Army veteran Bill Britten, best known for his roles as Bozo the Clown and Johnny Jellybean, died at the age of 93 years old according to his old network, WPIX.
Britten, born William Cohen in 1928, was one of several actors who played Bozo the Clown on the "Bozo Show" for WPIX in the 1960s. But before that, he produced shows for Special Services on active duty with the U.S. Army, according to Britten's obituary.
"All of us lucky enough to have crossed paths with him will miss the way Billy always brightened and enriched our lives," the obituary reads.
Britten harkened from an era before clowns were "killers" or "crazy," WPIX wrote in the caption of an archived clip of Britten in character as Bozo.
He earned degrees in performance and drama from Temple University and the University of Washington. Later in his career, he taught drama for decades at the Performaing Arts High School in New York.
"Bill Britten was one of my favorite teachers," Stephanie Martin wrote on Britten's obituary page. "He always had a positive attitude. I don't think I ever saw him lose his temper. May he rest in peace."
Britten also played Johnny Jellybean on the children's TV show "Time for Fun."
“I remember the Jellybeaner song and him being squirted in the face while trying to drink from a water fountain,” John Glowa, wrote on Britten’s obituary page. “Those were much simpler and more innocent times. Mr. Britten was an important part of my early childhood. Thank you for the memories.”
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