Say it Ain't so BOZO!!!

Providing you the full scoop...

The man "behind" Bozo the Clown died this past Thursday at age 83. Even though he wasn't the original Bozo the Clown, Larry Harmon played the crusty-clown for more than half a century. He died Thursday of heart failure.

Most of us know characters influence by Bozo such as "Crusty the Clown" form the Simpsons. But my friends, I have news for you, that Crusty is a spoof on beloved Bozo similar to "Duff Gardens" being a spoof on Anheiser Busch's Busch Gardens.

Bozo was created for a series of Capitol children's records in 1946, with Vance "Pinto" Colvig, the voice of Walt Disney's Goofy, providing the clown's voice, but Bozo the Clown became a cultural phenomenom when Larry Harmon bought the rights to the character in 1956 and later started his animation studio and distributed a series of cartoons to TV stations nationwide.

In 2004, the International Clown Hall of Fame in Milwaukee announced that it was reversing its Lifetime of Laughter Award given to Harmon in 1990 as Bozo's creator, and posthumously inducted Pinto Colvig as the first Bozo.

Rest in Peace Larry and rest assured that Bozo the Clown lives on. For those interested in Bozo the Clown history, go to this site: http://www.tvparty.com/lostny2bozo. html

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