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A Thousand Clowns (1965)

★ 7.3Approved118 minDirector: Fred Coe

1965 film adaptation from a 1962 play by Herb Gardner

A Thousand Clowns is a 1965 American comedy-drama film directed by Fred Coe and starring Jason Robards, Barbara Harris, Martin Balsam, and Barry Gordon. The script was adapted by Herb Gardner from his 1962 play of the same name. The film tells the story of an eccentric comedy writer who is forced to conform to society to retain legal custody of his nephew.

Jason Robards, Barry Gordon, William Daniels, and Gene Saks all reprised their roles from the original 1962 Broadway production. Balsam won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the film.

Plot summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

FAQ

What is A Thousand Clowns about?
A Thousand Clowns (1965) — 12-year-old Nick lives with his Uncle Murray, a Mr. Micawber-like Dickensian character who keeps hoping something won't turn up. What turns up is a social worker who falls in love with Murray and a bit in love with Nick. As the child-welfare people try to force Murray to become a
Is A Thousand Clowns based on a true story?
See the production background and source material details on the official Wikipedia article.
Is A Thousand Clowns scary?
Content rating: Approved. See the reviews tab for parental guidance and tone notes.