I know I'm beating a dead horse, but here's professional shots of Buttocks the Clown along with a more in depth story from Joe Ranft's widow Su Ranft. The following is an excerpt from an email that Su sent me....

I got a hand me down sewing machine from my mom when I was 8 years old (cue music). It was a metallic blue Singer sewing machine. It weighed at least 45lbs. When the handle broke off the carrying case, I had to carry it in my arms like a big, square boulder. When I was 33, and had been married to Joe for three years, I told him that if he let me buy a new machine, I would make him anything he wanted. I didn't want anything fancy. Just a simple machine with forward, reverse, zig-zag, basting, and buttonhole features.

When pressed, Joe admitted that he had been wanting his own clown costume for some time. Let me tell you why. Joe was a magician and a juggler. I had learned how to make animal balloons at a part-time job I took when I returned to college to finish a degree in English. Over the years, we had volunteered to do a couple charity functions as a clown act. Recently, a few instructors and students from the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Clown College had been invited to march in the annual “Doo Dah Parade,” and we had been asked to join them. We had an absolute ball. But, once again, Joe had trouble renting a clown costume that would fit his bear-like 6’5 frame. A clown costume that is too tight in the crotch is not funny.

Before we struck a deal, I asked him if he had any special requests. Without missing a beat he said, “Can you make a big butt that sticks way far out in the back?” I told him I could do it, and the deal was struck. this happened in 1988.

Luckily, this happened in November when all the materials available for Halloween costumes in October, go on sale. I bought the biggest clown pattern I could find and then bought yards, and yards, and yards, and yards of loud, colorful material.

First thing that had to be constructed was the giant butt. I carved it out of a large block of foam rubber, reinforced the crevice with duct tape, and covered (upholstered) it with white fabric. Then I attached it to the outside of a sturdy pair of boxers. After slipping the butt on like a pair of shorts, they were held up with heavy duty, elastic suspenders. The suspenders gave the costume just the right amount of bounce.

To make the butt even look bigger, Joe would either shave his head, or wear a scull cap, and top it off with a undersized hat. There was a cowboy hat, a tiny fez, a clown hat and a small fire hat. To finish off the outfit he wore big platform, black-and-white wing tips I brought back from London with me. Let me tell you, when he got the whole thing on and then added the make-up, we are talking one hellava clown statement. Sometimes he would make little kids cry. I think it was just like overdosing on too much visual clowness. Kinda like the Stay Puff Man from Ghostbusters.

That's the story behind Joe and his Clown outfit....
Like I said before the one pictured here will go to John Lasseter as a belated birthday present from Su. Joe and John were very close friends. Su is going to donate one to the Joe Ranft Cal Arts Scholarship Auction coming up in Sept.
I promise I won't post any more shots of Buttocks...the professional shots came out so good, and Su's story was just too cool not to re-post Buttocks...
Hope you enjoy

Special thanks goes to:
Dave Richardson from Creative Metalworks in Loveland, CO
Dragon Castings in Eaton, CO
without them, this piece would not have been possible...