<P> The character was created by Alan W. Livingston and portrayed by Pinto Colvig for a children's storytelling record album and illustrative read - along book set in 1946, the character became popular during the 1940s and served as the mascot for the record company Capitol Records . </P> <P> The character first appeared on US television in 1949 portrayed by Colvig . After the creative rights to Bozo were purchased by Larry Harmon in 1956, the character became a common franchise across the United States, with local television stations producing their own Bozo shows featuring the character . Harmon bought out his business partners in 1965 and produced Bozo's Big Top for syndication to local television markets not producing their own Bozo shows in 1966, while Chicago's Bozo's Circus, which premiered in 1960, went national via cable and satellite in 1978 . </P> <P> Performers to have played Bozo, aside from Colvig and Harmon, include Willard Scott (1959--1962), Frank Avruch (1928 - 2018) (portrayed between 1959--1970), Bob Bell (1960--1984), and Joey D'Auria (1984--2001). Bozo TV shows were also produced in other countries including Mexico, Brazil, Greece, Australia and Thailand . </P> <P> Bozo appeared in the animated series Bozo: The World's Most Famous Clown . </P>

Who played bozo the clown in the 90s