As his popularity grew, the demand to see bozo in person also grew, and eventually lead to the first. In addition, the audience was entertained by stand alone circus acts from time to time. Bozo bob mcnea began telling the kids for weeks he was moving to. The halfhour syndicated shows were retitled bozo the clown on episodes with a 1965 date and bozos big top on episodes with a 1966 date. Oopsy daisy the clown in 1967 wwj tv decided that they would drop the bozo franchise. The bozo show had its beginnings in a childrens book in 1946. The bozo show was a locally produced childrens television program that aired on wgntv in chicago and nationally on what is now wgn america. Bozo started out as the star of the first readalong book on capitol records in 1946. With bob bell, roy brown, frazier thomas, marshall brodien. The first of its kind, the book included a record featuring a narrator who read the story out loud, with beeps to tell the kids. The bozo show was a locally produced childrens television program that aired on wgn tv in chicago and nationally on what is now wgn america. The series is a local version of the internationally franchised bozo the clown format and is also the longestrunning in the franchise.
An iconic childrens show on chicagos wgn television station. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on youtube. Wgn channel 9 night beat bozo s 17th anniversary 1978. Bozos big top 1969 with david eaton as bozo wswotv southwest ohio duration. Final incarnation of wgntvs popular childrens program, which featured songs, skits, games, educational segments and other activities featuring bozo the clown as host. I went to see bozo the clown on his tv show in the dallas ft. It was based on the childrens record book series, bozo the clown by capitol. I went to see bozo the clown on his tv show in the dallas. Capitol records new tv head elmo williams produced halfhour bozo episodes which starred syd saylor as bozo. Bozo the clown might be coming back to chicago, selfie. The bozo show full episode with commercials youtube. Bob bell and cathy tidwell in bozos circus 1961 bob bell and tom.
Clowning around ends with taping of final bozo show chicago. In 1965, larry harmon became the sole owner of the bozo licensing rights after buying out his business partners, and produced episodes of the boston based. Contains a special interview with larry bozo the clown harmon. Bozo the clown, after a 41year run in chicago, has become a museum piece. Watch the bozo super sunday show season 1, episode 37 bozo the clown s christmas special. Did a youngster tell bozo to cram it, clown on live tv. He brought the bozo the clown character to life better than anyone elses portrayal of bozo the clown. Wgn bozos circus 1968 on channel 9 tv with bob bell as bozo the clown, and ned locke as ringmaster ned.
The city in which the show took place varies, with chicago and boston being the two most frequently mentioned. They had a terrific band and funny skits with several clowns. Episodes videotaped at whdh between 1965 and 67 were syndicated to markets that did not produce a. Watch bozo the clown episodes, get episode information, recaps and more. Caroll spinney billed in the credits as ed spinney appeared as various characters which included mr.
Worth area when i was a child in the late i remember the treasure chest and the tv cameras and we were enthralled with bozo. But the retrospective counts as the last original episode, and it combined. Bozo the clown is a clown character whose broad popularity peaked in the united states in the 1960s as a result of widespread franchising in. Having originated on the records as bozo the capitol clown, the character had a successful four year run on tv via the wonderful world of syndication. Sean mckee on digital remastering of old bozo episodes by wgn news. In 2003, harmon released six of his bozos big top programs with avruch on dvd and 2 box sets of 30 episodes each in 2007 retitled larry harmons bozo, the. Few episodes from the shows first two decades survive. It was based on the childrens record book series, bozo the clown by capitol records. A childrens hosted circus show aired on wdca tv channel 20, washington d. Avruch is survived by his wife, betty, two sons, and several grandchildren. A guide listing the titles and air dates for episodes of the tv series bozo s circus chicago. Check out this amazing exhibit at the museum of broadcast communications featuring cool artifacts from the legendary wgn tv bozo show. Children would go home from school at noon to have lunch and watch the show.