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June 1953. "Clarabell takes to the hills. Howdy Doody Show character Clarabell the Clown (actor Nick Nicholson) visiting the Dolan family in Boone County, West Virginia." Photo by Phillip Harrington for Look magazine. View full size.
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!
I am going to guess the balloon refers to the famous Long Bob Sandwich from Bob Phillips Drive-In. The drive-in was just north of Boone County in the Kanawha City part of south Charleston. The drive-in opened in 1952.
Jerry Waters has a site with some photos of this fine establishment: http://www.mywvhome.com/fifties/phillips.htm
Bob's Sandwiches would make more sense, but it does indeed say Bob Sandwich Try one today.
Maybe it refers to Buffalo Bob or something on the show?
Clarabell never spoke until the last episode of Howdy Doody, when he said with a tear in his eye: "Bye, kids!"
Do I see an imprint on one balloon? Can't tell if local delicacy or politician or goodness knows what. I'll take a wild guess that fine print is "Try One Today," but that's wishful thinking. Ideas, anyone?
Photos of clowns usually bring out the observations about how scary and creepy they can be, but this particular clown actually has a gentle and sympathetic look on his face. Maybe it’s the furrows in his brow, maybe the sad eyes, but I’m not afraid of him.
Chief Thunder Thud, Princess Summer-Fall-Winter-Spring, Phineas T. Bluster, Buffalo Bob Smith, the Peanut Gallery.
I think that I'm seeing things. What is that thing out the screen door? It almost looks like a snow blower, but that's a tad unlikely in June (I KNOW it's not western New York, after all).
[It's a thing called an automobile. - Dave]
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