Visit to Ball State for Red Skelton research and to see Mickey Rooney

Went to Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana to do research on Red Skelton and to see Mickey Rooney. The archives has video tape of Red Skelton from his 1986 visit. There was video of a news conference and receiving his honorary degree. Red tells a great story about his visit to Philadelphia State Fair. They have slide from his 1977 visit. Did not see items from his 1981 visit.

Mickey Rooney had a good show. The first half was just Mickey showing clips from his movies, talking about his life with jokes and song. The second half was a singing from his wife. When Mickey came stage you could see that love they have for each other. It was great to see this legend up close. I hope he will be able to contact me and talk about his time with Red Skelton.

Red Skelton in new Hall of Fame

IMIN Announces Indiana Performing Arts Hall of Fame Inaugural Inductees

The Indiana Media Industry Network (IMIN), a not-for-profit trade association representing the film, television, new media, music and commercial production industry, announces the inaugural class of historic inductees to the Indiana Performing Arts Hall of Fame (IPAHF).

They are director Robert Wise, playwright Booth Tarkington, actors Scatman Crothers, James Dean, and Steve McQueen; actresses Irene Dunne, Carole Lombard, and Marjorie Main; comedian Red Skelton, lyricist Noble Sissle, composers Hoagy Carmichael and Cole Porter, and jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery.

“Hoosiers have made enormous contributions to the performing arts dating from the earliest days of film through today,” said David Smith, Chair of the IPAHF and author of Hoosiers in Hollywood. “The Hall of Fame will help our citizens learn more about our rich history and celebrate the vast talent of our native sons and daughters in the arts.”

Nominations for the Indiana Performing Arts Hall of Fame were solicited from the general public and from experts in film history, theatre, music, education and film and music production. A panel representing each of these areas considered the nominations and selected the inaugural class based upon each artist’s contributions to the

performing arts and to bringing honor to the State of Indiana.

An induction ceremony will take place in Indianapolis on June 19th, 2008 to honor these 13 historic inductees and 6 living ones, who will be announced next spring. A collective video tribute for the historic inductees and individual tributes for the living inductees will be presented during the ceremony.

The initial induction class includes 19 individuals, representing the 19 stars in the Indiana state flag, Indiana being the nineteenth state in the union. This larger class will kick off what will become an annual tribute to Hoosiers when 10 new inductees are added each year.

Initially, the Hall of Fame will be web-based, with the artist’s biography, photos, filmography/discography, and video and recording references. A permanent “walk of fame” with multi-media interpretation area is also planned for future development.

End

I am a member of the committee. The induction ceremony will be June 19th. Contact me if you want details. We are looking for family members of to contact and hope that they can come.

Giving spirits praised

Giving spirits praised

Ron Glass recieves Spirit of Giving award in his hometown of Evansville from the Vanderburgh Community Foundation. A endowment for the Evansville African American Museum was named after him.

Red Skelton's Mother and Brothers family

I have been working on researching the Skelton family but have reached a dead end. Looking for help. Sometime in the late 1920s the family moved to Mansfield, OH. Ida Mae married Gustave Soderstrom, don't know where. He was a railroad man and died in California June 1962 at the age of 71. Have not found more about him or his family. Red's brother were Chris, Paul and Denny. Chris had a cleaners in Lawrenceville, IL that was in a fire 1948. Still working on more. Paul ended up working in a Hollywood studio. I have heard that he was a prop man for "Lost in Space". Need more. Found details on Denny Skelton. He died in Mansfield, OH 06-07-1943 from a heart attack. His wife was Irene Mytle Rhodes. Daughters Jeannine and Linda. Irene remarred a Mitchell Boodman. Moved to Cleveland. Jeannie was born 11-16-1929. She married William Fredrick McKee 06-16-1951. I am guessing that they have a daughter also named Jeannine that became a golfer. She may have married someone named Burge. This is a guess. Linda married A. Charles Tuttle 09-06-1952. The Tuttles had a landscaping business. Found that they had a son named Charles Tyson Tuttle, born 08-09-1953. Tyson was a football player in Mansfield.

I would like to contact the family or get more info.