<P> A prime - time version titled Big Top was seen September through January on Wednesday nights in 1965 through 1967 . </P> <P> Ray Rayner left Bozo's Circus in 1971 and was briefly replaced by actor Pat Tobin as Oliver's cousin "Elrod T. Potter" and then by magician John Thompson (an acquaintance of Roy Brown's and Marshall Brodien's) as "Clod Hopper ." (Tobin previously had played Bozo on KSOO - TV in Sioux Falls, South Dakota . Thompson has appeared on A&E's Criss Angel Mindfreak .) Rayner periodically returned to guest - host as himself in his morning show's jumpsuit as "Mr. Ray" when Ned Locke was absent . The show had its 500,000 th visitor in the same year . By 1973, WGN gave up on Thompson, and increased Brodien's appearances as Wizzo . That same year, the National Association of Broadcasters issued an edict forbidding the practice of children's TV show hosts doubling as pitchmen for products . This resulted in major cutbacks to children's show production budgets . In 1975, Bob Trendler retired from television and his Big Top Band was reduced to a three - piece band led by Tom Fitzsimmons . Locke also retired from television in 1976 and was replaced by Frazier Thomas, host of WGN's Family Classics and Garfield Goose and Friends, at which point Garfield Goose and Friends ended its 24 - year run on Chicago television with the puppets moving to a segment on Bozo's Circus . As the storyline went, Gar "bought" Bozo's Circus from the retiring Ringmaster Ned and appointed "Prime Minister" Thomas as the new Circus Manager . In 1978 when WGN - TV became a national superstation on cable and satellite through what is now WGN America, the show gained more of a national following . In 1979, Bozo's Circus added "TV Powww!", where those at home could play a video game by phone . </P> <P> By 1980, Chicago's public schools stopped allowing students to go home for lunch and Ray Rayner announced his imminent retirement from his morning show and Chicago television . The show stopped issuing tickets; the wait to be part of the audience was eight years long . Beginning a summer hiatus and airing taped shows the next year pushed the wait back to ten years . On August 11, 1980, Bozo's Circus was renamed The Bozo Show and moved to weekdays at 8: 00 a.m., on tape, immediately following Ray Rayner and His Friends . On January 26, 1981, The Bozo Show replaced Ray Rayner and His Friends at 7: 00 a.m. The program expanded to 90 minutes, the circus acts and Garfield Goose and Friends puppets were dropped, and Cuddly Dudley (a puppet on Ray Rayner and His Friends voiced and operated by Roy Brown) and more cartoons were added . In 1983, Pat Hurley from ABC - TV's Kids Are People Too joined the cast as himself, interviewing kids in the studio audience and periodically participating in sketches . </P> <P> The biggest change occurred in 1984 with the retirement of Bob Bell, with the show still the most - watched in its timeslot and a ten - year wait for studio audience reservations . After a nationwide search, Bell was replaced by actor Joey D'Auria, who would play the role of Bozo for the next 17 years . </P>

Who was the other clown on the bozo show