When Maximilian Ophulus is murdered by his Kashmiri Muslim driver, a mysterious figure who calls himself Shalimar the clown, authorities uncover a dangerous link between the murderer and the victim's daughter.
Presents a biography of Emmett Kelley, discussing his early life in Kansas, his various jobs, the development of his clown character Weary Willy, and his circus career.
Twelve-year-old Henrietta Hornbuckle and her parents perform as clowns in a tiny, ramshackle traveling circus until a family tragedy jeopardizes Henrietta's whole offbeat world.