Clarabell the Clown

Clarabell the Clown died yesterday. Actually, the person, Les Anderson, 85, who was the last and best to play Clarabell on the Howdy Doody Show, died. The first person to play Clarabell was Bob Keeshan, who became Captain Kangaroo. The Howdy Doody Show, airing in 1947, was the first network children's show. It was important because it showcased the novelty of the new technology of television and also sold tv sets bought by parents so all we little kiddies could see it. The show was in black-and-white until 1955. Buffalo Bob, Howdy Doody, and Clarabell the Clown were characters in a circus town, Doodyville, which had a mix of puppets and human beings as well as a Peanut Gallery of Kids. Clarabell was a mute, lovable, and mischevious clown who communicated by toots on bicycle horns and with a bottle of seltzer. It was a big surprise when Clarabell the Clown, who never said anything, spoke the very last words, "Goodbye, kids," when the show went off the air in 1960. My family did not get a television set until 1952, when I was six years old. I remember the Howdy Doody Show as one of my favorites and the very first television show I remember. Clarabell's death heralds the passing of an era.

Writing

Have not written in a while....too much other stuff going on....I do plan to write more about the Head family...the newspaper may do a layout of old photos of them and a short article....they were very interesting folk...turn-of-the-century,self-sufficient, and independent folk ...very close-knit family that cared about each other a lot. I also want to write about Gloria Dickson and our wonderful adventures with her and her family.....will have just one foal this year...from Esmo, my beautiful golden palomino, the only daughter I have left that is by Mighty Prince Deck, the Quarter Horse stallion that started me in the breeding business in 1979. My stallion now, Pay Mighty Deck (Mighty), is also by Prince, who died in 1997, at the age of twenty-two. I had owned him since he was a three-year-old colt.  He was an extremely beautiful shiny black horse that stopped people in their tracks, he was that good-looking.....the best confirmation and a wonderful gentle disposition....all the horses I have now, except for Jet, the twenty-six year-old mare by Jet's Payday, carry his blood. Prince was by Mighty Deck, an own son of Top Deck, both legends in their time...on the racetrack as well as the breeding barn. Top Deck came off the King Ranch and was a foundation sire for the modern-day racing Quarter Horse. Prince was well-named..he was quite regal. I hope this foal is a filly..more breeding stock for the future....I have been very fortunate to be able to live my dream as a child of having some really good horses, right in the back yard.