Bozo Creator Dies

By Marcus Gilmer in News on Mar 14, 2009 9:00PM

Alan Livingston, the man who, among other things, is credited with creating Bozo the Clown, has passed away at the age of 91. While Livingston will best be remembered as the president of Capitol Records who was responsible for signing The Beach Boys, Steve Miller, The Band, Frank Sinatra, and The Beatles, he'll be remembered locally as the creator of Bozo the Clown.

After serving in the Army as a second lieutenant during World War II, Mr. Livingston was hired by Capitol Records in Hollywood in 1946 as a writer and producer of storytelling record albums with illustrated read-along books for children.

He called the new concept a "record-reader."

After writing "Bozo at the Circus," Mr. Livingston worked with an artist to create the clown narrator—a composite design based on a various clown pictures—and he hired former clown and cartoon voice-over artist Pinto Colvig to supply Bozo's voice.

"Bozo at the Circus," with music produced by Billy May, was a big hit, with the series reportedly selling more than 8 million copies over the next several years and spawning Bozo merchandise and Bozo-hosted TV shows.

Livingstion died at his home in Beverly Hills from natural causes according to his stepdaughter. [Tribune]