Born around 1929 in Linden NJ. At age 15, he ran away from home and followed the Ringling Bros. circus to Georgetown Texas. He eventually joined them as a whiteface clown. Over the years he was with several top name circuses. Ernie appeared in 17 scenes of the movie "The Greatest Show on Earth". It was Cecil B. DeMille who gave him his clown name, Blinko, because of the 2-1/2" green eyelashes that he wore. Ernie used a whiteface make-up, and his eyelashes and treble cleft in the middle of his forehead were his trademarks.