6. Lou Jacobs

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If you’ve ever wondered about the origins of the clown car, then look no further. Lou Jabocs, a German-born American clown was the man responsible for this hilarious vehicle. As you may know, clown cars are generally tiny vehicles seen at the circus that clowns squeeze themselves into for a few cheap laughs. Along with the clown car, Jacobs was also believed to be the first clown to wear a bright red nose, something that is a staple of every clown costume these days.

Jacobs performed for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus for more than 60 years. Along with the midget clown car, part of his act involved the one-man band, where Jacobs had several instruments attached to his body that he would play by moving various limbs. 

Along with Emmett Kelly, Jacobs was also featured in The Greatest Show on Earth. He was inducted into the International Clown Hall of Fame in 1989 and was the first person to have their portrait on an American postage stamp. Who said clowning couldn’t be a successful career? 

7. John Wayne Gacy

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Not all clowns are fictional characters. John Wayne Gacy is probably the person that started people’s fear of clowns. During the 70s, Gacy raped, tortured, and murdered 33 young boys over a six-year period. Gacy was nicknamed the Killer Clown because he dressed up as Pogo the Clown and visited children’s hospitals and performed at charity events. He was what you would call an evil clown. 

26 of Gacy’s victims were buried in the crawl space of his house, with the serial killer eventually being arrested after investigations into missing teenager Robert Piest linked Gacy to his disappearance. Sentenced to death in 1980, Gacy was eventually executed by lethal injection in 1994. 

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