The Man Behind the Nose is the autobiography of the man who was Bozo. For 50 years Larry Harmon was the face—and the nose—of Bozo the Clown, the most well-known, beloved clown of them all, the precursor for every successful modern-day harlequin to come, from Ronald McDonald to Krusty. A warm, surprising, and endlessly entertaining life story filled to the brim with “Assassins, Astronauts, Cannibals, and Other Stupendous Tales,” The Man Behind the Nose is a rollicking ride through the world of a true American icon in greasepaint.
The Man Behind the Nose
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle. Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||
Browse the best books of summer including blockbusters, beach reads, and editors' picks in our Summer Reading Store. |
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Editorial Reviews
From the Back Cover
Did you hear the one about when Bozo the Clown ran for President and two assassination attempts were made on his life?
How about the time Bozo flew into the perilous jungles of New Guinea to see if he could not just survive but actually bond with dangerous cannibal tribes?
Well then, you must know about the time his size 83 AAA shoes saved him from being swallowed whole by a giant, murderous python in Thailand, right?
Then I guess you might not know as much as you think about the world's most famous clown. Sure, you know the giant shoes, the red bulbous nose, the big ruby smile, and the twin shocks of red yak-hair bursting from the sides of his head. And obviously you know the many clowns inspired by him, from Ronald McDonald to Krusty the Clown.
So perhaps it's time you learned about Bozo, and the man behind the nose. Because the wild, inspirational stories in this book are all true. As real as the nose on your face.
One day, Larry Harmon, a World War II private harboring dreams of becoming a doctor, met the most famous entertainer of the time, Al Jolson. After seeing the young man on stage, Jolson told him he shouldconsider a career change.
"Being a doctor of medicine is honorable," Jolson advised. "But you'll touch so many more lives as a doctor of laughter!"
A decade later, Jolson's prophecy came true when Larry Harmon, trying to make it as an actor in Hollywood, auditioned to portray a character named Bozo the Capitol Clown.
The character spoke so much to Larry that he simply became it—overnight. He soon turned Bozo into a cultural icon, creating one of the biggest children's television franchises in the world. But that was only the beginning.
In this unputdownable book, which Harmon completed just before his death at age eighty-three, are far more incredible stories of astronauts, cannibals, celebrities, assassins, and deep-sea divers—all encountered in full Bozo regalia, and with photos to prove it.
Not only is Harmon's life by turns incredible and hilarious, it's also an inspirational testament to the power of one man's positive attitude, dedication, and work ethic—and how he changed the world.
About the Author
Larry Harmon produced some 50,000 hours of local and international live children's television shows. He is best-known for his fifty-year-plus run as the driving force behind Bozo the World's Most Famous Clown. After purchasing the rights to the character, Harmon spread Bozo to almost 200 television stations all over the globe, including Greece, Thailand, and Brazil. Harmon also owned the Laurel & Hardy characters, produced the 1974 biopic It's Good to be Alive directed by Michael Landon, and made many other contributions to the entertainment world and popular culture. In 1996, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences awarded him a special outstanding achievement award for a long career that touched the hearts, mind, and funny bones of millions of people. Larry Harmon passed away on July 3, 2008.
Thomas Scott McKenzie has written for Premier Guitar, Tin House, Stuff, Paste, Sync, Inked, and other publications. McKenzie runs Slushpile.net, and he coauthored The Man Behind the Nose, the autobiography of Larry "Bozo the Clown" Harmon.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images? |
More About the Authors
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By Josh Mills
Format:Hardcover
I'll be honest. I have had only the faintest interest in clowns in general, or in Bozo specifically. I had no real intention of buying this book.
And then I saw it in a bookstore and decided to flip through it while I tried to figure out which book I was really going to buy.
Ten minutes and 15 pages later, I realized that I should take this book home, lest I become a permanent fixture in in the store.
Because The Man Behind The Nose is only incidentally about a clown. Its actually about a stupendous badass of a man who wanted to do as much good and spread as much love and laughter as possible. Period. It so happened that the best way he could find to do that was with giant shoes and screamingly red hair. Bozo's real message was PULL, Peace, Understanding, Love, and Laughter. Clowning was the ideal medium to take that message to the widest possible audience. Bozo understood that the easiest way to affect humanity was by working with children. Grown ups are, well, grown up. Their growing is mostly done. Children, however, children often don't have the faintest idea of what to expect from the world. So why not tell them that it is full of love and laughter, of peace and understanding? For every child that grows up carrying that vision of humanity, there is one less person growing up in anger, in hatred, in fear, or in shame.
And that is worth wearing any number of red noses and silly costumes.
And then I saw it in a bookstore and decided to flip through it while I tried to figure out which book I was really going to buy.
Ten minutes and 15 pages later, I realized that I should take this book home, lest I become a permanent fixture in in the store.
Because The Man Behind The Nose is only incidentally about a clown. Its actually about a stupendous badass of a man who wanted to do as much good and spread as much love and laughter as possible. Period. It so happened that the best way he could find to do that was with giant shoes and screamingly red hair. Bozo's real message was PULL, Peace, Understanding, Love, and Laughter. Clowning was the ideal medium to take that message to the widest possible audience. Bozo understood that the easiest way to affect humanity was by working with children. Grown ups are, well, grown up. Their growing is mostly done. Children, however, children often don't have the faintest idea of what to expect from the world. So why not tell them that it is full of love and laughter, of peace and understanding? For every child that grows up carrying that vision of humanity, there is one less person growing up in anger, in hatred, in fear, or in shame.
And that is worth wearing any number of red noses and silly costumes.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By M. Mayes
Format:Hardcover
I have always been aware of Bozo as maybe the most famous and recognizable clowns of all times, but I knew virtually nothing about "The man behind the nose". I never expected to find a clown or a clown franchiser so fascinating, but Larry Harmon lived a strange and extraordinary life. I liked Harmon from the beginning to end of the book... I liked his type A personality, his need for very little sleep and his love for spreading laughter. This book made me feel inspired and even for a cynic, I believed most of the stories (accompanied with some great pictures) and allowed myself to get swept up in his world, which I felt made me a slightly (but only slightly) better person in the end.
I was most impressed with his business savvy and the idea of franchising the clown across the globe... it's seems like a rather genius business model. Although the tales can be tall sometimes, it didn't hinder the fun I had.
In addition to being an easy read and riveting story, the book is surprisingly well written and the enthusiasm that drives Harmon's (and Thomas Scott McKenzie's) prose is contagious and inspirational. The book made me feel overwhelmingly happy and I would recommend this book to anyone, any age... it's awesome all round. I wish I could find more books of this caliber!
I was most impressed with his business savvy and the idea of franchising the clown across the globe... it's seems like a rather genius business model. Although the tales can be tall sometimes, it didn't hinder the fun I had.
In addition to being an easy read and riveting story, the book is surprisingly well written and the enthusiasm that drives Harmon's (and Thomas Scott McKenzie's) prose is contagious and inspirational. The book made me feel overwhelmingly happy and I would recommend this book to anyone, any age... it's awesome all round. I wish I could find more books of this caliber!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By ploop
Format:Hardcover
This book brings back so many wonderful childhood memories of Bozo the clown. As a child, or even as an adult, I don't think I ever stopped to really think about the man behind the nose. What an interesting man who had so many unique experiences and stories. The was a beautifully written book and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I highly recommend reading this book, and it would also make a wonderful gift (the book cover is so fun!) for anyone who has memories of Bozo from childhood.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By John Biggs
Format:Hardcover
A lot of folks my age haven't thought of Bozo in years, but he's the definitive clown. This is a heartwarming look at Larry Harmon's life as Bozo. It's well-written, readable, and tells the untold story of the man behind the nose.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Larry Harmon's name may not be instantly recognizable, but his alter-ego, Bozo the Clown, is indelible. Big red bulbous nose, bigger red mouth, biggest red hair. He played Bozo for Columbia Records, then bought the character, franchised it to TV stations across the world and made millions and dollars, taking Bozo all over the world, under the sea and almost to the moon. (He even went deep into the bowels of the jungles of New Guinea and bonded with dangerous cannibal tribes; in Thailand, Bozo's size 83 AAA shoes saved him from being swallowed whole by a clown-craving python.) Harmon/Bozo made people happy, made them smile. No wonder Bozo was Caroline Kennedy's favorite childhood show. Long after the last page is turned, Harmon's philosophy remains: "I never get depressed; I don't even get pessimistic about things. . . . I'm convinced there is a better way. If it seems like something isn't working out, I don't mope around about t. I just rack my brain to devise a strategy to make it work." Honk it he makes you happy.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By J. Turner
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I wasn't jumping out of my chair to read this one, but I'm glad I did. From the first few pages, Larry Harmon's story is motivating, entertaining and nearly unbelievable. A quick read, this book is a great gift for those looking to re-live childhood memories, as well as anyone interested in reading an account of what a person with amazing motivation and drive can accomplish.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By am422
Format:Hardcover
Aside from the fact that this book looks neat, it is an easy read. I really don't care for non-fiction, especially when in "novel" form. However, this book is laid out really, really well and is actually fun to read! The sections are short which makes it easy to pick up and then get lost in it when you tell yourself you'll just read one more section! I didn't realize that Bozo was a franchise or that the man behind him was so amazing. I felt a little lame when I realized how much "character" the man had and how hard he worked. This book is very good, and I think it looks great on my coffee table too! It's a real classic to have around. I highly recommend the hardcover vs. the kindle edition to get the full effect and of course to pass around to your friends. It's a great end of summer read- still light and fluffy like I prefer for summertime reading, but I felt inspired to love my life after reading this book.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
GREAT BOOK
I loved the book..... Buy it.... You cant go wrong with this one. I grew up watching the show and hes got alot of amazing stories in the book.
Published 13 months ago by Ryan W.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book, great storytelling...
I just finished reading this book last night and found it to be a very good read. Weather the "reports" of this book being lies (in some of the reviews) are true or not does not... Read more
Published 22 months ago by B. Nichols
5.0 out of 5 stars
You ain't seen nothin yet!
This was recommended to me by a clown friend of mine. Of course everyone knows Bozo but the not necessarily the man who created the icon. I loved the book. Read more
Published on May 22, 2011 by Charles M. Thayer, Jr.
4.0 out of 5 stars
It's nice to be important, but it's more inportant to be nice.
Here we have the autobiography of Larry "Bozo" Harmon. It is an entertaining read. He tells a lot of interesting antecdotes about his life as Bozo. Read more
Published on April 12, 2011 by Johnny Heering
5.0 out of 5 stars
Accidental Discovery
I saw this at our library (eBook version). Figured what the heck.. Excellent discovery. Absolutely loved the amazingly true story.
Published on February 19, 2011 by LeeBo
5.0 out of 5 stars
Stuff I never knew
I grew up watching Bozo through my entire childhood. Now looking back on the escipades that went on off camera that I never saw as a kid, I see a whole new side of entertainment. Read more
Published on January 26, 2011 by Kelly Alwood
3.0 out of 5 stars
This Ex-Bozo was a bit disappointed
I worked as a Bozo for Larry Harmon for over three years (early 90's). I got to know the man pretty well. Countless hours in his NYC home and on the phone. Read more
Published on September 27, 2010 by Brett Eidman
2.0 out of 5 stars
half and half
I gave this book as a gift to my 50 year old son, who was an ardent Bozo fan as a kid. He has not said much about it. While visiting him, I began to read it. Read more
Published on September 21, 2010 by Carol Dulcamara
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Tales, Great Times
Larry Harmon did an amazing thing with the Bozo brand, creating an Icon that will be recognized for generations to come. [... Read more
Published on September 3, 2010 by FTM
1.0 out of 5 stars
Larry (Bozo) Harmon lies and lies in his new book.
When I heard that Larry Harmon was publishing his book postumously, I was very curious to read it because I was Larry's second wife. Read more
Published on September 1, 2010 by Sandra Harmon
