THE BEST MEDICINE; REAL-LIFE DOCTOR KEEPS HIS PATIENTS LAUGHING.

Byline: Karen Maeshiro Daily News Staff Writer

Forget Patch Adams.

Antelope Valley Hospital has Dr. Richard Elton, a 68-year-old orthopedic surgeon who dresses as a clown for charity and entertains patients with a yo-yo he keeps attached to his belt.

To Elton, the funny bone is as important as any other, so he performs tricks for his patients - young and old alike - and dons a rainbow wig, red nose and baggy jumpsuit for medical society fund-raisers and health fairs.

``I think I'm just a doctor who can be serious, and is serious, in treating patients. But at the same time I appreciate the value of a sense of humor and use it in my treatment of patients,'' said the bearlike, 6-foot-2 doctor, who makes his hospital rounds in a loose cardigan and blue suspenders, his eyeglasses hanging from a cord around his neck.

Elton's efforts get applause from the real Hunter ``Patch'' Adams, the unconventional Virginia physician suddenly made famous by actor Robin Williams' portrayal in the hit movie ``Patch Adams,'' as well as from the medical establishment.

``I think anyone who puts any love or humor into the world is doing extremely important public health medicine,'' Adams said in a phone interview. ``Throw away the Prozac and Xanax, pick up a clown nose and go out and love people, and serve humanity with joy and laughter.''

At UCLA Medical School, students at all levels get classes in bedside manner, understanding patients and when humor is appropriate.

``There is an important role for humor,'' said Dr. Michael Wilkes, senior chairman of the school's medical curriculum. ``There are certain times you don't want a doctor dressing up as a clown. It doesn't mean we have to be dead serious. Everything has to be in a proper context.''

The son of a physician, Elton took up the yo-yo six years ago, and clowning two years later, after more than three decades as a surgeon, mostly in the Army.

``It's just something he likes to do,'' said Joan, his wife of 46 years. ``He always has been a little young at heart.''

Elton learned to yo-yo after a son gave him an Eddie Bauer model one Christmas.

``I said to myself, I'll try to learn it, and I did, and one thing led to another,'' he said.

Elton now owns more than 40. His favorite is an SB2, made from aircraft aluminum, with ball bearings around the shaft. One like it was taken along on a space shuttle mission.

Elton even traveled to San Francisco to visit SB2 designer Tom Kuhn at his yo-yo store, but Kuhn was out.

The doctor bought a leather holster in which he keeps his yo-yo as he makes his rounds.

Elton can't recall when he first performed for a patient.

``It must have just happened one day,'' he said. ``It was something that evolved. I started doing tricks. As I got better, I started to show people.''

His 10 tricks have accompanying stories. Crime fighter Yo-Yo Man does around-the-world swoops to knock out the bad guys. A space-alien yarn involves spinning the yo-yo horizontally like a flying saucer.

If a child has a broken arm, Elton will show him a yo-yo trick and remark, ``If I can do the yo-yo trick, I can fix the arm.''

No, the yo-yo doesn't accompany him into the operating room.

``I rarely do them before surgical operations. There's a certain time to be serious,'' Elton said. ``I do them frequently in the office after I put casts on or when I treat kids, or in the hospital on rounds, I show patients tricks.''

Patient Alice McDowell, hospitalized last week with a broken leg, first saw Elton's yo-yo skills when her son and grandson were visiting her.

``I've never seen anyone that good with a yo-yo,'' said McDowell, 62, of Palmdale. ``He looked at my grandson and said, Hey, let me show you something.

``I often wondered what the little pouch was on the side of his belt. I thought it was for a tape measure. He flipped it open and flipped the yo-yo out and went to work.

``Everybody was here with their mouths open. We couldn't believe it.''

Elton started clowning about four years ago. He rented a clown outfit and passed out balloons at the Los Angeles County Medical Association's annual barbecue to benefit the Children's Center of the Antelope Valley.

Then his wife made him a costume of his own, a red-and-white-checked jumpsuit with a ruffled neckline. Red, yellow and blue pockets arrayed down the front hold yo-yos and candy, and provide his clown name: Pockets.

In August at the Antelope Valley Fair auction, he showed up in clown costume to bid for 4-H and FFA youngsters' livestock. Elton also clowned at a cardiology group health fair and a fund-raiser for the Lancaster homeless shelter.

He hasn't dressed up like a clown on hospital rounds, but he said he might to visit the pediatric ward after a gift from his office staff for Christmas.

``It's hard to keep a red nose on,'' Elton said. ``My office gave me a professional round, red nose with a glue that cements on the nose, and it's washable.''

CAPTION(S):

4 Photos

PHOTO (1--2--Color) Dr. Richard Elton entertains patient Alice McDowell with his yo-yo skills, a la Robin Williams in the hit film ``Patch Adams,'' inset.

(3--4--Color) Dr. Richard Elton, left, performs for Alice McDowell. Above, he shows some of his yo-yos.

Hans Gutknecht/Daily News