'Bozo the Clown' Dead at 83

Larry Harmon popularized legendary character
By Peter Fearon,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 4, 2008 2:30 AM CDT
'Bozo the Clown' Dead at 83
Entertainer Larry Harmon portrays Bozo the Clown. Harmon, who appeared as Bozo the Clown for decades has died at age 83.    (AP Photo/International Clown Hall of Fame, file)

Entertainer Larry Harmon, who became known to millions as Bozo the Clown, has died of congestive heart failure at the age of 83. Harmon licensed the character from its creator and built a multi-million dollar business around him, AP reports. He embellished Bozo's signature look—orange-tufted hair, bulbous nose, outlandish red-white-and-blue costume.

He licensed the Bozo character to local TV stations across America. "I'm looking for that sparkle in the eyes, that emotion, feeling, directness, warmth," he said of his criteria for choosing someone to play Bozo. "Bozo is a combination of the wonderful wisdom of the adult and the childlike ways in all of us." (More Bozo the Clown stories.)

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