Forum Topic
Hammond Indiana
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BOZO'S CIRCUS --- THE BIG ONE!
Date: 12-14-2009
By: HassoBenSoba
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I know we all endeavor to keep these posts respectful, clean, and fun for the whole family. HOWEVER..... there is one great Chicago TV story that has acquired legendary status, and that I think deserves its own thread. I would love to hear from anyone with their own throughts, memories, and impressions of this big event, as long as we keep everything as "tidy" as possible.
I'm referring, of course, to the famous "Cram it, Clown" comment that was supposedly made on a LIVE telecast of BOZO'S CIRCUS during the playing of the Grand Prize Game. I recall that it was a hot topic around March of 1966, which would help place it "historically". Most of us, I'm sure, we're no longer watching the Boz by that time--but we've all heard people swear that it actually happened.
In early 1996, I had the opportunity to speak with James Sherman, formerly of Hammond who, according to his very detailed, no-nonsense account, was the Big-Top Band's ORGANIST on that VERY DAY in the WGN studio! After our talk, I rushed home and immediately wrote down everything he had told me. I'd be happy to share all of this info with you guys, if there is enough interest. But I also want to hear YOUR versions of the event, so we can see how closely they match what Mr. Sherman told me.
This is major Chicago TV stuff!
Larry r |
15 |
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12-14-2009
( Reply#: 4194 ) |
dilligaf717 |
I was watching that fateful day. A little boy, of color, was playing the "Grand Prize Game." He missed one of the buckets and said, S--T. Someone, I think it was either Bozo or Ned Locke said "That's a Bozo No-No." To which he replied, "Cram it Clownie." That's my recollection of the incident. Funny how something like that will stick in one's mind.
Jim
Still runnin against the wind. |
12-14-2009
( Reply#: 4197 ) |
Joel357 |
I thought that was an urban legend. Am I wrong?
Joel |
12-14-2009
( Reply#: 4198 ) |
dilligaf717 |
Joel,
That's what I saw. With me own two eyes.
Still runnin against the wind. |
12-20-2009
( Reply#: 4232 ) |
Andrew Murchek |
I dont remember that certain show but I watched Bozo all the time. (the Ray Rainer show?) was the best show for me though. I hope I spelled it right. Its been years. |
12-20-2009
( Reply#: 4233 ) |
Tom J |
quote:
Originally posted by Andrew Murchek
I dont remember that certain show but I watched Bozo all the time. (the Ray Rainer show?) was the best show for me though. I hope I spelled it right. Its been years.
I think it was "Ray Raynor?" |
12-20-2009
( Reply#: 4235 ) |
Joel357 |
Jim,
I'm not disputing what you say, you need to tell the people at Snopes that it happened.
Joel |
12-20-2009
( Reply#: 4236 ) |
dilligaf717 |
I already have, a few years ago. I'm wondering what the real answer is. Clue us in, Oh HassoBenSoba.
Still runnin against the wind. |
12-20-2009
( Reply#: 4237 ) |
Tom J |
Yeah, come on, Larry, and fill us in. There is definitely interest!
Tom |
12-21-2009
( Reply#: 4238 ) |
tom w |
Larry;
Somewhere else in this maze of threads I believe that I told my eye-witness acount of Len O'Conner the night he got kicked off of the news show so now its your turn. I have my hot chocolate and blueberry melba toast and I'm ready for a story so lets have it. LOL Tom W |
12-21-2009
( Reply#: 4239 ) |
SGPete |
OK---You guys asked for it, so here goes. This will be a fairly long post, but I've been waiting for an opportunity to share it in a more-or-less official setting.
First, let me mention that Larry Harmon, the original Bozo who owned the copyright on the character and issued the franchises for various local "bozos" around the country, stated (TV Guide, July 1998) that the "Cram it Clown" DID occur, but on the local Bozo show in Boston. Well, I think we can now safely say that it also happened in Chicago; the details in Jim's (dilligaf717) Dec 14 Sheptalk post match almost EXACTLY the version which I will relate here.
--------------------------
There were three brothers in the Sherman family of Hammond: the middle one, Terry, is an extremely accomplished actor/teacher who starred in the great Bishop Noll musicals in the mid 60's; the youngest, Kevin, works at Inland and often performs in local plays and musicals; I have worked with both of them in da Region's theater circuit. Then there's Jim, the oldest brother (graduated Noll in 1964), whom I had never met (currently lives in Florida)--until the night of Feb 15, 1996, at their father's wake in East Chicago (their dad was a Hammond fireman, I believe). I had previously been told by another friend that Jim Sherman was actually THE ORGANIST ON BOZO'S CIRCUS on the day of the famous incident! So at the funeral home, I introduced myself to Jim, offered my condolences, and then promptly asked if he wouldn't mind telling me about his Bozo experience (yes---right there in the funeral parlor!), to which he readily agreed. He was very affable, and related the story with total clarity and in great detail.
Jim was a music student at DePaul U in Chicago, during which time (1965-67) he would occasionally substitute for his teacher, who served as the regular organist in Bozo's "Big Top Band" (actually, a 3-piece combo--organ, trumpet & drums--since the show was beginning to scale back from using the full band around this time). On the fateful day in question, a very young black boy-perhaps as young as 4 or 5- was chosen from the audience for the Grand-Prize Game. He was very cute and adorable, and immediately won the audience's support, even though no one expected him to make it past bucket #1.
As it happened, the kid did very well, actually hitting the mark on the first 5 buckets. The tension in the studio was at an all-time high, with clowns, crew, and "cast of thousands" on the edge of their seats. (DRUM ROLL----) The young man tossed the final ping-pong ball, which hit the rim of bucket #6, spun around the rim a few times, and then bounced back out onto the floor. A collective groan went up from the crowd.
The young man, obviously upset, clenched his fists, bent over slightly, stomped one foot on the floor, and clearly uttered the words "Oh, ssshhhheeet!" Ringmaster Ned (Locke) promptly replied "Oh no, that's a Bozo no-no!" to which the boy responded with the immortal "CRAM IT, BOZO!" (according to Mr. Sherman), while simultaneously and rather clumsily flipping Bozo the BIRD (using the under-the-opposite-forearm technique). The producer immediately told Jim and the band to start playing, and the show cut to a commercial. As Jim stated "Of course, it's impossible to play a trumpet when you're convulsed with laughter, and the drummer knocked over his cymbal stands because HE was laughing so hard"; still, the band did their best to cover what had become total chaos in the studio.
There are other variants of this story, which suggests that there might have been a "copycat" incident (a boy actually WINS the G.P. Game, is asked if he wants to say anything to his friends at home, looks into the camera and shoots the bird to his friend Herbie, is admonished by Boze, replies with "EAT IT, BOZO", followed by much confusion, the shaky camera, the quick cut to a commerical, etc etc....) Needless to say, WGN soon dropped the live broadcast format for Bozo and went to tape.
Jim Sherman's time frame ('65-67) is correct, I think. It was during Easter week in 1966 that I first heard about the incident which he related. I was sitting in the orchestra pit at Noll rehearsing "The Music Man" which, coincidentally starred the middle Sherman brother Terry (along with Phil Ponce of Channel 11). I overheard the trombone player, Bill McCollum of Munster, relating the story to the guy next to him: "Did you hear what happened on the Bozo show...." etc.
I have absolutely no reason to doubt Jim Sherman's story...especially now since it is pretty well corroborated by Sheptalk's Jim in his Dec 14th post.
So now you know...the REST of the story!
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12-21-2009
( Reply#: 4240 ) |
tom w |
Larry; Fantastic, man. Well worth the wait. Thanks for sharing it with us. I watched it too and the funniest part for me was watching the camera-man trying to figure out where to go when the finger came up. Tom W |
12-21-2009
( Reply#: 4241 ) |
HassoBenSoba |
HEY, WHAT"S GOING ON HERE?!?
My big BOZO post from 12/21 is somehow credited to Sheptalk member "SGPETE" (0 posts), whoever that might be. But I wrote it all---me, myself and I---- but DID have some trouble posting it. So I checked the thread now and find that I've become this mysterious "SGPETE" from New York (?)
But the info is mine...it's authentic...and will now hopefully be preserved in the annals of Bozo lore.
Merry Christmas to all!
Larry Rapchak (HassoBenSoba) |
12-21-2009
( Reply#: 4242 ) |
Tom J |
quote:
Originally posted by HassoBenSoba
HEY, WHAT"S GOING ON HERE?!?
My big BOZO post from 12/21 is somehow credited to Sheptalk member "SGPETE" (0 posts), whoever that might be. But I wrote it all---me, myself and I---- but DID have some trouble posting it. So I checked the thread now and find that I've become this mysterious "SGPETE" from New York (?)
But the info is mine...it's authentic...and will now hopefully be preserved in the annals of Bozo lore.
Merry Christmas to all!
Larry Rapchak (HassoBenSoba)
I was wondering what was going on myself, Larry.
The site has been acting weird the last couple days.
Thanks for the great post!
Tomster |
12-21-2009
( Reply#: 4246 ) |
tom w |
Larry;
It dont matter, we knew it was you all the time. Your distinct gift for capturing the situation in such a clear and susinct style is unmistakable. Keep up the contributions by all means. Tom W |
12-21-2009
( Reply#: 4247 ) |
duane |
Is that Sgt. Pete (perhaps a relative of Sgt. Pepper?)
....or just S.G.Pete. S. Pete could be from Toy Story 2, because that movie had "Stinky Pete" who was stinky for the obvious reasons.
But that storytelling was clearly from the guy who told the great Edju story! So whether its Pete or Hasso, it was great! |
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