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ent001330-145

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ent001330-145
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    University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Libraries

    3. "Red was really floored," remembers his friend Al Freeman. "Chevalier has a five million dollar collection of art at his home in France and here he was talking about putting a Skelton original in the middle of his Cezannes, Van Goghs and Renoirs!" "Jimmy Durante and others also wanted paintings," Freeman adds, "and Red was very, very happy with their compliments." Security officers at the Sands won't forget the first day of the exhibit when Skelton came tiptoeing into the Emerald Room and almost cried when he saw dozens of people studying his^aintings."There ARE people here," he said shaking his head. "I cant believe it!" The star admits that the day the exhibit opened will always be a special day in his life. "Red is very sensitive about this part of his life," says Al Freeman. "He*s influenced by criticism a great deal ?╟≤ . . Painting is more than a hobby to him; it's a very important part of his world, a wonderful way for him to relax." Skelton usually does his painting in his Palm Springs swimming pool, chewing on a cigar he never smokes and dipping his brush into the pool water. "If there*s one thing painting has??aa= taught me," he grins, "it's that oil and water don*t mix . . . you ought to see the pool after one of my painting sprees. It's an olympic-size palette!" It*s not unusual for Red to get the urge to paint about midnight and for several hours he takes himself out to the pool to create. When he*s finished he puts the painting by wife Georgia*s bed waiting to hear her criticism the next morning. A typical note from her might read* :"It* s very good" or "The eyes are a trifle too bulgy."