The Magic Clown

Did You Know?

• Archivist Ira Gallen is known to have several episodes in his collection.
• Much of the surviving content from the series has lapsed into the public domain.

Premise

The program centered on a clown, initially called only "The Magic Clown" and later renamed Bonomo after the sponsor, who performed magic tricks, sometimes assisted by his puppet Laffy. Tico Bonomo, grandson of the Bonomo Turkish Taffy founder, created the show specifically to sell candy, resulting in constant sponsor plugs.

Cast

The host was the central figure. Tico Bonomo noted the difficulty of finding a performer, stating that a magician had to be turned into a clown. For the WNTA run, Doug Anderson, a comedian, mimic, cartoonist, and puppeteer, hosted with his wife Gayle Anderson, a former model; they added informational pieces and interviews when the show became a weekday program. The Andersons found the sponsor's creative control excessive, and the show was cancelled after one year on WNTA.

Reception

The show was well received by young audiences in New York and New Jersey, though national reception is not recorded. Modern reviews have generally been negative, with some calling it "unintentionally hilarious," though a reviewer at the Internet Archive described it as "delightful." Tico Bonomo claimed the program greatly increased sales of Turkish Taffy, helping the product achieve wide distribution.