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Home Biography Perzo Rossini Davey Nic Nac Davey Mac Christmas Photo Gallery Links Email Last updated: 8th May 2007 Copyright © 2007 [Dave McIntyre] All Rights Reserved		My love for circus, clowns and Scottish variety theatre started at a very early age. By the time I had reached my 16^th birthday I knew that I was destined to become a clown. Whilst working at the Weir Pumps Factory in Yoker, Glasgow, my clown character was slowly starting to develop when I met up with the Patchell Brothers two-man circus and was invited to do the occasional guest spot on their show whenever I could get the time off work. It was after one of these shows that we visited the winter quarters of Circus Markus, near Kirk O’ Shotts, and I was introduced to Rodney Mac, the owner, who offered me my first professional engagement as a clown touring small towns and villages around central Scotland with his show for the 1977 season. My mother was certainly not amused and assured me that it was a phase I was going through, and that I would be home within the month. On returning to Clydebank at the end of the season I signed up with a casting agency and started to get occasional TV extra work. It was during one of these jobs that someone suggested that the Holiday Camps were always looking for children’s entertainers and that maybe I should apply. I duly did so and in February of 1978 found myself at the Plaza Ballroom Eglington Toll auditioning for Jimmy Kennedy and Pontin’s Holidays. In those days Pontin’s was split into two regions and although Jimmy didn’t have anywhere for me he passed my name on to Bridie Reid and I was booked for the season at their Broadreeds Camp down at Selsey Bill. Here started a long and happy time which lasted all of thirteen years at various Pontin’s camps around the UK and abroad. My years at Pontin’s saw me develop into an all-round entertainer, presenting not just my clown act but also dancing and singing in the resident shows, acting as compere and doing a late night cabaret spot singing Scottish classics. Wanting to advance to the cabaret circuit I worked on my comedy unicycle, rola rola balancing act and created a new character called Rossini, an eccentric old man in the style of Mr Pastry. During this time I got involved with the International Circus Clowns Club which is better known today as Clowns International. I appeared in many of the Gala Shows with my Rossini act and had the pleasure of working a short routine, featuring my Exploding Bagpipes, with Sir Norman Wisdom for a lunch time TV Show from BBC Pebble Mill. It was at their tenth convention, the final one to take place in Bognor Regis, that I was asked to produce both the Gala and Sunday International Shows. At the end of the1990 summer season I decided to leave Pontin’s and try pastures new. I found accommodation in Brighton and started doing Galas, Fetes, promotional work and special guest appearances with Zippo’s Circus, Paulo’s Circus and Circus Harlequin. More TV Extra work followed on programmes such as “The Bill”, “Darling Buds of May”, “Waiting for God” and “House of Elliot” to name just a few. Within eighteen months I was on the move again and found myself settling in Bournemouth. Early in 1992, I joined forces on a casual basis with Clown Bluey to form ’ Lockstock & Barrel’, a traditional musical clown entree, with me playing the fumbling old eccentric Professor Lockstock, whilst Bluey was the straight Whiteface Clown. During this act, which was based loosely on the traditional clowning of the famous Swiss Clown ’Grock’ and Charlie Cairoli, Bluey played the Alto saxophone and musical saw whilst I played violin and soprano saxophone. We successfully worked the act at ’Floriade’ in Holland and also represented Great Britain at the prestigious Clown D’oro in Sicily. Through my involvement with the Gala Shows at the Clown Conventions I was introduced to Laci Endrez who was now producing The Blackpool Tower Circus and I was asked if I would be interested in appearing in the 1994 Christmas Circus. More work followed which saw me travelling to work in Norway, Holland, Spain, Italy, Kuwait and Dubai. Whilst working in Dubai I met up with an old friend Martyn Crosswell “Spanners the Clown”. Martyn had previously worked as whiteface clown with the “Konyot Clown troupe” so we decided to partner up for a clown Festival in Holland. As “The Royales” we presented the plate smashing bullet catching entrée made famous by Pio Knock and also “The Ghost entree. I had also become a member of the Bournemouth Caledonian Society and would go out with their Scottish Country Dance Team to entertain at old folks homes in the area. From this my Scottish cabaret act developed and it wasn’t long before I was performing at Burns suppers and using my piping skills at weddings and funerals. It was at this time that one of my friends from the Caledonian Society thought it would be a good idea to set me up on a blind date. By now in my late 30s I was resigned to being single. The girl in question was Tracy; we fell in love and a year to the day we married. Thankfully Tracy accepted the work I do and the odd hours it involves. Through various visits to my mother Tracy fell madly in love with Scotland, its culture and its sense of humour. It wasn’t long before Tracy persuaded me to make the move back to Scotland which we did in December 2002, and the process of re-establishing myself began with work from children’s parties, corporate events, talks, cabaret and Extra work to being an all-singing all-dancing Santa at Asda Cumbernauld. In 2003, a new character, "Davey Nic Nac" was created. He doesn't wear the traditional clown "motley" and is best described as a "Funjuror". I use him mainly in restaurants, corporate events and childrens parties where a "clown" is not wanted or suitable, but a good entertainer is - usually performing with balloons and close-up magic. Perzo the clown is happy to be back home in his native land and looking forward to celebrating his 30^th year in showbiz. Who knows where you may see him next?

Last updated: 8th May 2007

My love for circus, clowns and Scottish variety theatre started at a very early age. By the time I had reached my 16^th birthday I knew that I was destined to become a clown.

Whilst working at the Weir Pumps Factory in Yoker, Glasgow, my clown character was slowly starting to develop when I met up with the Patchell Brothers two-man circus and was invited to do the occasional guest spot on their show whenever I could get the time off work.

It was after one of these shows that we visited the winter quarters of Circus Markus, near Kirk O’ Shotts, and I was introduced to Rodney Mac, the owner, who offered me my first professional engagement as a clown touring small towns and villages around central Scotland with his show for the 1977 season. My mother was certainly not amused and assured me that it was a phase I was going through, and that I would be home within the month.

On returning to Clydebank at the end of the season I signed up with a casting agency and started to get occasional TV extra work. It was during one of these jobs that someone suggested that the Holiday Camps were always looking for children’s entertainers and that maybe I should apply. I duly did so and in February of 1978 found myself at the Plaza Ballroom Eglington Toll auditioning for Jimmy Kennedy and Pontin’s Holidays. In those days Pontin’s was split into two regions and although Jimmy didn’t have anywhere for me he passed my name on to Bridie Reid and I was booked for the season at their Broadreeds Camp down at Selsey Bill. Here started a long and happy time which lasted all of thirteen years at various Pontin’s camps around the UK and abroad. My years at Pontin’s saw me develop into an all-round entertainer, presenting not just my clown act but also dancing and singing in the resident shows, acting as compere and doing a late night cabaret spot singing Scottish classics. Wanting to advance to the cabaret circuit I worked on my comedy unicycle, rola rola balancing act and created a new character called Rossini, an eccentric old man in the style of Mr Pastry.

During this time I got involved with the International Circus Clowns Club which is better known today as Clowns International. I appeared in many of the Gala Shows with my Rossini act and had the pleasure of working a short routine, featuring my Exploding Bagpipes, with Sir Norman Wisdom for a lunch time TV Show from BBC Pebble Mill. It was at their tenth convention, the final one to take place in Bognor Regis, that I was asked to produce both the Gala and Sunday International Shows.

At the end of the1990 summer season I decided to leave Pontin’s and try pastures new. I found accommodation in Brighton and started doing Galas, Fetes, promotional work and special guest appearances with Zippo’s Circus, Paulo’s Circus and Circus Harlequin. More TV Extra work followed on programmes such as “The Bill”, “Darling Buds of May”, “Waiting for God” and “House of Elliot” to name just a few.

Within eighteen months I was on the move again and found myself settling in Bournemouth.

Early in 1992, I joined forces on a casual basis with Clown Bluey to form ’ Lockstock & Barrel’, a traditional musical clown entree, with me playing the fumbling old eccentric Professor Lockstock, whilst Bluey was the straight Whiteface Clown. During this act, which was based loosely on the traditional clowning of the famous Swiss Clown ’Grock’ and Charlie Cairoli, Bluey played the Alto saxophone and musical saw whilst I played violin and soprano saxophone. We successfully worked the act at ’Floriade’ in Holland and also represented Great Britain at the prestigious Clown D’oro in Sicily.

Through my involvement with the Gala Shows at the Clown Conventions I was introduced to Laci Endrez who was now producing The Blackpool Tower Circus and I was asked if I would be interested in appearing in the 1994 Christmas Circus. More work followed which saw me travelling to work in Norway, Holland, Spain, Italy, Kuwait and Dubai.

Whilst working in Dubai I met up with an old friend Martyn Crosswell “Spanners the Clown”. Martyn had previously worked as whiteface clown with the “Konyot Clown troupe” so we decided to partner up for a clown Festival in Holland. As “The Royales” we presented the plate smashing bullet catching entrée made famous by Pio Knock and also “The Ghost entree.

I had also become a member of the Bournemouth Caledonian Society and would go out with their Scottish Country Dance Team to entertain at old folks homes in the area. From this my Scottish cabaret act developed and it wasn’t long before I was performing at Burns suppers and using my piping skills at weddings and funerals.

It was at this time that one of my friends from the Caledonian Society thought it would be a good idea to set me up on a blind date. By now in my late 30s I was resigned to being single. The girl in question was Tracy; we fell in love and a year to the day we married. Thankfully Tracy accepted the work I do and the odd hours it involves. Through various visits to my mother Tracy fell madly in love with Scotland, its culture and its sense of humour. It wasn’t long before Tracy persuaded me to make the move back to Scotland which we did in December 2002, and the process of re-establishing myself began with work from children’s parties, corporate events, talks, cabaret and Extra work to being an all-singing all-dancing Santa at Asda Cumbernauld.

In 2003, a new character, "Davey Nic Nac" was created. He doesn't wear the traditional clown "motley" and is best described as a "Funjuror". I use him mainly in restaurants, corporate events and childrens parties where a "clown" is not wanted or suitable, but a good entertainer is - usually performing with balloons and close-up magic.

Perzo the clown is happy to be back home in his native land and looking forward to celebrating his 30^th year in showbiz.

Who knows where you may see him next?