Marshall Brodien
Encyclopedia
Marshall Brodien, known for his role as Wizzo the Wizard, played a wizard clown that performed on WGN-TV
's Bozo's Circus and The Bozo Show
from 1968-1994. Brodien, who had been making semi-regular guest appearances since 1968, later appeared as a wizard character in an Arabian Nights-inspired costume which evolved into Wizzo the Wizard by the early 1970s. He was billed as being from Arobia (which is based on "Arabia" because A and O are vowels) and possessed the Stone of Zanzabar. According to Brodien, the first time he touched Bozo (Bob Bell)
with the stone, Bozo quipped "I remember when you got stoned at the Zanzabar." During the mid 1970s it was rumored that Wizzo (the character, not Brodien) was a Jewish convert to Islam. Producers of the show during that time, however, denied this rumor and claimed that the storyline would have just "confused small children" watching the show.
Oliver O. Oliver (Ray Rayner
) left Bozo's Circus in 1971 and was briefly replaced by Pat Tobin as Oliver's cousin Elrod T. Potter, and then by magician John Thompson (an acquaintance of Roy Brown's
and Brodien's) as Clod Hopper. By 1973, WGN gave up on Thompson and increased Brodien's appearances as Wizzo. Brodien left the program in 1994.
In 1970, Brodien was the spokesperson and creator for a trick magic card deck known as TV Magic Cards, which was a renamed Svengali deck
. The deck resembled a regular playing card deck, except that the cards could be shown as all the same card. Many other card tricks could be performed with the deck. Over 17 million decks of the cards were sold.
Brodien currently designs magic trick sets for children through a company called Cadaco Toys. He occasionally makes public appearances in the Chicago area and his autobiography, The Magical Life Of Marshall Brodien, was published. One of his Wizzo costumes is in the Bozo's Circus collection of the Museum of Broadcast Communications
.
WGN-TV
WGN-TV, virtual channel 9 , is the CW-affiliated television station in Chicago, Illinois built, signed on, and owned by the Tribune Company. WGN-TV's studios and offices are located at 2501 W...
's Bozo's Circus and The Bozo Show
The Bozo Show
The Bozo Show is a locally-produced children's television program that aired on WGN-TV in Chicago and nationally on what is now WGN America. Recognized as the most popular and successful locally-produced children's program in the history of television, it only aired under this title for 14 of its...
from 1968-1994. Brodien, who had been making semi-regular guest appearances since 1968, later appeared as a wizard character in an Arabian Nights-inspired costume which evolved into Wizzo the Wizard by the early 1970s. He was billed as being from Arobia (which is based on "Arabia" because A and O are vowels) and possessed the Stone of Zanzabar. According to Brodien, the first time he touched Bozo (Bob Bell)
Bob Bell (actor)
Robert Lewis Bell , better known as Bob Bell, was famous for his alter-ego, Bozo the Clown. He was the original portrayer of the character for Chicago superstation WGN-TV.- Early life :...
with the stone, Bozo quipped "I remember when you got stoned at the Zanzabar." During the mid 1970s it was rumored that Wizzo (the character, not Brodien) was a Jewish convert to Islam. Producers of the show during that time, however, denied this rumor and claimed that the storyline would have just "confused small children" watching the show.
Oliver O. Oliver (Ray Rayner
Ray Rayner
Ray Rayner was a staple of Chicago children's television in the 1960s and 1970s on WGN-TV.-Early life:...
) left Bozo's Circus in 1971 and was briefly replaced by Pat Tobin as Oliver's cousin Elrod T. Potter, and then by magician John Thompson (an acquaintance of Roy Brown's
Roy Brown (clown)
Roy Thomas Brown was an American television personality, puppeteer, clown and artist best known for playing "Cooky the Cook" on Chicago's long running Bozo's Circus.-Early years:...
and Brodien's) as Clod Hopper. By 1973, WGN gave up on Thompson and increased Brodien's appearances as Wizzo. Brodien left the program in 1994.
In 1970, Brodien was the spokesperson and creator for a trick magic card deck known as TV Magic Cards, which was a renamed Svengali deck
Trick deck
A trick deck usually refers to a deck of playing cards which has been altered in some way to allow magicians to perform certain card tricks where sleight of hand would be too difficult or too impractical...
. The deck resembled a regular playing card deck, except that the cards could be shown as all the same card. Many other card tricks could be performed with the deck. Over 17 million decks of the cards were sold.
Brodien currently designs magic trick sets for children through a company called Cadaco Toys. He occasionally makes public appearances in the Chicago area and his autobiography, The Magical Life Of Marshall Brodien, was published. One of his Wizzo costumes is in the Bozo's Circus collection of the Museum of Broadcast Communications
Museum of Broadcast Communications
The Museum of Broadcast Communications is an American museum that currently exists exclusively on the Internet and not in any physical capacity. Its stated mission is "to collect, preserve, and present historic and contemporary radio and television content as well as educate, inform and entertain...
.
Bozo Show references
External links
Watch
- [mms://208.100.39.213:80/MGWMS/MBC/TV%20Radio%20News/TV_01476/stream0.asf Bozo's Circus at Chicagofest] 1979. Brodien as Wizzo. Museum of Broadcast Communications (Windows Media PlayerWindows Media PlayerWindows Media Player is a media player and media library application developed by Microsoft that is used for playing audio, video and viewing images on personal computers running the Microsoft Windows operating system, as well as on Pocket PC and Windows Mobile-based devices...
) - [mms://208.100.39.213:80/MGWMS/MBC/features/chicagotv/bozo25anv.wmv Bozo 25th Anniversary] 1986. Museum of Broadcast Communications (Windows Media PlayerWindows Media PlayerWindows Media Player is a media player and media library application developed by Microsoft that is used for playing audio, video and viewing images on personal computers running the Microsoft Windows operating system, as well as on Pocket PC and Windows Mobile-based devices...
)