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(More customer reviews)I'm from Chicago and therefore I am most familiar with the Bob Bell/Joey D'Auria Bozos. I purchased Volume 2 of the Larry Harmon Bozo the Clown DVD a couple years ago and I must say, Frank Avruch did do a good Bozo. HOWEVER, if we want to be technical about this whole Bozo ordeal, the original and therefore REAL Bozo was neither Bob Bell or Frank Avruch. Pinto Colvig was the voice of Bozo when the character started out as a children's storybook and record from Capital Records. Colvig also was the first LIVE Bozo when KTTV in Los Angeles broadcast the first Bozo show in 1949. Also, Larry Harmon did not originate the character as I mentioned before, Capital Records was the Bozo originator. Harmon licensed the character and made the clown as popular as he became with the cartoons and different Bozo shows throughout the country, and of course the merchandise.
Anyway, with all that aside, I now switch back to Chicago's Bozo. As much as I wish that Bob Bell's Bozo come to DVD, the reality is that this may be more difficult to achieve. Don't forget that the show was broadcast live from 1961 to 1980 and tapes of these would be scarce if they exist at all! Of the shows that could be put on DVD would be Ned Locke's final show in July 1976, Bozo's live broadcast from Chicagofest in 1979, the Bozo 25th Anniversary special that aired live from Medinah Temple in 1986, the 30th Anniversary Special, Bozo: 40 Years of Fun, and a special on Bob Bell entitled Bozo: The Man Behind the Makeup that aired on WGN in 1984 when Bob Bell retired. Plus let's not forget about the special, "Bozo, Gar, and Ray" that airs on WGN every Christmas Season. These specials were part of the Television Archives at the Museum of Broadcast Communications and I was fortunate to see these shows as well as a few other Bozo shows. It would be a wonderful treat if these shows did make it to DVD. I also hope to someday see Bob Bell's last Bozo show in its completion because the tape that the MBC had cut off early, just before the memorable final pie fight Bell participated in as the character (he also participated in the pie fight at the end of the 25th Anniversary special, but as himself since Joey D'Auria was Bozo at the time). I also have wanted to see some of Joey's first shows as Bozo and how he interacted with Frazier Thomas, who died near the end of Joey's first season as Bozo.
As much as I wish I could see these shows on DVD, they are more wishes than hope. Anyway, I have not yet purchased these DVDS of Avruch's Bozo, but I do plan on doing so. I am not betraying my love for Chicago's Bozo because both Bob Bell and Joey D' Auria remain my favorites. However, I respect how other actors portray the character and Frank Avruch DOES portray a good Bozo. It is my hope and wish that I can contribute to what I hope to someday see, and that is the Bozo shows from Chicago that I have seen in archives and the wishes I have for the shows that are not at this known to exist....as of now!
Click Here to see more reviews about: Bozo: The World's Most Famous Clown, Vol. 1
Bozo is the World s Most Famous Clown! The Bozo the Clown show ran for 47 years on TV, making it one of the longest running shows ever! 30 live-action ½ hour full color episodes. Each features a 5-minute cartoon! Contains a special interview with Larry Bozo the Clown Harmon. Digitally re-mastered and transferred from Larry Harmon s original film masters.
Click here for more information about Bozo: The World's Most Famous Clown, Vol. 1
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