Clarabell #1, Bob Keeshan

As we all know, Keeshan later became Captain Kangaroo, but few knew that he was a decorated marine in WWII. Keeshan met Bob Smith at NBC radio where he was a page and came with Smith as a page/assistant to the Howdy Doody Show and wore his NBC page blazer as a silent assistant on the show handing out prizes and helping. Since the original show had Buffalo Bob dressed as a ringmaster in a circus themed set, it was a natural step to include Keeshan as a ‘silent partner’ and dress him in clown makeup. Bob Keeshan was with the show from it’s start in 1947 till 1952 when he left over a salary dispute.

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