Bozo the Clown is dead
p2pnet news | Celebrities:- Larry Harmon, the most recent incarnation of Bozo the Clown, has died at the age of 83.
“Created as a character in 1946 by Alan W. Livingston who produced a children’s storytelling record-album and illustrative read-along book set which Livingston called a ‘Record Reader’, the first of its kind, titled Bozo at the Circus for Capitol Records,” says the Wikipedia, continuing >>>
Pinto Colvig portrayed the character on this and subsequent Bozo read-along records. The albums were extremely popular and the character became a mascot for the record company and was later nicknamed “Bozo the Capitol Clown.” In 1949, Capitol and Livingston began setting up royalty arrangements with manufacturers and television stations for use of the Bozo character. KTTV-TV in Los Angeles began broadcasting the first show, Bozo’s Circus, featuring Colvig as Bozo with his blue-and-red costume, oversized red hair and classic “whiteface” clown makeup on Fridays at 7:30 p.m.
In 1956, Larry Harmon, one of several actors hired by Livingston and Capitol Records to portray Bozo at promotional appearances, formed a business partnership and bought the licensing rights (excluding the record-readers) to the character when Livingston briefly left Capitol in 1956.
He renamed the character “Bozo, The World’s Most Famous Clown” and slightly modified the voice, laugh and costume, says Wikipedia.
“Aside from making countless personal appearances as the character throughout the years, Harmon trained over 200 Bozos, marketed a variety of Bozo merchandise and even helped hatch a cartoon,” says E! Online, adding:
“Bozo became so ubiquitous in pop culture that the name ended up coming to define zany, foolish behavior. He and his TV show also served as an early inspiration for Krusty the Clown’s hijinks on The Simpsons.”
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E! Online – Larry Harmon, aka Bozo the Clown, RIP, July 4, 2008
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