With the passing of Larry Harman (Bozo), it caused many of us to remember our old friend Gary Weir. Even though Gary never worked at KAAY, he was good friends with Jerry Sims and myself. We all worked together at KXLR.
As Jerry and I moved to KAAY, Gary got into television and eventually became the Little Rock Bozo the clown.
Here is an interesting bit I ran across on the web:
Another Bozo show watched from time to time by my kids was beamed out of KARK-TV in Little Rock, Arkansas. Gary Weir played the red-haired, white-faced Bozo for our state. I was able to book my children on the show. Unfortunately, the day they were supposed to appear was a snowy, blizzard-like day where we lived in eastern Arkansas. Even the main roads were closed. I was unable to call to cancel the appearance, the phones being out of order because of the inclement weather. This was not the case in Little Rock, in central Arkansas, where the weather was cold but no snow. About a week later, I received a personal letter of an irate nature from Bozo stating that because my kids didn't show up when scheduled they would be blacklisted and would never be able to be on the Bozo show. I may be the only person who ever received a threatening letter from Bozo the Clown.
Postscript: My daughter did meet Bozo later on a school trip. We still have a large autographed picture of Bozo with his arms draped around her. She kept quiet about the letter.
Gary loved kids and I'm sure he was not aware of the weather situation.
I also found an interesting video clip from Channel 16. On this clip Gary does the voice over, and I will have to assume he also was Bozo:
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3 comments:
I remember when I was 5 or 6 years old and my mother and I travelled from Mobile, AL to Chicago, IL on a train to see my grandmother (her mom) before she passed away from liver and kidney cancer...that's the first time I'd seen or heard of Bozo the Clown on a Chicago TV station...of course, then, it was in black & white, but it was a cool show! R.I.P., Bozo, you made a lot of kids happy....Bud, Mobile, AL
Having portrayed Bozo The Clown in Arkansas for 25 years I remember alot of personal appearances, especially the one at the Hot Springs Mall. What fun it was! Being Bozo was a wonderful career and I was saddened to hear about the death of Larry Harmon, the original Bozo The Clow on television.
"From the big, tall tower in Redfield so all the kids can see the Showzobo."
"Were you born in Septober or Octember?"
"Do you walk to school or carry your lunch?"
Great quotes. Great memories.
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