Bob Bell (actor)

Robert Lewis Bell , better known as Bob Bell, was an American actor famous for his alterego, Bozo the Clown. He was the original portrayer of the character for Chicago superstation WGNTV.

Bell was born in Flint, Michigan to a General Motors factory worker. He spent his life after high school doing odd jobs until he enlisted first in the United States Marine Corps and later the United States Navy during World War II, though he did not see any combat action due to the loss of vision in his right eye. Bell was able to pass the induction examination for the Marines by memorizing eye charts. He had a medical discharge from the Marines less than a year after joining in 1941. Bell then went to the Navy where he served in the Pacific Theater until 1946. Before the Marines, Bell worked in movies, taking minor roles and in set construction. Bell was also a baseball player during his Flint high school years, but was limited due to his vision loss. Bells father, George M. Bell, played minor league baseball in the early part of the 20th century.

Source: Wikipedia