In 1949, while still in high school, A.J. became interested in clowning when he went back into a circus clown alley where the famous Otto Griebling and Jim Snell were clowning. They talked to him about clowning when other clown would not. He enjoyed being around them and going out getting  coffee and sandwiches for them.

This started his interest in clowning and he created "So-Slow" the Tramp clown: a very pathetic, naive character.

His first commercial job was at a supermarket "Grand Opening". From there he worked clowning for many service stations, company picnics, birthday parties and several small tents circuses, like Hamid-Morton Circus and the Polack Bros. Shrine Circus. So-Slow also had a great time appearing  unannounced at wedding receptions.

By the time he graduated in 1951, he was also performing with his 16 piece orchestra,  providing music for Proms and J-hops and at the Tip Up Town at Houghton Lake, Michigan.

By 1960 clowning as a profession was dying out. Along with five former circus clown and four other, the Capitol City Clown Alley was formed to help keep  the love of circus clowns alive.

At about the same time, So-Slow was hired to do 166 "Bozo" television shows as Bozo's side kick on WJIM-TV, Lansing, Michigan. He also was on  "Finty's Attic" prior to the "Bozo Show".  At the same time he was also doing appearances on "Culver's Club House" at Michigan State University, WKAR- TV. For the next few years So-Slow continues doing grand openings, performing with the Patterson Bros. Circus, parades  and the Oldsmobile Car Shows.

In 1968 he started producing story book parade characters like you would see in the Detroit's Thanksgiving Parade, Barbara his wife, made the costumes and covered the heads with fur pile.  When an old time shoe maker in Rochester, NY retired, and he could no longer get clown shoes for the characters, he became a clown shoe cobbler. Over the next eight years his daughters Cyndy and Debi, and his son, Ed, traveled with Al and the townspeople in the costumes for the parade.
His daughters would often wear costumes and become a part of the parade.

After 23 years of being "So-Slow_, A.J. found that the Tramp Clown style was not being accepted commercially, so he developed his Auguste character known
as "Whistles".

In 1977, He began teaching "Intro To Clowning" at Lansing Community Collage, and in 1979 started teaching "Advanced Clowning" also until the collage discontinued the classes. Both of these classes were a 4 credit course, which were the only credited classes available in the Midwest.


During his years of teaching, he had six students who were accepted to Ringling Brothers Clown Collage. Mike Tiefer in 1981; Earnie Kitson in 1982;  Brian Ivory in 1989; Phil DeAlburquerque in 1985; and Mike Naylor in 1993.  Tiefer, Kitson, Bringold and DeAlburquerque all received contracts with Ringling.

A.J. lectured at the Wisconsin Clown Camp six different times with Lou Jacobs, Mark Anthony, "CoCo", Gene "Cousin Otto" Lee. He was at the jacksonville, Florida camp and in the Georgia camp. He also lectured at man Midwest Clown Conventions through the years.

Over the years, he performed as producing clown for the Lansing Youth Caravan Circus of the Royal Hanneford Circus. He was a guest clown with Ringling in 1983, as well as performing twice at the Hall of Fame in Delevan, Wisconsin.

In April 1987, he lectured at the International Clown Convention in Bognor Regis, England with 14 other clowns from the USA. He lectured on the "The Art of Clown Walk-Arounds" and "Caricature Drawing".

A.J. was also co-founder of Circus Clown Alley in Lansing, Michigan, and was co-owner of Clown World Productions for a number of years until he became an
independent creator of clown gags and a master prop builder, He could lecture on 22 subjects pertaining to the art of clowning.

In the early 90's "Whistles" performed three times at the White House Eater Celebration with many of the clowns from the Lansing area.

He continued making clown shoes for clowns all over the United States, including clowns with Ringling Brothers and Kelly-Millers Circus. One clown had a pair
made with zipper pocket in the toes which he took with him to China. He has also made shoes for clowns in Canada and as far away as Venezuela and Costa Rica.

In 1995, A.J. started implementing Airbrush Face Painting into clowning, doing fairs, company picnics, Shrine Circuses, Festivals, ect... He designed his own unit by 1997 he had four units and six technicians. He enjoyed the new ear of clowning.

A.J. was a dedicated clown instructor, believing that it is important to teach all he could about proper clowning procedures. He spent many hours talking with someone, whether that person was or had been a student of his, helping them to create the character, costume, skits, walk-around, props, or whatever they needed help with.

As you can see, whether he was  "Whistles" , "So-Slow" or Al Fast he enjoyed working as a professional in all aspect of clowning.