Bozo the clown has died

[Happy Chappy & Daisy]

Originally Posted by Grandpa Weatherbie

Does anyone know of any informative articles about the name "Bozo"
and particularly it's use in our language, and all other languages too?
The name "Bozo" and Bob Bell is legendary to say the least.
Thanks to everyone for posting very, very interesting commentary on this thread.
Grandpa...

Ask and ye shall receive, Grandpa...

From Wikipedia: Bozo the Clown

Although the generic name Bozo is reckoned "of uncertain origin" by the Random House Unabridged Dictionary[1] and given an earliest use of c. 1915–20, when it was a common term referring to hobo or tramp clowns, the equation of "Bozo" and "dunce" may be credited to Anselm of Canterbury, who laid out many of his treatises in the familiar form of a dialogue, between A, who was Anselm, and B, who was Boso, who never got it right.

[tim]

Originally Posted by Scruffy

THAT would have been a travesty.

Especially considering that he's featured in a new show, Pazzazz, which is receiving rave reviews.

[Grandpa Weatherbie]

Lordy, lordy, lordy. I do get confused most of the time. I always thoughyt Bob Bell was the one and only "Bozo the clown" I couldn't be more wrong about that if I tried.
In 1950 when we finally got a tv set to watch the ever present test pattern of an Indian Chief while waiting to watch "It's Howdy Doody Time" and Buffalo Bob, Clarabell (Robert Keeshan) and... Bozo the Clown, I am thinking now that it must have been Pinto Colvig and not Bob Bell.
An interesting side note of researching Bozo is that Buffalo Bob reportedly fired Clarabell because for one, he couldn't play a musical instrument, or wouldn't, AND, get this, this is mind-boggling, Clarabell chased children around the set with a seltzer-bottle there-by getting the viewing children too excited and worked up before dinner time.
WOW! Ka-pow! and double wow! Compared to days standards what is there to say to that? Nothing! Sheer bewilderment!
Back to my research (thanks to Tim, Lolly Plop and the entire Clown Forum) I LOVE IT...
Hope you all had a nice Fourth of July...

[tim]

Understand the history of television. Everything was local. Yes, there was limited syndication on the national networks. But even that was an interesting process whereby a show sometimes had to be done twice for the alternate coasts. Or it may have had to be taped and sent over phone lines by a laborsome process. So most children's TV was local - often variations on a theme. Bozo was an example of this. Harmon recognized the potential of this with Bozo and licensed the character, creating materials like the cartoon and records which branded Bozo. Then television stations across the country hired their own talent to play the role. Bozo is not, therefore, so much a clown in the sense that we think of most (where the character and it's inhabitant are intrinsically tied together.) Bozo is all about business. Yes, there are classic examples of Bozo (most notably Bob Bell) who had long runs and put their own unique spin on the character. And whatever Bozo we personally experienced is how we identify with the character. But there were Bozos all over, in many markets across the country. The Boston Bozo, the Chicago Bozo, the Grand Rapids Bozo. Willard Scott, for example, once played Bozo. Bell's Bozo also became popularized because the Chicago show lasted so long and near the end of his reign on the character, WGN was a cable superstation which many people watched across the country. So, it might be argued that Bell best embodied the character, becoming the quintessential Bozo with whom most people were at least tacitly familiar. But he was by no means the only one. I'm guessing, therefore, that you probably didn't see Colvig, either, but a local actor who played the role.

Gee, I never knew I was such an authority on Bozo!

[Willace-the-Clown]

Willard Scott for those who dont know is the Creator & first to play Ronald McDonald useing his Bozo As Insperation. Mcdonalds Sponcered his show & When Hrmon took it off air McDonalds Ased willard Scott if he could come up witha new clown for them to use & he invented Ronald McDonald The Hamburger Loveing Clown ( who looked differint then ronald dose now. After Willard's Stent as ronald McDonalds revamped the clown to how we see him now.

[tim]

I don't know if that version as pictured is better or worse than the contemporary take on Ronald.

[Jolly Well]

Japanese television versions of "Ronald McDonald"

[pixcoco]

Ha ha. I like it.

[tim]

Ahhhh, ahhhhh, eeeeekkkkk, oooooo, ehhhhhhhh......


(runs in fear at the hip, freaky Ronald and Ronaldess)

[Grandpa Weatherbie]

Ann Margaret and Elvis?