Howard Buten, aka the clown Buffo, author of “When I Was Five, I Killed Myself,” has died

The clown Howard Buten, known for his character “Buffo”, died Friday January 3 at the age of 74, his partner and translator reported to Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Saturday. He was the author of ten books, including When I was five I killed myselfa bestseller.

Born in Detroit (Michigan) in 1950, the American artist, who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease, died “peacefully in his sleep” in Plomodiern (Finistère), where he lived, Jacqueline Huet, who translated some of his books, told AFP.

With his white face, his red nose, his mittens and his long black shoes, the clown Buffo was recognizable among thousands. Under this disguise, Howard Buten always provoked the same emotion and laughter from the audience, with silent sketches, little dance tricks, clumsy gestures and bewildered expressions.

An artist who became a doctor of clinical psychology

It was in his country that this lunar character, who was also a dancer, singer and musician, was shaped, during a music hall number which grew longer over time. In the 1970s, it already had a thousand performances. Buffo had with him his musical instruments (violin, piano, trumpet), his vindictive plastic chicken, his recalcitrant household utensils. He was even a ventriloquist for a time.

Howard Buten, from a Lithuanian family who had emigrated to the United States, settled in France in 1981 after the release of his first book, Bert in English, published in French under the title When I was five I killed myself. The artist was much more than that: in 1986 he became a doctor in clinical psychology and devoted himself to autistic children in Saint-Denis (Seine-Saint-Denis) in the Adam Shelton Center which he created in 1996. Among his other works, some also address this subject, such as There’s someone in there: autism Or These children who do not come from another planet: autistic people. His autobiography Buffo is his last book published in 2005.

In 1998, he won a Molière for best one-man show for a performance with cellist Claire Oppert. He was made a Knight of Arts and Letters in 1991. His companion reported that“a tribute will be paid to him later in Paris”.