In a People Magazine interview late in his life, Skelton admitted that he fudged his officially accepted birth year, but did not elaborate. The year 1910 is sometimes given instead of 1913, but Skelton's biographer Arthur Marx claims that the comedian told close associates he was really born in 1906.
Inducted into the International Clown Hall of Fame in 1989.
Inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1994.
Interred at Forest Lawn, Glendale, California, USA, in the Great Mausoleum, Sanctuary of Benediction.
On May 10, 1976 his ex-wife Georgia Davis committed suicide by gunshot on the 18th anniversary of their son's Richard Freeman Skelton death.
One of Red's writers filled in for him one night when he took a serious fall, injuring himself. That writer's name was Johnny Carson.
Originally he had hoped to become a circus lion tamer, but gave up on that when he saw a man mauled to death by one of the big cats.
Served in the U.S. Army during World War Two (1944-1945).
Skelton earned over $2.5 million annually at one time as an artist, after the cancellation of his variety show "The Red Skelton Hour" (1951).
Star of "The Red Skelton Show" on NBC Radio (1941-1949) and CBS Radio (1949-1953).
The day after his wedding on March 9, 1945 Salton checked into the hospital for a tonsillectomy.
The pressures of entertaining troops, fulfilling his duties as a soldier, and heavy alcohol use resulted in Skelton's hospitalization for a nervous breakdown in 1945.
The Red Skelton Bridge spans the Wabash River and provides the highway link between Illinois and Indiana, on U.S. Route 50, near his hometown of Vincennes, Indiana. Immediately after the bridge-dedication ceremony came to a close, Red proclaimed in his normal comical style to the crowd, "Ok, now everybody, off of my bridge!"
The Red Skelton Festival, June 14, 2008 in Vincennes, featured the "Parade of a Thousand Clowns," an Evening of Music, with Crystal Gayle, and clown seminars.
The Red Skelton Performing Arts Center at 20 Red Skelton Blvd. in Vincennes, Indiana is within a block of Red Skelton's birthplace.
Used his "Guzzlers Gin" comedy sketch as his successful 1940 screen test for MGM. It was later filmed in Ziegfeld Follies (1945).
Was the 1961 recipient of the prestigious Connor Award given by the brothers of the Phi Alpha Tau fraternity based out of Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts. He is also an honorary brother of the fraternity.