The Man Behind the Nose: Assassins, Astronauts, Cannibals, and Other Stupendous Tales
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Did you hear the one about when Bozo the Clown ran for President and two assassination attempts were made on his life? How about the time Bozo flew into the perilous jungles of New Guinea to see if he could not just survive but actually bond with dangerous cannibal tribes? Well then, you must know about the time his size 83 AAA shoes saved him from being swallowed whole by a giant, murderous python in Thailand, right? Then I guess you might not know as much as you think about the world's most famous clown. Sure, you know the giant shoes, the red bulbous nose, the big ruby smile, and the twin shocks of red yak-hair bursting from the sides of his head. And obviously you know the many clowns inspired by him, from Ronald McDonald to Krusty the Clown. So perhaps it's time you learned about Bozo, and the man behind the nose. Because the wild, inspirational stories in this book are all true. As real as the nose on your face. One day, Larry Harmon, a World War II private harboring dreams of becoming a doctor, met the most famous entertainer of the time, Al Jolson. After seeing the young man on stage, Jolson told him he shouldconsider a career change. "Being a doctor of medicine is honorable," Jolson advised. "But you'll touch so many more lives as a doctor of laughter!" A decade later, Jolson's prophecy came true when Larry Harmon, trying to make it as an actor in Hollywood, auditioned to portray a character named Bozo the Capitol Clown. The character spoke so much to Larry that he simply became it—overnight. He soon turned Bozo into a cultural icon, creating one of the biggest children's television franchises in the world. But that was only the beginning. In this unputdownable book, which Harmon completed just before his death at age eighty-three, are far more incredible stories of astronauts, cannibals, celebrities, assassins, and deep-sea divers—all encountered in full Bozo regalia, and with photos to prove it. Not only is Harmon's life by turns incredible and hilarious, it's also an inspirational testament to the power of one man's positive attitude, dedication, and work ethic—and how he changed the world.
Foreword xA Howdy from Your Old Pal 1Part I The Early Antics 5Dad, My Best Friend, and the Old Ticket Taker in the Moving Picture That Came to Life, Part I 7Lionel Hamptoh, Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa, and Mr. Wilcoxon In: A Boy and His Drumsticks 15Ralph Rush, Katya the Spotter, and the Cleveland Heights High Marching Band in: The Little Dry Cleaner Who Could 25Al Jolson and the U. S. Calvary in: The Moving Picture That Came to Life, Part II 45John Philip Sousa and My Babysitter in: A Walk with the March King 59Eddie Cantor and the Shadow Man in: The Runaway Drum 65Commander Comet, Gort the Robot, and Chuck Yeager: Space Is the Place 73Some Record Company Bigwigs In: Getting Off the Merry-Go-Round 83Bozo and Ziggy in: How a Yak Saved a Clown 93Bozo and the Weatherman in: Cloning a Clown 101Part II The Bozo Adventures 115Photorama: A Bozo World AIBozo and the Cannibals in: An Amazing Adventure at the Edge of the World 117Bozo and the U. S. Air Force in: The Vomit Comet Ride 139Bozo and the New York City Fire Department in: A Four-Story Fall 153Bozo and the U. S. Navy in: Davy Jones' Locker 165Bozo and the Pugnacious Python in: The Big Squeeze 175Part III The Big Leagues 185Bozo and the Cleveland Indians in: A Clown on the Mound 187Bozo and John F. Kennedy in: The Incredible Campaign for the Red, White, and Blue 197Photorama: The Many Faces of Larry Harmon BIThe Los Angeles Paramedics and the Amorous Agent in: A Miraculous Recovery 211Afterword 220
