Posted 7/23/2010 12:35:41 PM by Mort Gamble
News from Mort Gamble viewed 234 times
Friday, July 23, 2010 - News
Annual banquet to feature wife of CFA Tent Namesake.
Evi Kelly-Lentz will be the featured guest and speaker at the October 16 banquet of the Emmett Kelly CFA Tent No. 41, Hagerstown, MD.
The banquet will be held at the Plaza Hotel, Hagerstown, with a 6 p.m. social and 7 p.m. group photo and dinner.
Evi
Kelly-Lentz has enjoyed a distinguished career in show business in Europe and
the United States. A native of Leipzig, Germany, Evi Gebhardt spent her
childhood among the ruins of her war-ravaged country. Although she did not come
from a circus family, at the age of 15 she took advantage of acrobatic and
circus training in Berlin. She formed a partnership with Uschi Frimberger, who
has remained a lifelong friend, and their acrobatic act—“The Two Grigorys,”
named for the talent agency which promoted them—was soon booked into nightclubs
and theaters.
Later, Evi
and Uschi were joined by two other performers for a new act called “The Four
Whirlwinds,” so called because of the speed and agility with which they
performed. Their act took them to entertainment venues, including circuses,
throughout Europe.
In 1953
while appearing in Copenhagen, “The Four Whirlwinds” performed for John
Ringling North, president and producer of Ringling Bros. and Barnum &
Bailey, “The Greatest Show on Earth.” He engaged the act to appear with his
circus during the 1954 season, and they opened with the show that year in New
York’s Madison Square Garden.
It was
during her employment with the Ringling show that Evi met, and in 1955 married,
Emmett Kelly, the star clown whose iconic performances as the tattered “Weary
Willie” were beloved by audiences throughout America. Following their wedding
ceremony, a gala reception was held in the Big Show’s center ring, and their
marriage was widely covered by the news media of the day.
They had two
daughters, Stasia who performed with the Sarasota Sailor Circus and became a
freelance writer, producer, and voice artist, and Monika, an actress.
Evi helped
to stage Emmett Kelly’s famous spotlight-sweeping routine and cared for his
costume. She became a U.S. citizen in 1961, one of her proudest achievements.
She and Emmett were married nearly 25 years before he died in 1979. Evi later
married John (Jack) Lentz, and they had 21 years together.
Evi still
resides in Sarasota, Florida, the hometown of the Kellys since 1954, and where
Evi served for many years as a hospital volunteer.
The Emmett
Kelly Tent of the Circus Fans Association of America is honored to welcome Evi
Kelly-Lentz, a circus celebrity and honored citizen whose remarkable life
serves as an inspiration to her many admirers.
The cost of
this year’s banquet is $28 per person, with a dinner choice of Crab Imperial or
Prime Rib of Beef au Jus. The meal will come with house salad and rolls, baby
parsley potatoes and steamed broccoli. Chocolate Mousse will be for dessert.
Beverage options will include coffee and tea.
For more
information and banquet reservations, please contact Andy Bakner, Tent
Secretary-Treasurer, at 717-762-8236, or email at 2bakners@innernet.net. The
number for the Plaza Hotel is 800-732-0906.
As in the
past, winners of the annual Al Thomas Memorial/CFA Photo Contest will be
announced at the banquet. The closing date for photo submissions is August 28,
2010. The 5 x 7 color submissions of any circus-related subject should be sent to Mort Gamble, P.O. Box 128, Bethany, WV 26032.
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