Frank Avruch, Boston's (and the nation's) Bozo the Clown, 89

[KeithE4]

Avruch was Bozo on WHDH-TV/5 in Boston from 1959 to 1970. That show was syndicated nationwide to cities without their own Bozo well into the '70s (I saw it on mostly-religious KPAZ-TV/21 Phoenix in 1973-74, in its pre-TBN days).

He moved from WHDH to WCVB when the latter took over Channel 5 in 1972, hosting or contributing to several shows. RIP, Frank.


http://www.wcvb.com/article/wcvb-personality-frank-avruch-dies-at-89/19549572

 

[CTListener]

"Bozo, Bozo. Always laughs, never frowns. Bozo, Bozo. Bozo the Clown!"

As a Boston-area baby boomer, I spent many hours in front of the black-and-white TV watching Bozo on Channel 5 -- not as many as I spent watching Major Mudd (Ed McDonnell), whose show included Three Stooges shorts, on Channel 7, but still enough to remember the classic Bozo theme song. RIP, Mr. Avruch.

 

[Oldie919]

My fondest memory of Bozo was the game segment.....at one time they had accrued a HUGE ROOMFUL of toys to be given to the first kid who could get a dollar bill from under the neck of an inverted Coke bottle
without knocking over the bottle....
This went on for - literally- MONTHS....as one kid after another failed in the attempt.
When the lucky kid finally pulled off the "impossible"....everyone went ape$#!+!!!...including me!! I was 9 or 10 at that time....
IIRC.....Mr. Avruch was NOT all that fond of his role as a clown...later in his stint at Channel 5 he was more focused on the "upper crust", and was often seen in a tux, pitching the BSO or Boston Museum of Fine Arts....