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Wowie Kazowee! It’s

BOZO

the CLOWN!

by Maxine Carter Lome, publisher

n 1946, Capitol Records writer/producer Alan Livingston
introduced Bozo the Clown to the world via a children’s
Irecord entitled Bozo at the Circus – a first-of-its-kind record
album with an illustrative read-along book set. It lasted an
astounding 200 weeks on Billboard’s “Best Selling Children’s
Records” chart and sold over one million copies – unheard of at the
time for a children's recording. The title character, Bozo the Clown,
was portrayed by the voice of Vance “Pinto” Colvig, known as the voice
of many popular Disney characters.

A Clown Is Born
In interviews conducted in later years, Livingston claimed the This live half-hour
clown’s name, “Bozo,” was created during a late-night brainstorming circus show, which aired
session when they were talking about the circus folks’ use of the word Fridays at 7:30 p.m., lasted
“bozo” when they were referring to tramp clowns. less than a year but the idea
The success of Bozo at the Circus led to the production of more of a show based around
read-along books over time, including 15 that featured Bozo, and Bozo the Clown was just
encouraged Livingston and Capitol Records to branch out and starting to catch on with
capitalize on Bozo’s fame. kids, parents, and television
In 1948, Capitol and Livingston began setting up royalty executives.
agreements with manufacturers and television stations for use of Bozo’s As a result, the high
character on products and in programs. KTTV in Los Angeles began demand for Bozo to make
broadcasting the first show, Bozo’s Circus, in 1949 featuring Colvig, the personal appearances where
voice of Bozo from the records, as Bozo the Clown, with his blue-and- Bozo records and other
red costume, oversized red hair, and whiteface clown makeup. Bozo merchandise was
“Those were great days in TV,” recalled Lee Carrau, the floor sold, Livingston put out a
manager on the first Bozo TV show. “It was a live show, two cameras in casting call for more Bozos.
a small studio, with animals and screaming kids. We never knew what Larry Harmon, a would-be
would happen, monkeys jumping around everywhere. Every week was actor, answered that call
absolute pandemonium.” and was cast among others
to play the loveable
Harmon with a Bozo children’s clown. Although
performer in 1996 Alan Livingston created
Bozo and hired Harmon, it
is Harmon who has taken
credit for creating Bozo’s
personality and image as These two issues of BOZO the Clown (#1 and
#2) comics sold for just $77.68 in 2006.
they are known today, At the results page for these comics at ha.com,
turning the popular there is a note that the owner is entertaining
children’s character into a offers of $250+ to purchase the pair for a more
cultural icon, still fondly contemporary value. Yes, BOZO’s hair was green
remembered and highly on the “Minikin Circus” cover.
collected over 50 years later.

The Harmon Years
Harmon had an innate marketing sense and could see the potential in
Bozo’s rising popularity. In 1956, he formed a group of investors to pur-
chase the licensing rights to the Bozo character from Capitol Records,
which by this time had generated record sales in excess of $20 million.
Harmon renamed the character “Bozo, The World’s Most Famous

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