TV's Bozo the Clown (Larry Harmon) Dies at 83 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Zoneboy · 07-03-2008, 05:56 PM

Link

LOS ANGELES - Larry Harmon, who turned the character Bozo the Clown into a show business staple that delighted children for more than a half-century, died Thursday of congestive heart failure. He was 83.

His publicist, Jerry Digney, told The Associated Press he died at his home.

Although not the original Bozo, Harmon portrayed the popular frizzy-haired clown in countless appearances and, as an entrepreneur, he licensed the character to others, particularly dozens of TV stations around the country. The stations in turn hired actors to be their local Bozos.

“You might say, in a way, I was cloning BTC (Bozo the Clown) before anybody else out there got around to cloning DNA,” Harmon told the AP in a 1996 interview.

“Bozo is a combination of the wonderful wisdom of the adult and the childlike ways in all of us,” Harmon said.

Pinto Colvig, who also provided the voice for Walt Disney’s Goofy, originated Bozo the Clown when Capitol Records introduced a series of children’s records in 1946. Harmon would later meet his alter ego while answering a casting call to make personal appearances as a clown to promote the records.

He got that job and eventually bought the rights to Bozo. Along the way, he embellished Bozo’s distinctive look: the orange-tufted hair, the bulbous nose, the outlandish red, white and blue costume.

“I felt if I could plant my size 83AAA shoes on this planet, (people) would never be able to forget those footprints,” he said.

The business — combining animation, licensing of the character, and personal appearances — made millions, as Harmon trained more than 200 Bozos over the years to represent him in local markets.

“I’m looking for that sparkle in the eyes, that emotion, feeling, directness, warmth. That is so important,” he said of his criteria for becoming a Bozo.

BarneyFife · 07-03-2008, 06:33 PM

I hate to hear that, i really loved Bozo the Clown growing up. I haven't seen him on TV in years.

Mr. Television · 07-03-2008, 07:23 PM

Very sad. I loved Bozo when I was a kid. I remember watching him up in Richmond when I was 5 or 6 and then on WGN in the early 80s when we got that channel.

catlover79 · 07-03-2008, 08:48 PM

TeeVeeCloset · 07-04-2008, 01:21 PM

I am very sorry to hear of the passing of larry harmon, I met him several times and was always very gracious.....his passing of course is with controversy though. There are two sides of Larry Harmon....putting Bozo aside, Larry also owned the complete rights to Laurel & Hardy.....he also created the cartoon likeness of the boys that graced many products and spawned a cartoon series, which had cheap animation but has always been a favorite of mine. The controversy though began in 1965 (the year Stan died) when Larry met with Stan (who actually had his name in the phonebook and met with fans) Larry being a very clever business man met with Stan and literally talked a very old and confused man into signing the complete rights and trademark to Laurel and Hardy to him, leaving the Laurel/Hardy family out of the picture to future profits. It will be interesting to see if the estates of both families now try and overturn the Harmon Family control.

07-03-2008, 05:56 PM	#1
Zoneboy RIP, I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU :( Moderator Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 13, 2003 Location: AT HOME WISHING ALL THIS WAS JUST A DREAM AND THAT I'LL WAKE UP FROM THIS NIGHTMARE. Posts: 34,343	TV's Bozo the Clown (Larry Harmon) Dies at 83 Link LOS ANGELES - Larry Harmon, who turned the character Bozo the Clown into a show business staple that delighted children for more than a half-century, died Thursday of congestive heart failure. He was 83. His publicist, Jerry Digney, told The Associated Press he died at his home. Although not the original Bozo, Harmon portrayed the popular frizzy-haired clown in countless appearances and, as an entrepreneur, he licensed the character to others, particularly dozens of TV stations around the country. The stations in turn hired actors to be their local Bozos. “You might say, in a way, I was cloning BTC (Bozo the Clown) before anybody else out there got around to cloning DNA,” Harmon told the AP in a 1996 interview. “Bozo is a combination of the wonderful wisdom of the adult and the childlike ways in all of us,” Harmon said. Pinto Colvig, who also provided the voice for Walt Disney’s Goofy, originated Bozo the Clown when Capitol Records introduced a series of children’s records in 1946. Harmon would later meet his alter ego while answering a casting call to make personal appearances as a clown to promote the records. He got that job and eventually bought the rights to Bozo. Along the way, he embellished Bozo’s distinctive look: the orange-tufted hair, the bulbous nose, the outlandish red, white and blue costume. “I felt if I could plant my size 83AAA shoes on this planet, (people) would never be able to forget those footprints,” he said. The business — combining animation, licensing of the character, and personal appearances — made millions, as Harmon trained more than 200 Bozos over the years to represent him in local markets. “I’m looking for that sparkle in the eyes, that emotion, feeling, directness, warmth. That is so important,” he said of his criteria for becoming a Bozo.
	__________________ 'Twas The Night Before Christmas And All Through The Full House Not A Creature Was Stirring, Not Even Mighty Mouse. All My Children We're Nestled All Snug In Their Beds While Visions Of Sugarbakers Danced In Their Heads.

07-03-2008, 06:33 PM	#2
BarneyFife Retired Forum Fanatic Join Date: Mar 02, 2008 Posts: 8,459	I hate to hear that, i really loved Bozo the Clown growing up. I haven't seen him on TV in years.
	__________________ BarneyFife has left the building.

07-03-2008, 07:23 PM	#3
Mr. Television 22 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,127	Very sad. I loved Bozo when I was a kid. I remember watching him up in Richmond when I was 5 or 6 and then on WGN in the early 80s when we got that channel.
	__________________ Sonny

07-03-2008, 08:48 PM	#4
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376
	__________________ "Jesus loves you and He approves this message." "I'm alive. I'm feeling good. I'm trying to live every moment as much as I can." - Valerie Harper, March 2013

07-04-2008, 01:21 PM	#5
TeeVeeCloset Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 25, 2003 Posts: 1,873	I am very sorry to hear of the passing of larry harmon, I met him several times and was always very gracious.....his passing of course is with controversy though. There are two sides of Larry Harmon....putting Bozo aside, Larry also owned the complete rights to Laurel & Hardy.....he also created the cartoon likeness of the boys that graced many products and spawned a cartoon series, which had cheap animation but has always been a favorite of mine. The controversy though began in 1965 (the year Stan died) when Larry met with Stan (who actually had his name in the phonebook and met with fans) Larry being a very clever business man met with Stan and literally talked a very old and confused man into signing the complete rights and trademark to Laurel and Hardy to him, leaving the Laurel/Hardy family out of the picture to future profits. It will be interesting to see if the estates of both families now try and overturn the Harmon Family control.