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His legal name is Jimmy Lee Gill, but professionally he goes by Seth Bailey. He has been a performing clown for nearly his entire life.
In the early 1950s, as a preschooler, Jimmy’s grandfather, the world-renowned circus clown Seth Walter Bailey—better known as "Bill Bailey"—would dress Jimmy in clown makeup and costume and bring him along to performances.
By the late 1960s, at age 16, Jimmy began his professional career with summer work as a clown at the Memphis Zoological Garden’s daily one-ring circus. Directed by famed animal trainer Tommy O'Brian, Jimmy used his grandfather’s makeup kit and costume, performing as a bald Whiteface clown in a two-piece suit and tie.
In the early 1970s, Jimmy joined the Al Chymia Shriners’ Clown Unit in Memphis, Tennessee, continuing to use his grandfather’s makeup kit and costume. He portrayed a red mop-wigged Whiteface clown resembling Raggedy Andy. The Clown Unit performed exclusively for charitable causes, often appearing at numerous events—once dressing for 20 events in one May. During a Memorial Day weekend, they raised over $6,500 for the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s Telethon by collecting donations from passing motorists at a busy Memphis intersection.
During the late 1980s, Jimmy became a member of the Woodland Hills Shriners’ Clown Club in Los Angeles, California. Equipped with his own larger makeup kit and costumes, he introduced two new clown personas: Hobo 01 and Auguste 04. Like before, all performances supported charitable causes, including regular visits to nursing homes, participation in holiday parades, and events benefiting children’s organizations such as the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation.
In the early 1990s, Jimmy co-founded and became a charter member of the Al Malaikah Shriners’ Clown Unit in Los Angeles. He continued performing as Hobo 01 and Auguste 04 while developing three additional clown characters: Tramp 02, Auguste 03, and Whiteface 05. The Unit’s engagements remained focused on charity, including weekly visits to the Shriners’ Hospital for Children.
By the mid-1990s, responding to many requests, Jimmy began voluntarily teaching clowning skills to non-profit groups such as churches, community recreation centers, and fraternities. Throughout this work, he helped create countless clown characters for individuals of all ages, from children to seniors, each troupe supporting local charities.
In late 1997, one of Jimmy’s former students, Sherri McKenzie—an AEA/AFTRA/AGVA/SAG member—recommended him to a casting director for a role as a clown in the feature film remake Carnival of Souls (1998). He was cast as Hobo 01, found the experience exhilarating, and developed a passion for this new creative outlet.
Early in 1998, Jimmy joined AFTRA and SAG. Since then, he has worked under both unions’ jurisdictions when called. He continued performing as Hobo 01, Tramp 02, Auguste 03, Auguste 04, and Whiteface 05, while developing four new clown personas: Whiteface 06, Mime 07, Character 08, and Character 09. To honor his grandfather and his roots, Jimmy adopted the professional name Seth Bailey. His work has also made him eligible for membership in AEA.
Later in 1998, Jimmy was asked to replicate John Wayne Gacy’s infamous “Pogo the Clown” character for the television film Men in White (1998). Using an internet image for reference, he successfully duplicated Gacy’s sinister clown persona.
In early 2000, Jimmy volunteered with the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles to fulfill a terminally ill boy’s wish for a clown-hosted birthday party. Performing as Auguste 03, he entertained the boy, Efern, and his family with balloon sculptures, comedy, face painting, juggling, and both stage and close-up magic. Efern’s joyful expression and excitement were unforgettable, though sadly it was his last birthday before he passed from leukemia. Jimmy remains on-call for Make-A-Wish.
By mid-2000, Jimmy had also volunteered at several fundraisers for the Starlight Children’s Foundation and continues to be available for their events.
Jimmy continues performing for charitable causes under AFTRA and SAG, and now also provides services for corporate events, including custom clown characters, spokesperson roles, grand openings, and annual parties. He has appeared as Mime 07 at a Hollywood studio producer’s Christmas party. He is a professional clown, both in appearance and entertainment quality.
