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Clown,” and modified the thousands of lunchtime kids
voice, laugh, and costume. that “Bozo’s Circus is on the Western Publishing Artist - Bozo the
He then worked with a air!,” to its last incarnation Clown Paint Book original art sold for
wig stylist to get the as a weekly comedy/educa- $184 in 2006 at Heritage Auctions
The Big wing-tipped bright style tional series on August 26,
Bozo Bop, and look of the hair that 2001, Bozo’s Circus got the
still available had previously appeared in last laugh as one of the
as a
reproduction Capitol’s Bozo comic books. longest-running, locally
from And thus, Bozo, as we know produced children’s shows
Amazon.com him now, was born. in the country.
In the late 1950s, When asked about its
Harmon created and cast cancellation, the station
his voice in the Bozo ani- cited a dwindling audience
mated series, Bozo: The and increased competition
World's Most Famous from cable as the reasons
Clown, which ran from behind their decision.
1958–1962, and traveled
from city to city creating Bozo, the Original
local Bozo the Clown TV In its over-50-year reign
shows in nearly every major U.S. as America’s TV clown, hundreds
market. Unlike many other shows BOZO the Clown of performers have donned the
creator Alan
on television, Bozo the Clown Livingston with Bozo clown suit, starting with
was mostly a franchise as opposed performer Pinto Colvig, who did the voice
to being syndicated, meaning work for Bozo on the original
that local TV stations could put Capitol Records recording, and
on their own local productions then a few years later played Bozo
of the show complete with their on the short-lived Bozo’s Circus
own Bozo. Although Bozo’s on KTTV in Los Angeles.
look and costume were now Colvig, who passed away in
predetermined, thanks to 1967, led an incredible life. A
Harmon, the shows were geared circus clown turned newspaper
to the local market. cartoonist, he was one of Walt
Because the cost of producing Disney’s original cartoon stars,
a weekly children’s show was originating the voices of Goofy,
beyond the reach of smaller Grumpy, and Sleepy, among
markets, Harmon began producing and packaging Bozo’s Big Top for others, and co-writing classics like Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?
syndication in the mid-1960s, a daily half-hour show featuring a live Colvig is also credited as portraying Bluto from Popeye cartoons; a
Bozo, a studio audience of children, and five-minute cartoons (many of Munchkin voice in The Wizard of Oz; and hundreds of other characters.
which were of his own creation, and for which he did his own voice Explaining his wild career, Colvig once told a reporter, “I have been
work). Bozo’s Big Top was widely popular in these smaller markets and trying to make up my mind whether I wanted to be an actor, cartoonist,
helped to boost Bozo the Clown’s writer or musician.” In many
brand across the country. respects, he will always be remem-
When Harmon bought out his bered, among the many other
business partners in the mid- achievements in his professional
1960s, Bozo was grossing over A 1988 Bozo the career, as Bozo the Clown. That
$150 million in merchandise Clown push-button distinction was recognized in 2006
worldwide. phone typically sells when Colvig was posthumously
for $60-$150 inducted into the International
Bozo Comes to Chicago Clown Hall of Fame as the origi-
The most successful Bozo in nal Bozo the Clown.
the franchise aired on station
WGN in Chicago from 1960 Other Famous People
until 2001. Donning the Nose
Bozo the Clown premiered on In addition to Colvig and
WGN on June 20, 1960, starring Harmon, other notable Bozos in
Bob Bell as Bozo. The live 30- local and nationally-syndicated
minute show, which aired week- productions include Frank
days at noon, featured comedy Avruch, Bob Bell, Joey D’Auria,
skits and Bozo cartoons. The and Willard Scott.
following year, the station intro- Frank Avruch was Boston’s
duced an expanded Bozo’s Circus Bozo from 1959 to 1970 and was
to a live 60-minute show performed the first nationally syndicated
in front of a studio audience at version of the clown. Avruch died
the station’s new Bradley Place in 2018 at the age of 89. In a
studios. Due to its popularity, statement, his family wrote:
WGN took the show national via “While it’s hard to say goodbye,
cable and satellite in 1978. we celebrate the legacy of joy and
From the beginning in 1961, laughter he brought to millions of
when “Ringmaster” Ned Locke children around the world as Bozo
blew his whistle and announced to the Clown on TV ... Our dad
24 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles
