Biography
His legal name is Jimmy Lee Gill. His professional name is Seth Bailey. He has been a performing clown almost his entire life.
Early 1950's, as a pre-school child Jimmy's Grandfather, the former world renowned circus clown Seth Walter Bailey also and better known as "Bill Bailey" would make-up and costumed Jimmy as a clown then take the miniature clown along on gigs.
Late 1960's, Jimmy began his professional career at the age of 16 with summer employment at the Memphis Zoological Garden as a clown for its daily one-ring circus. Tommy O'Brian, the former world renowned circus animal trainer, directed this two-shows-a-day gig. Jimmy used Grandpa Bailey's make-up kit and costume. He did a bald Whiteface 2-piece clown suit and tie entity.
Early 1970's, Jimmy became a member of the Al Chymia Shriners' Clown Unit in Memphis, Tennessee. He continued to use Grandpa Bailey's make-up kit and costume. He did a red mop wigged Whiteface ragged Andy type entity. All of the Clown Unit's gigs were for charitable causes. One May they dressed for 20 events. One Memorial Day weekend, they raised over $6,500 for the "Muscular Dystrophy Association's Telethon" by collecting change from passing motorists at a major Memphis street intersection.
Late 1980's, Jimmy became a member of the Woodland Hills Shriners' Clown Club in Los Angeles, California. He now had his own much larger make-up kit and a couple of his own costumes. He introduced two new personal clown entities: Hobo 01 and Auguste 04. All of this Clown Club's gigs were for charitable causes. They regularly visited nursing homes to entertained seniors. They also dressed for as many holiday parades as possible and children's causes such as the "Juvenile Diabetes Foundation".
Early 1990's, Jimmy co-founded and became a charter member of the Al Malaikah Shriners' Clown Unit in Los Angeles, California. He continued doing Hobo 01 and Auguste 04 while developing three new personal clown entities: Tramp 02, Auguste 03 and Whiteface 05. All of the Clown Unit's gigs were for charitable causes including weekly visited the Shriners' Hospital for Children.
Mid 1990's, responding to numerous requests, Jimmy began to voluntarily teach clowning skills to non-profit groups: churches, community recreational centers, fraternities, etc. During this endeavor, he had the pleasure of creating an unknown number of clown entities for others of all ages, children to seniors. Each of these clown troops furthered local charities as their purpose.
Late 1997, One of Jimmy's former clown students, AEA/AFTRA/AGVA/SAG member Sherri McKenzie, recommended him to a Casting Director for a role as a clown in the feature film remake titled Carnival of Souls (1998). He was booked and worked that project as Hobo 01. He found this new creative outlet quite thrilling, desired more of it and pursued it with new found passion.
Early 1998, Jimmy became a member of AFTRA and SAG. Since then, he's worked under the jurisdiction of both unions on being called. He continued to do Hobo 01, Tramp 02, Auguste 03, Auguste 04 and Whiteface 05 while developing four new personal clown entities: Whiteface 06, Mime 07, Character 08 and Character 09. Jimmy now adopted the professional name of Seth Bailey to honor Grandpa Bailey, from whence his roots grow. By virtue of his work Jimmy's earned eligibility to join AEA.
Late 1998, Jimmy was asked if he could duplicate John Wayne Gacy's "Pogo the Clown" entity for the feature television film titled Men in White (1998). An Internet search provided a color image of Gacy's sinister clown entity which Jimmy did duplicate as requested.
Early 2000, Jimmy volunteered to help the "Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles" grant a terminally ill young boy's wish of having a clown host his birthday party. Jimmy worked the party of family and friends as Auguste 03 with: balloon sculptures, comedic stich, face painting, juggling, and magic (both stage and close-up). Efern's face beamed joy and his excitement was contagious! This sadly, turned out to be Efern's last birthday as he succumbed to leukemia. Jimmy's still on-call for Make-A-Wish.
Mid 2000, Jimmy's voluntarily worked several fund-raisers for the "Starlight Children's Foundation". Jimmy's also still on-call for Starlight.
Jimmy continues working gigs for charitable causes, AFTRA and SAG. He now additionally offers his services for corporate events, i.e. a specially designed iconic entity, spokesman, grand openings, annual parties, etc. He has worked one Hollywood Studio Producer's Christmas Party as Mime 07. He is a professional clown in both appearance and entertainment quality.
