader to create a clown persona with many photos and suggestions. Several getting-started routines are included. MISSING: he makes wonderful suggestions about creating a flea circus routine but just try to find a book or resource about THAT. It left me wanting MORE!

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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars good book a must for starting clowns, April 13, 1998

By	reed@info2000.net (colorado,usa) - See all my reviews

i am a kid who is thinking about being a clown i have been buying almost every book on the subject. this is a good book to teach you the fundementals of clowning but dosen't cover what it takes to be a real clown

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Fatastic Book that reads and rereads itself... Almost!
This is a great book for clowns, starting or otherwise. Lots of interesting ideas that warrents plenty of rereading. Read more

Published on September 10, 2001 by Vivien Goh

4.0 out of 5 stars This is a great book for starters!
This is a great book to begin with but I am just starting out and don't see this book as being the only book for me. Read more

Published on October 29, 1998

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