Stephen King’s famous novel IT has been adapted multiple times, all focusing on the character of Pennywise, the frightening clown. King started writing the eerie book in September 1981 and completed it in December 1985. Interestingly, a real-life clown encounter served as an inspiration for creating the character.
Since its release, fans have been curious about the origins of Pennywise. Speculations suggest that the notorious serial killer and sex offender John Wayne Gacy, who had a clown persona and was sentenced to death in 1980, might have influenced the villain portrayed in IT.
Although King has never officially confirmed this theory, he has shared his own thoughts on clowns and their ability to evoke fear, especially in children.
Following his work on The Stand, King envisioned a troll similar to the one from Three Billy Goats Gruff but residing in a sewer system. The entire concept, including the shapeshifting ability of ‘It,’ particularly into a clown, struck him vividly.
In a 2005 appearance on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, King revealed his childhood fear of clowns, which played a role in the creation of Pennywise. Recalling a disturbing circus experience as a child, he humorously remarked on the unsettling appearance of clowns with their pale faces and vividly painted lips.
During a flight from Cleveland, Ohio, after his first major book tour, King encountered a clown, Ronald McDonald, boarding the plane. Despite feeling weirded out, he shared a humorous anecdote about the clown lighting up a cigarette and ordering a gin and tonic, leaving him to contemplate the absurdity of potentially perishing next to a clown in a plane crash.