The Courier News from Blytheville, Arkansas • Page 5

SEPT. 28, 1953 BLYTHEVILLE COURIER NEWS PAGE FTP! Kiddies Put Bobo the Clown Back on Laugh-Trail Again By MARY KAY FLYNN NBA Staff Correspondent HUTCHINSON, Kans. (NBA) There's a real life smile once again under the grease-paint grin on the face of Bobo, the clown. Until a group of Hutchinson Cub Scouts took over, 61-year-old Bobo (Clinton Floyd Kocher) was out of character a very sad laugh-maker. For 14 years Bobo was one of P.

T. Barnum's top clowns. Then he hit the bottle and after that the skids. Five years ago he put himself "in the hands of the Lord and Alcoholics Anonymous. Then he started the road back.

It almost proved too bumpy until the youngsters took over and gave him new hope and courage, atong with a grubstake for a comeback in show business. "It's shameful the way I wasted my life," Bobo laments. "Now I want to get back and make up those lost years I'd like to make people happy." While recuperating from his prolonged bout with the bottle, Bobo fashioned a successful animal- clown act featuring trained dogs, homed toads and bullfrogs. Three years ago his trailer, with the animals in it, burned. Only one dog, Nina May.

survived. Alter that, Bobo, Nina May and a newly acquired poddle hit the road, playing March pf Dimes benefits for peanuts. The poodle eventually was traded for an old car lor the trip to Pratt County, where Bobo spent his boyhood until he ran away and hooked up with a carnival at the age of 12. In Hutchinson, Bobo tried in vain to get a job as a farm hand. That's where the Cub Scouts came in.

They decided to stage a benefit circus "the greatest show on earth" on the lawn of their den mother's home for the nice, sad clown. The kids didn't quite understand how a rollicking clown could have trouble. But they knew how it felt to have a skinned knee and Bobo, they had heard, "had a bad fall" but was picking himself up without a tear on his jolly face. Ninety-lour children, some with their parents, came to Bobo's benefit circus, tl was the lollipop set's version of the real-thing. An arch of blankets formed the "tent" entrance; the aisle was roped off with a garden hose, wrapped in cvepe paper, and a string of Christmas lights hung over the brick patio where Bobo and Nina May performed.

The sideshows featured "wild animals. A pet kitten was billed as the "Wild Cat from Borneo." A. bantam rooster was the "Bird of Paradise." A caged frankfurter was the "Hairless Dog." And a mirror reflected peering "Wild Baboons." Hawkers sold popcorn, candy and BOBO, NINA MAY AND SOME "LITTLE Left to right around Clinton Kocker are Anthony Drew, Tommy Wellington, Dedra Drew, Pat Wellington and Ricky and Demmy Drew. lemonade as Bobo, in his maroon and chartreuse clown suit, entertained in the "center ring." At one point Nina May, after doing tricks and sitting on Bobo's head, went out in the audience and licked nearly everybody's face. When it was all over, Bobo had $24 to tide him over between television, private party and public events engagements he hopes to land.

"I could cry for joy at what those little shavers have done for me," Bobo said, and you could hear his voice quiver. "In my drinking days I used to think the world owed me a living. But now old Bobo's outlook on life is in tune with theirs." Bobo is enthusiastic about a new show he has in the making again featuring trained bullfrogs. "I'm coming back if I have to do it two bullfrogs at a time," he said. And there was no quiver this time.

Haymes, Rita Get Marriage License Today LAS VEGAS, Nev. Dick Haymes, a crooner who has hac plenty of trouble with wives and Uncle Sam, takes out a marriage license today with Rita Hayworth a ga'l who has had her share husband trouble. Haymes and the glamorous screen star pick up the. wedding license at 3 p.m. (Pacific daylighi time).

That is just one hour after he gets a divorce from Nora Eddington Flynn Haymes. The singer and the actress will Install gas have the best modern heating fuel The installation of an automatic heating system is an important investment. You want to be sure the system you install today will use the modern heating fuel of tomorrow. That's why it's important that you get all the facts about Natural Gas Heat. That's why gas heating installations are increasing faster throughout the nation than any other automatic heating system.

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Balance on law monthly InitellmenU. Call today for FREE ESTIMATE. Johnson Says War Could Have Been Avoided DENVER W) Sen. Edwin 0. Johnson (D-Colo) declared here yesterday that war wouldn't have broken out in Korea if Bed China had been invited to join the United Nations.

Johnson told the Denver. City Club there was a time when he favored admission of the Chinese Communists into the That time, he said, was just alter the rebels had kicked out the Nationalist government. The Chinese Reds are "just as good as Russia and a lot of other nations that belong to the U. he said. But that was before the Korean War.

Johnson said now he opposes entry of the Chinese Reds into the world organization "because we can't let them shoot their way into the U. Spoiled Scores Joseph Haydn composed many beautiful symphonies, but was married to a woman who didn't like music. She cut up some of his newly composed music and made curling papers for her hair. These musical scores would be worth a fortune today. be married tomorrow at 11 a.m.

in Sands Hotel, where both have been guests for some time. It will be marriage No. 4 for both. GEM THEATRE "Osceola's Finest" COMING for 4 BIG DAYS "SHANE" In Technicolor Starring Alan Ladd, Starts Sat. Sept.

26 One-Way Bridge to Polecat! Hollow POLECAT HOLLOW, Md. There's only one way Into Polecat Hollow, even for 'the story. That's across a small wooden bridge. County Road Supt. Eugene Geary said his crews had to rebuild the bridge after a physician complained he coudn't drive" across it to attend an expectant mother.

Geary Investigated, agreed the span was unsafe and ordered repairs. The expectant mother is a member of one of the two families living in Polecat Hollow. English today is the major commercial, scientific and diplomatic language of the world. Qtiick Relief for MUSCULAR ACHES STANBACK yourwU or agointt any preparation RITZ THEATRE Manila, Ark. LAST TIME TONIGHT SPACE WAYS With Howard Duff Eva Barton THURSDAY ONLY THE HIGHWAYMEN In Color With Wanda Hendrix and Charles Coburn MOX -THEATRE- In West Blytheville Air Conditioned by Refrigeration Show Starts Weekdays 7:00 Sat.

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