Bill Britten

Bill Britten, born William Cohen in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1928, was an American actor, performer, and television personality who died on February 4, 2020. His father was an opera actor and singer. Britten worked his way through college by performing as a mimic and pantomimist at local parties in Philadelphia, eventually earning a drama degree from Temple University. Following military service in the U.S. Army, where he wrote, performed, and produced shows for Special Services, he completed a Master's Degree in drama at the University of Washington in Seattle. During his time in Seattle, he taught speech and drama at a high school, appeared on local television, performed as a clown for a local gas station franchise, and trained with two puppet theaters affiliated with the University of Washington.

Britten's early professional development drew from several sources. He studied puppetry under Frank Paris, the creator and puppeteer of the original Howdy Doody marionette on Puppet Playhouse Presents. He also drew inspiration from old film comedies he had watched in Philadelphia and later at a film history society run by William K. Everson, as well as from radio comedy programs of the 1930s and 1940s. Performers including Eddie Cantor, Jack Pearl as Baron Munchhausen, Ed Wynn, and Sid Caesar were among those whose work influenced him. He also worked at a New England resort as a toomler, a Yiddish term for someone who takes initiative to generate activity, where he organized comedy nights, games, and guest entertainment. That experience, combined with his study of books and magazines on crafts, games, and hobbies, informed the activities he later developed for television.

After relocating to New York City to work in nightclubs, Britten partnered with ventriloquist Doris Faye to form Britten-Faye Productions. Together they developed the tramp clown character Professor Okey Dokey, with whom Britten entered and won the Funniest New Clown of the Year audition held by Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, defeating approximately 400 other candidates. He performed a pantomime routine involving a collapsible chair and received national press coverage as a schoolteacher turned clown. In the spring of 1954, he performed with the circus at Madison Square Garden, remaining in New York City when the circus continued its tour.

Britten made his first television appearance in 1955 on WJZ-TV, later WABC-TV, on the program Jolly Gene and His Fun Machine, where he provided puppetry and voice characterization for characters including Jolly Gene, Yoo Hoo the Cuckoo, and Waldo the Dodo, and also drew cartoons on the show's magic screen. He stayed with the program through 1956. He subsequently appeared on nationally rated programs including Name That Tune before becoming the third host of Time for Fun on WABC, a role he held from December 31, 1956 to August 1, 1958. On that show he portrayed the character Johnny Jellybean, performing alongside Faye and her puppets for a daily children's audience.

On August 10, 1958, Britten succeeded Herb Sheldon as host of WABD's Wonderama, the first children's program taped before a live studio audience. He initially appeared on the show as Three Gun Willie the Kid alongside Faye's Princess Ticklefeather character, though that persona was eventually dropped. During the same period he hosted The Looney Tunes Show on Saturday nights from August 9 to August 30, 1958, as well as the weekday evening programs Bugs Bunny Presents and Funnytoones at the same station until his departure in December 1958.

Britten is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Bozo the Clown in the New York City market. Beginning September 14, 1959, he played the character on WPIX-TV's The Bozo Show, which ran until March 1, 1963. The series then shifted time slots and was retitled Bozo's Big Top Circus, continuing through June 2, 1963. He also hosted the Saturday morning cartoon program The Cartoon Express from October 13 to November 3, 1962, with Faye again appearing as Princess Ticklefeather. His final children's television program was Bozo's Cartoon Circus Lunchtime Show, broadcast from June 24, 1963 through August 14, 1964. Throughout his television career, Britten made personal appearances across the New York City area, including the Christmas parade in Paterson, New Jersey, local circus events, and shows at Freedomland U.S.A. in the Bronx. He appeared on the WPIX-TV special Big Freedomland Special on June 16, 1961, alongside children's television hosts Officer Joe Bolton, Captain Jack McCarthy, and Chuck McCann. He is referenced in the book Freedomland U.S.A.: The Definitive History.

Following his television work, Britten served as a programming director for WNYC and as a drama teacher, and he pursued a career on Broadway. His stage credits span from 1965 to 1972 and include All the Girls Came Out to Play and Man of La Mancha.