From it's humble roots as a record company character, to its heights as a cultural icon for generations of Chicagoans, Larry Potash has the backstory on our beloved Bozo the Clown. Get more great Backstories with the Backstory podcast, available where you get your podcasts. | WGN TV

FROM THE WGN ARCHIVES Check this out...Bozo (AKA Bob Bell) circa 1963, visiting Chicago's legendary Riverview Amusement Park. Friday at 7p WGN-TV presents Bozo's Circus: The 1960's, a special featuring parts of 3 episodes from the WGN vault. | WGN TV

From the WGN archives, check out this clip from 1963 when Bozo paid a visit to Riverview. It really captures the joy and happiness Bob Bell's character brought to children. This Thursday morning starting at 9 we'll air our specials Bozo's Circus: The 1960s followed by Bozo's Circus: The 1970s. | WGN TV

This first franchised Bozo show debuted on in Los Angeles on this day in 1959. Here's an extremely rare clip from the early 1960s of WPIX's version with Bill Britten playing Bozo the Clown, introducing Fractured Fairy Tales and later Flapjack the Clown. Do you remember watching Bozo on WPIX? | WPIX Archives