[Deathwatch] Larry Harmon, Bozo the Clown, 83

[Deathwatch Central <cdw@slick.org>]

Bozo the Clown's Larry Harmon dead at 83

Fri Jul 4

Larry Harmon, the alter ego behind Bozo the Clown for more than 50
years, died on Thursday of congestive heart failure at age 83, his
spokesman said.

Harmon, a native of Ohio, died at his home in Los Angeles, his
spokesman, Jerry Digney said.

Harmon was not the original Bozo, but he portrayed the flame-haired
clown in numerous appearances over the years.

More importantly, he purchased the copyright and trademark to the clown
in the 1950s, and as a result was responsible for keeping Bozo working
in the entertainment industry for more than half a century.

Since the 1950s, the live "BOZO Show" has aired in 183 U.S. television
markets, and 156 BOZO cartoons have played in almost every country
around the world. In Chicago, the first "BOZO Show" began airing in
1961 and stayed on the air until 2001.

Over the years, Harmon trained some 200 actors to portray the clown for
various local TV stations and other programs franchised around the
country.

"We didn't have satellite, syndication and networking like today,"
Harmon once recalled. "So, I created my own network of local clowns and
productions, a cross-country operation that kept me on the road for 50
weeks a year for decades."

Willard Scott, who went on to appear as the weatherman on NBC's'
weekday morning program "Today," was one of those recruited by Harmon.

For a time, Harmon also ran a large animation studio in Hollywood,
producing cartoons based on comedians Laurel and Hardy, as well as the
characters Popeye and Mr. Magoo.

He is survived by his wife, son and four daughters.



Many thanks to Deathwatch Central for posting this obituary