Michael Polakovs
Encyclopedia
Michael Polakovs born in Riga
, Latvia, was a circus clown
who performed in the US under the name of Coco the Clown, a moniker that his father, Nicolai Poliakoff
, had made famous in Europe.
Michael was the elder of Nicolai and his wife Valentina's two sons; they also had four daughters. Nicolai was offered a contract to tour the UK with the Bertram Mills
Circus in 1930, which allowed him to bring his wife and their two elder children, Michael and his sister Helen, to England. The rest of the family joined them in 1934. Michael joined his father in the circus ring, clowning and stiltwalking. Many circuses were closed following the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, and during the early part of the war Michael was employed by the Ascot Gas Board to dig holes in roads, for £2 16s 6d a week. Nicolai and his family succeeded in finding employment with the Blackpool Tower Circus after it was decided that it would remain open during the war. Michael and his sister Tamara appeared in each summer season until 1946, and toured during the winter months with stage circuses organised by impressario Tom Arnold.
Bertram Mills Circus reopened in 1946, and the Polakovs rejoined it the following year. Michael and his younger brother, Sacha, performed alongside their father as augustes, and also developed a stilt-walking act with their sister, Sacha. During one performance in 1947, Michael saved the life of animal trainer Nicolai Trifonidis by rushing into the enclosure and dragging him free of the lions that were mauling him.
Michael joined Billy Smart's Circus in 1951, and toured the US with the Mills Brothers
Circus in 1953. He returned to the US in the late 1950s, performing under his father's name of Coco the Clown with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
. He was hired by the McDonald's
fast-food chain in 1966 to revamp the character of Ronald McDonald
, for whom he designed the outfit and make-up still in use today. Michael also appeared in the first eight television commercials featuring the new character.
Michael retired to Kentucky
with his second wife, Hazel, with whom he had one son and one daughter. He also had four children from his first marriage, one of whom, Graham, also became a clown.
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
, Latvia, was a circus clown
Clown
Clowns are comic performers stereotypically characterized by the grotesque image of the circus clown's colored wigs, stylistic makeup, outlandish costumes, unusually large footwear, and red nose, which evolved to project their actions to large audiences. Other less grotesque styles have also...
who performed in the US under the name of Coco the Clown, a moniker that his father, Nicolai Poliakoff
Nicolai Poliakoff
Nicolai Poliakoff OBE 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 not a clown but an auguste, the foolish character who is always on the receiving end of buckets of water and custard pies...
, had made famous in Europe.
Michael was the elder of Nicolai and his wife Valentina's two sons; they also had four daughters. Nicolai was offered a contract to tour the UK with the Bertram Mills
Bertram Mills
Bertram Wagstaff Mills was a British circus owner who ran the Bertram Mills Circus. Originally from Paddington, London, his circus became famous in the UK for its Christmas shows at Olympia in West London...
Circus in 1930, which allowed him to bring his wife and their two elder children, Michael and his sister Helen, to England. The rest of the family joined them in 1934. Michael joined his father in the circus ring, clowning and stiltwalking. Many circuses were closed following the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, and during the early part of the war Michael was employed by the Ascot Gas Board to dig holes in roads, for £2 16s 6d a week. Nicolai and his family succeeded in finding employment with the Blackpool Tower Circus after it was decided that it would remain open during the war. Michael and his sister Tamara appeared in each summer season until 1946, and toured during the winter months with stage circuses organised by impressario Tom Arnold.
Bertram Mills Circus reopened in 1946, and the Polakovs rejoined it the following year. Michael and his younger brother, Sacha, performed alongside their father as augustes, and also developed a stilt-walking act with their sister, Sacha. During one performance in 1947, Michael saved the life of animal trainer Nicolai Trifonidis by rushing into the enclosure and dragging him free of the lions that were mauling him.
Michael joined Billy Smart's Circus in 1951, and toured the US with the Mills Brothers
Mills Brothers
The Mills Brothers, sometimes billed as The Four Mills Brothers, were an American jazz and pop vocal quartet of the 20th century who made more than 2,000 recordings that combined sold more than 50 million copies, and garnered at least three dozen gold records...
Circus in 1953. He returned to the US in the late 1950s, performing under his father's name of Coco the Clown with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is an American circus company. The company was started when the circus created by James Anthony Bailey and P. T. Barnum was merged with the Ringling Brothers Circus. The Ringling brothers purchased the Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1907, but ran the circuses...
. He was hired by the McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
fast-food chain in 1966 to revamp the character of Ronald McDonald
Ronald McDonald
Ronald McDonald is a clown character used as the primary mascot of the McDonald's fast-food restaurant chain. In television commercials, the clown inhabits a fantasy world called McDonaldland, and has adventures with his friends Mayor McCheese, the Hamburglar, Grimace, Birdie the Early Bird, and...
, for whom he designed the outfit and make-up still in use today. Michael also appeared in the first eight television commercials featuring the new character.
Michael retired to Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
with his second wife, Hazel, with whom he had one son and one daughter. He also had four children from his first marriage, one of whom, Graham, also became a clown.