Bozo the Clown is a well-known character among kids across the country, but Detroit had its own unique relationship with the man under the makeup, Art Cervi.
Multiple and international Bozos Pack the Airwaves
Bozo the Clown was a franchised character originally created by Alan Livingston for Capital Records in the 1940s. The character explored various media formats before being portrayed by an actor live on television in Los Angeles. Bozos’ success on television resulted in Bozos spreading across the country and into Canada, as local television stations licensed the character and simply hired their own actor to play him.
Bozo de Windsor
Detroit was no exception; Bozo was played by two different actors on WWJ-TV in the years leading up to 1967. For reasons unknown in that year, Bozo disappeared from Detroit television stations, forcing Detroiters to trust their neighbors on the other side. from the river for repair. Windsor, Canada’s CKLW-TV, Channel 9 on the VHF dial, was easily received in Detroit and had its own Bozo, Art Cervi. With his flaming red hair ring, white bib, and toy chest, it was this Bozo that became a cherished childhood memory for many of the Detroiters.
In fact, not a troop of scouts missed seeing the show filmed live.
Art Cervi was the Detroit Bozo
Cervi played Bozo on CKLW until 1975, when he immigrated from Canada to play Bozo on Detroit’s WJBK-TV. To the Detroit kids, Cervi was Bozo. Of course, a vacation or trip out of town sometimes exposes kids to those other Bozos, several of whom were of a completely different body type. For example, Washington’s Bozo was Willard Scott, who later rose to fame on NBC’s The Today Show . Talk about Bozo’s confusion!
Sources:
- Clown-Ministry.com
- Interview with Art Cervi, Motor City Moments , WMOC-FM Radio
- George Pappas, Senior Programming Coordinator / WGNAmerica.com
