Ian Hendry + Janet Munro – Wearing A Pair Of Coco The Clown’s Boots At Bertram Mills’ Circus, Olympia, London [November 1962]
Picture: Janet Munro and Ian Hendry – with a pair of oversized boots belonging to Coco the Clown. Photograph taken during a visit to the Bertram Mills’ Circus [Christmas season – November 1962].
In a couple of earlier articles, I have written about Ian’s love for the circus and how he first came to meet Coco – whilst he was still studying at the Central School of Speech + Drama in London. Ian went on to work for Coco as his stooge and became lifelong friends with him and his wife, Valentina.
The links to these articles are below:
Ian Hendry And ‘The Circus That Came To Town’ – Part 1
Ian Hendry And ‘The Circus That Came To Town’ – Part 2
Coco The Clown + Ian Hendry – This Is Your Life
Coco the Clown was featured on This Is Your Life in January 1962 and Ian Hendry was one of the guests. Some 16 years later, Ian would be the subject of his own This Is Your Life – broadcast in March 1978. Unfortunately, Coco had died in 1974, but his wife Valentina appeared in what was an emotional reunion.
These two episodes are featured on the excellent Big Red Book website:
Coco The Clown – This Is Your Life [1962] – Big Red Book Website
Ian Hendry – This Is Your Life [1978] – Big Red Book Website
Picture: Coco The Clown’s This Is Your Life [1962] – Ian Hendry was featured as one of the special guests [pictured back row, 4th from right]
Picture: Ian Hendry’s This Is Your Life [1978] – Coco’s wife, Valentina, appeared as a special guest.
Coco The Clown – Nicolai Poliakoff
Nicolai Poliakoff OBE (2 October 1900 – 25 September 1974) (Latvian: Nikolajs Polakovs) (Russian: Nikolai Petrovich Polyakov) was the creator of Coco the Clown, arguably the most famous clown in the UK during the middle decades of the 20th century. Technically, Coco is an Auguste, the foolish character who is always on the receiving end of buckets of water and custard pies. The Auguste often works with the more clever white-faced clown, who always gets the better of him.
Picture: Stone carving of Coco the Clown on his gravestone at Woodnewton, Northamptonshire.
Coco is buried at Woodnewton in Northamptonshire. The village is home to ‘Clownfest’, a fundraising operation inspired by Coco the Clown. There is a woodcarved statue of ‘Coco the clown’ in the Woodnewton village park. Coco the clown is buried in the graveyard of St Mary’s parish church, which is situated to the eastern end of the village.
Until next time,
Neil Hendry
Editor, Official Tribute To Ian Hendry
Further Reading
A detailed account of the life and work of Ian Hendry in the new biography:
Read: ‘Send in the Clowns – The Yo Yo Life Of Ian Hendry’ by Gabriel Hershman
More From Ian Hendry
- Ian Hendry + Orson Welles – Rare Original Still Photograph – The Southern Star (1969)
- This Is Your Life – Coco The Clown (1962) + Ian Hendry (1978) : Article
- Ian Hendry’s Ipswich School Days – Alan Gibson Reflects On Being School Friends With Ian Hendry In The Early 1940s [Audio]
- Ian Hendry + Loni Von Friedl – Promotional Still For Journey To The Far Side Of The Sun/ Doppleganger (1969)
- Official Website of Ian Hendry – Our 2nd Anniversary Celebration!
- On The Set Of The Avengers (1961)
- ABC’s Television Line-up Autumn 1965: Dickie Davies + Philip Harben + Dusty Springfield + Patrick Macnee + Diana Rigg + Bruce Forsyth + Britt Eckland + Ian Hendry + David Buck
- Simon Furness – On Ian Hendry + Acting: An Appreciation Of A Character Actor
- Ian Hendry + Dick Emery Sketch – The Dick Emery Show [1976]. A Military Attache From The Russian Embassy Meets ‘Jack’ In A London Pub. Jack’s A British Naval Officer In Search Of A Spy And A Drink!
- Ian Hendry ‘A Life On Screen’ 30th Anniversary Tribute
- ITV Play Of The Week – ‘On The Island’ (1967) – TV World Magazine
- Laurence Payne Obituary – Actor and Crime-Writer of Girl In The Headlines (1963)
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- No.2: The Ian Hendry Files. Rare Scrapbook Extracts From The 1950s – 1980s
- Rare Ian Hendry Autograph From The John Verzi Collection
- Ian Hendry in Bobbikins [1959] – Previously Unknown Film Role As A BBC Radio Announcer Discovered By Film Enthusiast
- David Warner – BBC Radio Interview in which he discusses his life, work and Ian Hendry – who also appeared as Morgan in ‘A Suitable Case For Treatment’
- Ian, Jo, Janet, Britt And A Neurotic Peter Sellers!
- Ian Hendry – Rare Candid Portrait from Police Surgeon (1960) From The Book ‘Both Sides Of The Camera’ By ABC Television
- Theatre 625 Ep. ‘Miss Julie’ – Ian Hendry + Gunnel Lindblom. Review and Original Promotional Still [1965]
- The Hill (1965) – Australian Day Bill Poster
- Tom Clegg – Director – A Tribute: The Sweeney, McVicar + Much Much More
- Journey To The Far Side Of The Sun [aka Doppleganger] – Rare Original Photographs And The ‘Real-Life’ Connection To The Cambridge Science Instruments Co. [1969]
- Sylvia Anderson – 27th March 1927 – 16th March 2016
- Get Carter (1971) – Original Screenplay [PDF Download]
- Classic Scene #1: Get Carter (1971) At The Racecourse – Michael Caine + Ian Hendry + Glynn Edwards
- Ian Hendry In The James Bond Spy Film, Casino Royale ’67? Director Joseph McGrath Discusses Ian’s Scene With Ursula Andress Which Ended On Up On The Cutting Room Floor Plus Other Bond Connections
- Get Carter [1971] ‘Shotguns, Coal And Sex’ – Original GQ Magazine Article from The 90s
- Ian Hendry + Britt Ekland – ABC TV Armchair Theatre ‘A Cold Peace’ (1965)