Editing Emmett Kelly (section)

==Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey==
For a year and a half Emmett made his living performing in nightclubs and indoor circuses until early 1941, when he received offers from both [[Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey]] and Cole Bros. After considering both opportunities, Kelly opted to go with Cole Bros., which promised a higher salary.{{Sfn|Kelly|1954|p=170}}

In the five years since Kelly had appeared under canvas in the United States, he honed his craft and matured as a performer to the point that the Cole Bros. publicity department touted him as "the world's funniest clown." The stories that were placed in newspapers in advance of the circus described, and occasionally embellished, details associated with his tour of the United Kingdom.

The positive reviews caught the attention of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, and in 1942 he joined the circus for the first of fourteen seasons with the show. In 1944, the character that Kelly had created was cast as the star in the featured spectacle. ''Panto's Paradise'' was staged as a "dream of a hobo in fairyland."<ref>"RB Scores Straw Peek", ''The Billboard'', April 1, 1944, p. 34.</ref>