From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Bozo Show was a locally-produced children's television program aired on WGN in Chicago. The longest-running locally produced show in the history of Chicago television, it only aired under that title for 14 of its 40 years. WGN's first incarnation of the show was a half-hour cartoon showcase titled Bozo the Clown, hosted by Bob Bell as the title character and airing for six months beginning June 20, 1960. After a short hiatus, the show was relaunched in an expanded one-hour format as Bozo's Circus, which premiered at noon on September 11, 1961. The live show featured Bell as the title character (although he did not perform on the first telecast) and was hosted by WGN personality Ned Locke as Ringmaster Ned. Other characters were added to the cast, which by the end of 1961 featured Ray Rayner as Oliver O. Oliver and writer-producer Don Sandburg as Sandy the Clown (called "Sandy the Tramp" on air). Sandburg left the show in 1969, by which time Roy Brown had joined the show as Cooky the Cook; frequent guest magician Marshall Brodien also began appearing as a wizard character which by the early 1970s evolved into Wizzo, the world's wackiest wizard. Rayner left Bozo's Circus in 1971 and Locke retired in 1976, to be replaced as the show's master of ceremonies by WGN personality Frazier Thomas, the host of Garfield Goose and Friends. According to the storyline, Garfield had "bought" the circus and appointed Thomas as circus manager; Garfield Goose and Friends ended September 10, 1976, but continued as a segment on Bozo's Circus through January 20, 1981. By the summer of 1980, Bozo’s Circus was renamed The Bozo Show and moved to weekdays at 8:00 a.m., on tape, immediately following Ray Rayner and His Friends. In 1981, The Bozo Show replaced Ray Rayner and His Friends at 7:00 a.m. The program expanded to 90 minutes, the circus acts and Garfield Goose and Friends puppets were dropped, while Cuddly Dudley (formerly a staple of Ray Rayner and His Friends, voiced and operated by Roy Brown) and more cartoons were added. In 1983, Pat Hurley, from ABC-TV's Kids Are People Too, joined the cast as himself mingling with the studio audience and periodically participating in the sketches. The biggest change occurred in 1984 with the retirement of Bob Bell, with the show still #1 in its timeslot. After a nationwide search, Bell was replaced by Gong Show contestant Joey D'Auria, who would play the role of Bozo for the next 17 years. In 1985, Frazier Thomas died and Hurley served as a semi-authority until 1987. Also that year, a synthesizer performed by Andy Mitran as Professor Andy replaced the three-piece Big Top Band. Roy Brown began suffering heart-related problems and was absent from the show for an extended period during the 1991-92 season. Since this coincided with the show's 30th anniversary, a reunion special was produced and Don Sandburg returned to play Sandy, filling in for Cooky for the first two weeks of the season. Actor Adrian Zmed (best known from ABC-TV's T.J. Hooker), who was a childhood fan of Bozo's Circus and former Grand Prize Game contestant, also appeared on the special and portrayed himself as a "Rookie Clown" for the following two weeks. Actor Michael Immel then joined the show as Spiffy (Spifford Q. Fahrquahrrr). Brown returned in January 1992, initially on a part-time basis, but suffered additional health setbacks and took another extended leave of absence in the fall of 1993. Brown's presence on the show remained as previously aired segments as Cooky and Cuddly Dudley were incorporated until 1994, when he and Marshall Brodien retired from television and the show was moved to Sunday mornings and rechristened The Bozo Super Sunday Show on September 11, 1994. This incarnation of the show continued through August 26, 2001. The final WGN Bozo show was a 90-minute special, Bozo: 40 Years of Fun, taped June 12, 2001 and aired July 14, 2001. The cast featured Bozo (Joey D'Auria), Rusty (Robin Eurich), Andy Mitran (Professor Andy), Wizzo (Marshall Brodien) and Sandy (Don Sandburg).
[edit] Characters
| Character |
Actor |
Years |
| Bozo the Clown |
Bob Bell |
1980-1984 |
| Bozo the Clown |
Joey D'Auria |
1984-1994 |
| Cooky the Cook |
Roy Brown |
1980-1994 |
| Spiffy the Clown |
Michael Immel |
1991-1994 |
| Wizzo the Wizard |
Marshall Brodien |
1980-1994 |
| Professor Andy |
Andy Mitran |
1987-1994 |
[edit] External links
United States
