Ownership Rights To Illinois’ Favorite Clown Sold To Famous Actor

A famous actor purchased the ownership rights to Illinois' favorite clown.

Illinois' Favorite Clown And TV Show

My favorite clown of all time is Bozo. That was way before the era of scary clowns. Halloween ruined clowns for me but I still love Bozo.

When I was a kid, my favorite television show was "The Bozo Show" starring Bozo the Clown. It was a fun show to watch. They did funny skits, played games, showed cartoons, and so much more.

For most children that grew up in Illinois, Bozo and his show were their favorites too. Thanks to the superstation, WGN, the popular character was around and relevant for years. The Bozo Show was a Chicago staple and part of the Windy City's entertainment history.

Going To "The Bozo Show"

"The Bozo Show" always had a live studio audience for tapings. It was such a popular show that you had to wait years to get tickets. My mom started sending in requests while she was pregnant with me.

We did not receive any tickets until I was eight years old. I was lucky enough to go five times. During those visits, I had the honor to participate in the show games twice, tell a joke, and introduce the beginning of the program. I was an at-home player once for the Grand Prize game too.

Rights To Bozo Sold 

Unfortunately like many things, "The Bozo Show" came to a stop. It was the end of an era. You can still see some of the items from the show at the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago. More info, HERE. Besides that, nothing has really been going on with "The Bozo Show" until recently.

According to wgntv.com,

"For the first time in 65 years, the ownership rights to the Bozo character have been sold to actor David Arquette."

 

"He’s been a life-long fan of the character and purchased the rights from Larry Harmon Pictures, who bought it from Capitol Records that created Bozo back in 1946."

 

"For now, Arquette is planning to create a circus interactive experience that will include Bozo. “Empire Circus” will debut in Brooklyn in November."

I am not surprised because David Arquette is sort of a goofy guy. He was trying to be a pro-wrestler for a little bit. I am glad to see someone is going to do something with Bozo. Let's just hope it is good.

Video: Bozo the Clown!