Robert Lewis Bell (January 18, 1922 â€" December 8, 1997), better
known as Bob Bell, was an American announcer and actor famous for his
alter-ego, Bozo the Clown. He was the original portrayer of the
character for Chicago superstation WGN-TV.Bell was born in Flint,
Michigan, to a General Motors factory worker. He spent his life after
high school doing odd jobs until he enlisted first in the United
States Marine Corps and later the United States Navy during World War
II, though he did not see any combat action due to the loss of vision
in his right eye. Bell was able to pass the induction examination for
the Marines by memorizing eye charts. He had a medical discharge from
the Marines less than a year after joining in 1941. Bell then went to
the navy, where he served in the Pacific Theater until 1946. Before
the Marines, Bell worked in movies, taking minor roles and in set
construction. Bell was also a baseball player during his Flint high
school years, but was limited due to his vision loss. Bell's father,
George M. Bell, played minor league baseball in the early part of the
20th century.He broke into broadcasting in Flint as an announcer at
local station WMRP (now WWCK), then left for South Bend, Indiana
station WHOT. He met his future wife Carolyn while working there. He
moved into television with Indianapolis station WFBM-TV (now WRTV) in
1950.Bell moved on to Cincinnati, Ohio, and WLW Radio and WLWT-TV in
1953. He joined the cast of the Wally Phillips Show and proved to have
a gift for comedy, playing numerous characters. After WLW and WLWT's
executive vice president took a position with Chicago broadcast giants
WGN Radio and WGN-TV in 1956, Bell, Phillips and the show's
writer/director/producer Don Sandburg came along, producing their own
variety series, which included The Wally Phillips Show and Midnight
Ticker.
known as Bob Bell, was an American announcer and actor famous for his
alter-ego, Bozo the Clown. He was the original portrayer of the
character for Chicago superstation WGN-TV.Bell was born in Flint,
Michigan, to a General Motors factory worker. He spent his life after
high school doing odd jobs until he enlisted first in the United
States Marine Corps and later the United States Navy during World War
II, though he did not see any combat action due to the loss of vision
in his right eye. Bell was able to pass the induction examination for
the Marines by memorizing eye charts. He had a medical discharge from
the Marines less than a year after joining in 1941. Bell then went to
the navy, where he served in the Pacific Theater until 1946. Before
the Marines, Bell worked in movies, taking minor roles and in set
construction. Bell was also a baseball player during his Flint high
school years, but was limited due to his vision loss. Bell's father,
George M. Bell, played minor league baseball in the early part of the
20th century.He broke into broadcasting in Flint as an announcer at
local station WMRP (now WWCK), then left for South Bend, Indiana
station WHOT. He met his future wife Carolyn while working there. He
moved into television with Indianapolis station WFBM-TV (now WRTV) in
1950.Bell moved on to Cincinnati, Ohio, and WLW Radio and WLWT-TV in
1953. He joined the cast of the Wally Phillips Show and proved to have
a gift for comedy, playing numerous characters. After WLW and WLWT's
executive vice president took a position with Chicago broadcast giants
WGN Radio and WGN-TV in 1956, Bell, Phillips and the show's
writer/director/producer Don Sandburg came along, producing their own
variety series, which included The Wally Phillips Show and Midnight
Ticker.
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