Before Bozo the Clown made his first television appearance, he donned the labels of Capital Records with his image. In 1946, creator Alan Livingston and Capitol records first introduced Bozo the Clown to the world in a children's record entitled Bozo at the Circus. This first of its kind read-along book set lasted for 200 weeks on Billboard's Best Selling Children's Records Chart. America's most beloved public clown, Bozo, was here to stay.

Bozo was a very popular clown in the late 1940's and early 50's. Pinto Colvig, who was the original voice of Bozo on the records and also the original voice of Walt Disney's Goofy, first played Bozo the Clown. The first television show, Bozo's Circus, appeared in Los Angeles in 1949.

In 1956, Larry Harmon bought the franchise rights to Bozo and adopted the daily half-hour show with a live Bozo and a studio audience of children. By 1959 Larry Harmon began to market Bozo on a national and international level. There were more than 100 Bozos in the United States, with additional clowns in Germany, France and Japan. The most successful of Harmon's franchises debuted at WGN in Chicago. Bob Bell, who played Bozo the Clown on WGN-TV in Chicago for 25 years, began his long-time career in 1960. The original show, which aired in 1959, was 30 minutes in length and consisted of one-man sketches and cartoons.

"Bozo's Circus" replaced the original show in 1960. Bozo's trademark face and garb consisted of white greasepaint, a wild and fiery red wig, still used by most clowns today, and a bright and flashy costume. Bell brought Bozo to "life." In 1978, WGN began broadcasting the Bozo Show nationally via satellite and Bell continued as Bozo the Clown until he retired in 1984.

Joey D'Auria, who continues to play the role of Bozo the Clown to this day, replaced Bob Bell. Bozo was inducted into the Clown Hall of Fame on August 4, 1996. The Hall of Fame has a "Lifetime of Laughter Achievement Award." One of them has gone to Willard Scott, who played Bozo before becoming the weatherman for the "Today Show" on NBC. Willard Scott is the most famous graduate of the University of Bozo. The other award went to Larry Harmon.

Bell once said, "I love my work and enjoy making children laugh. Laughter cannot be imitated. It comes from the heart." "WGN-TV has announced that its Bozo show will end a 40-year run on August 26, 2001. A 40th anniversary special, was aired on June 12, 2001."