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Where Are They Now?
Steve "T.J. Tatters" Smith,
"Master of Mirth" PART 2
Eric "Colosso" Plaut
Which clowns had mentored you throughout How did you get the name “T.J.
your career? Tatters”?
Clowns from the past have included I joined Ringling’s Blue Unit and toured one
International Clown Hall of Fame (ICHoF) year with them in 1972. Following my year
inductees Lou Jacobs, Otto Griebling, Mark with the circus, I toured with a mime group
Anthony, Bobby Kay, Swede Johnson called Los Payasos Educatos (The Educated
and Prince Paul Alpert. Lou and Otto Clowns) run by Siegfriedo Aguilar who
served as instructors at the Clown had taught (the students) mime at Clown
College. Last International Clown College. Pantomime, as we learned from
Hall of Fame Inductees, the late Aguilar, is in the “arena of expression and
Leon "Buttons" McBryde and body movement.”
Dougie Ashton. (Leon passed A year later in 1973, I called Irvin Feld (who
away last month since this bought the Ringling Brothers Circus in 1967).
article was written.) Irvin needed an Advanced Clown for the
What inspired you to Blue Unit. Since Leon “Buttons”
become a clown? McBryde taught the Red
Growing up, I wanted to Unit, he trained me.
perform in vaudeville - not the I also realized that
circus. I was a fan of the old- I needed a (clown)
time performers such as Charlie name. Around that
Chaplin, Buster Keaton and
Laurel and Hardy. I also watched time, Swede Johnson gave me the
the Warner Brothers cartoons tattered top hat that I adopted along with
with Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and my costume, and I referred to myself as “T.J.
Tweety-Pie - and the Roadrunner Tatters”. (Though T.J. could stand for Tomato
and Wile E. Coyote were my Juice or Top Jester, Steve wouldn’t tell me what
favorites. it stood for.)
I made a career choice in theater Buttons and I once covered for (the late 1996
during my years at Zanesville (Ohio) International Clown Hall of Fame) Bob “Bozo”
High School, where I graduated from in 1969. Bell over on Bozo’s Circus. It was an “absolute
About a year later, Life magazine had an article (in zoo”, but a lot of fun. Roy Brown, who portrayed
their February 20, 1970 issue) about Ringling Brothers Bozo’s longtime sidekick Cooky, was “a gentleman and
Clown College. Nathaniel Litt (who passed away a gentle man”, and it was a great honor to be inducted
in 1997) was featured on the cover - half in clown (into the International Clown Hall of Fame in 1993)
and half in plain clothes. Reading the article about with Roy.
physical comedy and training was what attracted me
to the Clown College. (Along with Ron Severini, Steve Are you a member of any clown organizations
was accepted into Clown College in 1971.) (e.g. WCA, COAI, Clown Camp®, etc.)? If yes,
which ones and for how long?
26 MAGAZINE No - though I have honorary lifetime memberships
