The music is the Feuerfest Polka by Josef Strauss (brother of Johann II). The title means "fireproof," and the polka honors a company in 19th-century Vienna that had been making fireproof safes for many years. Strange but true.
I loved the Town Clown!! And I also hated clowns (still do). My favorite was the one where he found a coin and put it in his pocket that had a hole in it so it fell out, and he kept finding the same coin over and over. It was so funny to my 4 year old self!
Captain Kangaroo was able to cultivate in his audience an appreciation for music. He had a magic for getting kids to love classical, showtunes and folk music without knowing they were learning. He just used simple entertainment to introduce enjoyable music without talking down to kids or making a chore of it. He was a genius.
Wow, thank you so much for posting this...I had totally forgotten about the Town clown even though I remember watching Captain Kangaroo as a child...we even had a Town Clown ornament on our Christmas Tree and I have such a vivid memory of every night we would turn off the house lights and turn on the tree lights and before we went to bed I had to kiss the Town Clown goodnight, I was probably 3 or 4 years old...so strange the stuff you remember sometimes!
Sometimes, posts like this remind me that UA-cam can be a time machine that takes you back to your childhood. Thanks for posting this clip from Captain Kangaroo.
Lynne Loveless I LOVED CAPTAIN KANGAROO AND ALL THE ONES ON THE SHOW !!!!! CAPTAIN DID THOSE CLOWNS WE SAW ON HIS SHOW ? I DIDN'T KNOW TIL NOW, I LOVED THEM TOO!!! DANCING BEAR I LOVED !! SO MUCH FUN, LOVE, IN THE SHOWS !!!
I loved the Town Clown!! I was also and still am afraid of clowns... but not THIS one!! My favorite one was when he found a penny and put it in his pocket, but his pocket had a hole in it, and he kept finding the same penny over and over.
My favorite Town Clown is when he is playing an oil drum like a real drum and pounds it right into the ground until it is buried and he is then just drumming a pile of dirt....
Check about four or five posts down, it's supposed to the "Firebell Polka" by Strauss. I can never ever hear it again without thinking of our happy Town Clown clanging along.
Man I had forgotten this part. I grew up watching Captain Kangaroo from the early 60's on. A much better show before they tried to make it 'Educational' . You could learn good manners and politeness from the original.
The Town Clown was originally on a Saturday morning show called Mister Mayor that Bob Keeshan did in the mid '60's.After that show's demise,he moved to Captain Kangaroo.
Bob Keeshan was the Town Clown. He got his TV showbiz start as Clarabell the Clown on Howdy Doody Show. BTW Clarabelle did not talk until the final episode of Howdy and the town clown never did..
I loved this character when I watched this as a kid...Its sad how society has turned clowns into the sick twisted obscene characters of today...I miss the simpler more innocent time (for children) of Capt. Kangaroo 👨✈🤠 🤡
I remember watching the Town Clown!!! Captain Kangaroo and Sesame Street were my favorite morning shows as a kid!! Thanks for posting this!!! you've brought back great memories! Any full episodes from the 1970's ??
Yes, it's the Feuerfest Polka by Josef Strauss, Op. 269 (1869, he was the kid brother of the renowned Waltz King!). Played here by Eugene Ormandy, conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra (Columbia Records, "Happy New Year 1952, YAY!").
Bob Keeshan was the first Clarabell but had no real talent. Before Captain Kangaroo he was the Town Clown. Seems quite talented to me. Thanks for sharing. It's nice to see him as a different clown.
I am SO sentimental! I was crying with joy when I saw this! Thank you! When I saw him pull the hoop out of the paper, I was thinking, "I think I've seen this!" When he picked up the radio, & carried it to the other barrel, I thought, "OKAY! I now KNOW I've seen this!" Thanks again! Please keep posting those classic moments!
The ending scene of his Thanksgiving Day show was priceless, what with his reading of Emerson's poem "Father in Heaven We Thank Thee", followed by Perry Como singing "Prayer of Thanksgiving". Then a moment of silence as the entire cast bowed their heads at the table. Ending credit shown with no closing theme, followed by CBS coverage of Macy's parade. Very fond memory.
@@stevenscottoddballz Yes, it would be absolutely wonderful to see again. I have been looking for this scene, played on Thanksgiving Day mornings in the earlier years (that I can remember) on the various sites like youtube for several years now. I figured with all the Captain Kangaroo clips out there, that this one would be among them since a number of others have commented to me in public and private how much this Thanksgiving scene meant to them growing up (as it did to me). A number of years ago, there was a yahoo group for Captain Kangaroo fans and I made many contacts with people also looking for this closing scene, but no one ever found it it seems. I read in several places that most episodes of the series were destroyed and/or lost and/or got wrote over. However, I have to believe somebody has this closing scene somewhere, and I will not stop looking for it.
This dude right here is what started it all for me. From the age of 2-5 yrs old. When Town Clown would come on the Captain Kangaroo Show. (You never knew if or when he might appear.) My butt was outta the room quick as lightning! I would not return to watch the rest of the show unless I was effectively assured by any reliable adult I felt had a good character and strong morals. At age 2-4 or 5 yrs. I was motivated primarily by shock & fear. By 5 1/2 years old. The fear solidified into absolute distrust, disdain, A Strong Sense Of Pure Evil trying to hide behind a mask of unassuming, relaxed, playful, friendly, fun loving, antics. Specifically intended to misdirect and lull children nearby for the purpose of completely disarming any and all Sense of harm and danger in order to falsely gain their trust then blindside and victimize mercilessly until their Innocence innocent is permanently stolen and then discarded with the common trash. The really difficult to understand thing of it is that dispute all the grease paint, hijinx, clothing, vocal changes, silence and any other "Clown Gear"... It is so easy to see past their extreme attempts to disguise, misdirect and misrepresent themselves. It is so easy to see through them. Yet for some reason I will never understand. It is the adults that are blinded first. Then the blind adults disregard the angst and fear of the children they are caring for. They disarm the children and blindly offer many up as urban sacrifices to the Clown Monsters as they, the adult protector. Pass a quick wink and crooked smile on to the youthful offering while the child's innocent hand is maneuvered into the clutching hand of These"Clowns"!!!!! Hey There Humanity... Open your eyes and perhaps even for a brief moment you will see the truth which is stuck in the thorn bushes.....
@Lindawatcher Compared to watching Lord Cthulhu rise up the week before and render the audience into complete gibbering idiots before they were devoured by gelatinous shuggoths, that was nothing. Me, I prefer watching Mr. Dressup make paper flowers.
Bob Keeshan was a treasure to generations of us. He is surely missed by us all who grew up watching him.
I watched Captain Kangaroo every morning. Liked all the characters and especially The Town Clown.
The music is the Feuerfest Polka by Josef Strauss (brother of Johann II). The title means "fireproof," and the polka honors a company in 19th-century Vienna that had been making fireproof safes for many years. Strange but true.
I loved the Town Clown!! And I also hated clowns (still do). My favorite was the one where he found a coin and put it in his pocket that had a hole in it so it fell out, and he kept finding the same coin over and over. It was so funny to my 4 year old self!
Long before Andy Kaufman did his 'Mighty Mouse' routine... There was the Town Clown. Beautiful! Thanks.
Captain Kangaroo was able to cultivate in his audience an appreciation for music. He had a magic for getting kids to love classical, showtunes and folk music without knowing they were learning. He just used simple entertainment to introduce enjoyable music without talking down to kids or making a chore of it. He was a genius.
I owe a lot of my childhood to that man! And Mister Rogers too!
Wow, thank you so much for posting this...I had totally forgotten about the Town clown even though I remember watching Captain Kangaroo as a child...we even had a Town Clown ornament on our Christmas Tree and I have such a vivid memory of every night we would turn off the house lights and turn on the tree lights and before we went to bed I had to kiss the Town Clown goodnight, I was probably 3 or 4 years old...so strange the stuff you remember sometimes!
Sometimes, posts like this remind me that UA-cam can be a time machine that takes you back to your childhood. Thanks for posting this clip from Captain Kangaroo.
This is so hilarious! I always thought Town Clown looked like a lot of my grandmother's friends with that hairdo and all that face paint!
You made this comment in 2007. You still there?
I remember this!!
I still remember this from 50 years ago! I was in a UA-cam worm hole... and I ended up here! Thanks, Captian!!
OMG! This was a show I watched a lot as a child. This brings back a lot of memories! I feel old now! LOL
I had forgotten about the drum skit. The Town Clown was always a favorite part of Captain Kangaroo growing up. This really cheers me up.
Still one of the happiest memories of my childhood.
I loved the Town Clown! :) :) :)
Lynne Loveless I LOVED CAPTAIN KANGAROO AND ALL THE ONES ON THE SHOW !!!!! CAPTAIN DID THOSE CLOWNS WE SAW ON HIS SHOW ? I DIDN'T KNOW TIL NOW, I LOVED THEM TOO!!! DANCING BEAR I LOVED !! SO MUCH FUN, LOVE, IN THE SHOWS !!!
Classic. Town Clown was one of my favorite segments from Capt. Kangaroo. Thanks for posting this.
The Town Clown was always Captain Kangaroo. I understand Bob Keeshan started off in showbiz as a clown.
I loved the Town Clown!! I was also and still am afraid of clowns... but not THIS one!! My favorite one was when he found a penny and put it in his pocket, but his pocket had a hole in it, and he kept finding the same penny over and over.
This was Bob Keeshan doing a great take on his Clarabelle days on the Howdy Doody show!!
Last words: "Goodbye, kids."
Yes...this song is titled "The Firebell Polka", and this segment originally aired on the series "Mister Mayor" during the 1964-1965 season.
My favorite Town Clown is when he is playing an oil drum like a real drum and pounds it right into the ground until it is buried and he is then just drumming a pile of dirt....
I remember that sketch as well--you can't find a video of that one as easily as you can this one here.
@wsbtam only five people and no doubt they brought joy into at least five million lives - - now there's a model for all of us to follow!
I love birds and clowns.
I like this video a lot with its music.
Thanks for to share it.
I was once told that Bob Keishan was this Clown as well. That man had many talents, so why not this one?
Check about four or five posts down, it's supposed to the "Firebell Polka" by Strauss. I can never ever hear it again without thinking of our happy Town Clown clanging along.
Man I had forgotten this part. I grew up watching Captain Kangaroo from the early 60's on. A much better show before they tried to make it 'Educational' . You could learn good manners and politeness from the original.
I LOVED The Town Clown!!!!!
Thanks for posting this Brings back memories.
The Town Clown costume was mistakenly broken up into at least four different lots in the Nate Sanders auction.....
The Town Clown was originally on a Saturday morning show called Mister Mayor that Bob Keeshan did in the mid '60's.After that show's demise,he moved to Captain Kangaroo.
Thanks for that info on the song for the town clown drumming!!
He looks so happy bouncing around while playing his ring.
The song is titled "The Firebell Polka".
Bob Keeshan was the Town Clown. He got his TV showbiz start as Clarabell the Clown on Howdy Doody Show. BTW Clarabelle did not talk until the final episode of Howdy and the town clown never did..
I loved this character when I watched this as a kid...Its sad how society has turned clowns into the sick twisted obscene characters of today...I miss the simpler more innocent time (for children) of Capt. Kangaroo 👨✈🤠 🤡
I agree.
I remember watching the Town Clown!!! Captain Kangaroo and Sesame Street were my favorite morning shows as a kid!! Thanks for posting this!!! you've brought back great memories! Any full episodes from the 1970's ??
this music sounds a merry go round
It's a Strauss Piece called Firebell or Fireball Polka.
As a kid i remember watching the town clown having trouble with a loud music box(the music from the box was sonny and cher's baby dont go) i think!
I was terrified of the town clown as a child.
Love CPt kangaroo some much talent!
I remember a clown when I was small. He lived in a well. The cricket sounds remind me of him.
Which leaves me with the image of our Town Clown in a fireman's helmet ;-)
I wonder if Keeshan was ever honored or recognized for his work as a mime.
This terrified me as a child. I remember screaming in horror when the town clown would come on.
Was beginning to think I was the only one who felt that way. I loved the Captain but i would dive behind the couch when this clown came on 😒
@Lindawatcher
I guess I must have missed that episode ^_^
Bob Keeshan was the original Clarabell on Howdy Doody.
Wonderful! Thank you for this clip!
Does anyone know what song this is?
My derp. I should of looked down a little further. Thanks for the info.
Town Clown and Pennywise should hang out together. When he's sitting at the table with the teacups it reminds me of the Mrs Kersh scene.
On "The Town Clown"I,m not sure maybe I,m wrong but I could have sorwen that "Danceing Bear"was on with "The Town Clown"?
THE CAPTAIN/ TOWN FREAKIN' CLOWN
@paladin313 Yes. It was the "Feuerfest Polka", Op. 269, by Josef Strauss (1870).
Does anyone have the rest of "The Town Clown?I don't think "The Town Clown"ever talk?
Anyone know the piece of music that was being played?
Yes, it's the Feuerfest Polka by Josef Strauss, Op. 269 (1869, he was the kid brother of the renowned Waltz King!). Played here by Eugene Ormandy, conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra (Columbia Records, "Happy New Year 1952, YAY!").
He is too busy playing to even have one sip of tea (or coffee)?
Bob Keeshan was the first Clarabell but had no real talent. Before Captain Kangaroo he was the Town Clown. Seems quite talented to me. Thanks for sharing. It's nice to see him as a different clown.
@Lindawatcher
What do you mean "unless"?
so CUTE
that is Captain Kangaroo as the Clown
Does anyone know the name of the song used in this?
Who played the town clown in captain kangaroo
I am SO sentimental! I was crying with joy when I saw this! Thank you! When I saw him pull the hoop out of the paper, I was thinking, "I think I've seen this!" When he picked up the radio, & carried it to the other barrel, I thought, "OKAY! I now KNOW I've seen this!" Thanks again! Please keep posting those classic moments!
The ending scene of his Thanksgiving Day show was priceless, what with his reading of Emerson's poem "Father in Heaven We Thank Thee", followed by Perry Como singing "Prayer of Thanksgiving". Then a moment of silence as the entire cast bowed their heads at the table. Ending credit shown with no closing theme, followed by CBS coverage of Macy's parade. Very fond memory.
@@ctranger Aw! That would be SO COOL to see!
@@stevenscottoddballz Yes, it would be absolutely wonderful to see again. I have been looking for this scene, played on Thanksgiving Day mornings in the earlier years (that I can remember) on the various sites like youtube for several years now. I figured with all the Captain Kangaroo clips out there, that this one would be among them since a number of others have commented to me in public and private how much this Thanksgiving scene meant to them growing up (as it did to me). A number of years ago, there was a yahoo group for Captain Kangaroo fans and I made many contacts with people also looking for this closing scene, but no one ever found it it seems. I read in several places that most episodes of the series were destroyed and/or lost and/or got wrote over. However, I have to believe somebody has this closing scene somewhere, and I will not stop looking for it.
Does anyone know the name of the music used in this clip? Please and thanks.
This dude right here is what started it all for me. From the age of 2-5 yrs old. When Town Clown would come on the Captain Kangaroo Show. (You never knew if or when he might appear.) My butt was outta the room quick as lightning! I would not return to watch the rest of the show unless I was effectively assured by any reliable adult I felt had a good character and strong morals. At age 2-4 or 5 yrs. I was motivated primarily by shock & fear. By 5 1/2 years old. The fear solidified into absolute distrust, disdain, A Strong Sense Of Pure Evil trying to hide behind a mask of unassuming, relaxed, playful, friendly, fun loving, antics. Specifically intended to misdirect and lull children nearby for the purpose of completely disarming any and all Sense of harm and danger in order to falsely gain their trust then blindside and victimize mercilessly until their Innocence innocent is permanently stolen and then discarded with the common trash. The really difficult to understand thing of it is that dispute all the grease paint, hijinx, clothing, vocal changes, silence and any other "Clown Gear"... It is so easy to see past their extreme attempts to disguise, misdirect and misrepresent themselves. It is so easy to see through them. Yet for some reason I will never understand. It is the adults that are blinded first. Then the blind adults disregard the angst and fear of the children they are caring for. They disarm the children and blindly offer many up as urban sacrifices to the Clown Monsters as they, the adult protector. Pass a quick wink and crooked smile on to the youthful offering while the child's innocent hand is maneuvered into the clutching hand of These"Clowns"!!!!!
Hey There Humanity...
Open your eyes and perhaps even for a brief moment you will see the truth which is stuck in the thorn bushes.....
thought i was draming...the town clown did exist...
What's that classical music?
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I FORGOT ALL ABOUT THE CLOWN
that's exactly what i was i was thinking. i'll bet andy was inpired by this bit. he love childrens tv programs.
Bozo'z the coolest clown of all but The Town Clown was a veeerrryyy close 2nd! :)
@Lindawatcher
It does keep my insurance rates down.
@Lindawatcher
Well, really!
@Lindawatcher
Bet you're from Savannah, or so the local joke goes.
🐸 🐸
Terrifying
@Lindawatcher
Compared to watching Lord Cthulhu rise up the week before and render the audience into complete gibbering idiots before they were devoured by gelatinous shuggoths, that was nothing.
Me, I prefer watching Mr. Dressup make paper flowers.
@Lindawatcher
Now you're just getting silly.
@Lindawatcher
Saw that, wasn't really impressed.
Next time I'm punching the clown, this video will come to mind. So thanks for nothing, CatThatHasNoName!
Was Bob Keeshan REALLY as large as shown here, or is he wearing padding for "Town Clown"?
Is there a name for the music that was played? Or was it made up for this? What was the actual instrument that he was imitating?
@Rick Komm OH! I don't know why I never received a notice that someone answered! Thank you!