Clarabell the Clown is a character who was part of the main cast on the 1947-1960 series ''

The Howdy Doody Show ''Howdy Doody'' is an American Children's television series, children's television program (with circus and Western (genre), Western frontier themes) that was created and produced by Victor F Campbell

''. Clarabell, who wore a baggy, striped costume, communicated through mime and by honking a horn for "yes" or "no". Clarabell would also spray fellow cast member

Buffalo Bob Smith Robert Emil Schmidt (November 27, 1917 – July 30, 1998), nicknamed Buffalo Bob, was the host of the children's show ''Howdy Doody''. Biography Born in Buffalo, New York, as Robert Emil Schmidt, he attended Masten Park High School. Schmidt g ...

with

seltzer Carbonated water (also known as soda water, sparkling water, fizzy water, club soda, water with gas, in many places as mineral water, or especially in the United States as seltzer or seltzer water) is water containing dissolved carbon dioxide gas, ...

. Three actors played Clarabell on a regular basis. The first was

Bob Keeshan Robert James Keeshan (June 27, 1927 – January 23, 2004) was an American television producer and actor. He created and played the title role in the children's television program '' Captain Kangaroo'', which ran from 1955 to 1984, the longes ...

, who later became

Captain Kangaroo ''Captain Kangaroo'' is an American children's television series that aired weekday mornings on the American television network CBS for 29 years, from 1955 to 1984, making it the longest-running nationally broadcast children's television program ...

and was reputedly fired over a salary dispute in 1952. Keeshan was succeeded by Robert "Nick" Nicholson, who also played the character of J. Cornelius Cobb on ''The Howdy Doody Show''.

Lew Anderson Lewis Burr Anderson (May 7, 1922 – May 14, 2006) was an American actor and musician. He is widely known by TV fans as the third and final actor to portray Clarabell the Clown on ''Howdy Doody'' between 1954 and 1960. He famously spoke C ...

was the third and last person to play Clarabell. Anderson played the character from 1954 until the series' final episode on September 24, 1960. Anderson returned to play Clarabell in the short-lived 1976–77 ''New Howdy Doody Show'' and in the 1987 40th anniversary special, and in later years in many personal appearances with Buffalo Bob Smith. In addition, Dayton Allen, Bill LeCornec, and others played Clarabell in the early years if Keeshan was busy doing something else for the show. Many attempts were made to find out the real face behind Clarabell. In season 2, #33 of ''

Happy Days ''Happy Days'' is an American television sitcom that aired first-run on the ABC network from January 15, 1974, to July 19, 1984, with a total of 255 half-hour episodes spanning 11 seasons. Created by Garry Marshall, it was one of the most succ ...

'',

Richie Cunningham Richard J. Cunningham is a fictional character played by Ron Howard in the 1970s TV sitcom ''Happy Days''. He is the second son of Howard and Marion Cunningham, brother of Joanie Cunningham and Chuck Cunningham, and a friend of Fonzie, Ralph Ma ...

is able to get a candid shot of Clarabell (played by Robert Brunner) without his makeup, but chooses to destroy it after Buffalo Bob personally asks him to keep the actor's face concealed from the public. (Based upon the period in which ''

'' is set, Lew Anderson would have been portraying Clarabell during that time.) Buffalo Bob Smith and the Kids of the

Peanut Gallery A peanut gallery was, in the days of vaudeville, a nickname for the cheapest and ostensibly rowdiest seats in the theater, the occupants of which were often known to heckle the performers. The least expensive snack served at the theatre would of ...

sang a song about Clarabell, sung to the tune of "

Mademoiselle from Armentières "Mademoiselle from Armentières" is an English song that was particularly popular during World War I. It is also known by its ersatz French hook line, 'Inky Pinky Parlez Vous,' or the American variant 'Hinky Dinky Parlez-vous' (variant: ''Parlay v ...

Who's the funniest clown we know?
Clarabell!
Who's the clown on Howdy's show?
Clarabell!
His feet are big, his tummy's stout,
But we could never do without,
Clara, Clara, Clarabell!

Who has fuzzy-wuzzy hair?
Clarabell!
It's partly red but mostly bare.
Clarabell!
And since the day that he was born,
He's honked and honked and honked his horn.
Clara, Clara, Clarabell!

"Goodbye, kids."

Throughout the entire series run Clarabell had no lines of dialogue; he often pantomimed, using hand gestures and facial expressions which were understood (and translated to the audience) by Buffalo Bob and the cast; Clarabell's only means of audible communication was a small toy horn he always carried. But during the series finale which aired on September 24, 1960, Clarabell repeatedly pantomimed he had a very big surprise for the viewers. Throughout the special hour-long episode, the rest of the cast tried to guess Clarabell's surprise, but only Mayor Phineas T. Bluster found out, having been told by Clarabell himself as an act of kindness, but then being sworn to secrecy. It was only in the episode's final moments that Clarabell, still gesturing and using his horn, revealed to Howdy Doody and Buffalo Bob he could actually speak. Amazed, Bob excitedly told Clarabell to prove it then and there as he would never get another chance. His lips quivered as the camera slowly moved in for a close-up on his face; a drum and cymbal roll grew louder and abruptly stopped right before Clarabell whispered, "Goodbye, kids." " Auld Lang Syne" quietly played over the end credits.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Clara Bell The Clown Television characters introduced in 1947 Children's television characters American clowns