Bill, Mike, Sam, Regina, Dan, and Charmagne Birchall
Biography
Birchall was born on July 16, 1923 of Irish heritage in Colchester, Connecticut and served in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. A lover of the circus, he performed as a freelanceclown before being hired as an entertainer by KOCO-TV in Oklahoma City. There, he starred in a local children's television show named after him, which typically featured an array of firefighters, police officers, zoo animals, visiting circus clowns, and other guests, as well as Pokey the Puppet, played by Bill Howard, the station's long-time stage manager wearing a sock-puppet on his arm. HoHo was all over the TV schedule, for much of the 1960s he was on six days a week. Various titles were "HoHo's Showboat", "Lunch With HoHo", "Good Morning HoHo", and "HoHo's Showplace".
The show survived for 29 years, long after the station was acquired by Gannett, airing in its last years without commercials to fulfill the station's public service requirements. He was a frequent visitor to children's wards at local hospitals, providing a kind of medicine the doctors could not. He also appeared at restaurants, charity events, parades, and children's parties, from which he derived most of his income.
Mr. Birchall was a diminutive and slightly round man of cheerful spirit and hippie inclinations. Friends remember him as behaving much the same in real life as on his show. He lived in Bethany, Oklahoma for most of his life, and suffered declining health leading to his death in the hospital on July 3, 1988 from a heart attack while undergoing treatment for cancer. His popularity was so great that it took three funeral services to accommodate all of his well-wishers, the first of which was attended by an honor guard of professional clown friends and carried live by KOCO-TV.[1]
Ho-Ho the Clown - The greatest entertainer I ever saw
January 07, 2023
birchall, architect, edward, birchall, kelly, birchall, edward, phillips, birchall, july, 1923, july, 1988, known, generations, oklahomans, clown, edward, birchallplaying, hobornjuly, 1923colchester, connecticutdiedjuly, 1988, 1988, aged, oklahoma, city, oklah. For the architect Edward Birchall see Kelly amp Birchall Edward Phillips Birchall July 16 1923 July 3 1988 was known to generations of Oklahomans as HO HO the Clown Edward P Birchallplaying HO HOBornJuly 16 1923Colchester ConnecticutDiedJuly 3 1988 1988 07 03 aged 75 Oklahoma City OklahomaOccupationClownSpouseBeebe BirchallChildrenBill Mike Sam Regina Dan and Charmagne BirchallBiography EditBirchall was born on July 16 1923 of Irish heritage in Colchester Connecticut and served in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II A lover of the circus he performed as a freelance clown before being hired as an entertainer by KOCO TV in Oklahoma City There he starred in a local children s television show named after him which typically featured an array of firefighters police officers zoo animals visiting circus clowns and other guests as well as Pokey the Puppet played by Bill Howard the station s long time stage manager wearing a sock puppet on his arm HoHo was all over the TV schedule for much of the 1960s he was on six days a week Various titles were HoHo s Showboat Lunch With HoHo Good Morning HoHo and HoHo s Showplace The show survived for 29 years long after the station was acquired by Gannett airing in its last years without commercials to fulfill the station s public service requirements He was a frequent visitor to children s wards at local hospitals providing a kind of medicine the doctors could not He also appeared at restaurants charity events parades and children s parties from which he derived most of his income Mr Birchall was a diminutive and slightly round man of cheerful spirit and hippie inclinations Friends remember him as behaving much the same in real life as on his show He lived in Bethany Oklahoma for most of his life and suffered declining health leading to his death in the hospital on July 3 1988 from a heart attack while undergoing treatment for cancer His popularity was so great that it took three funeral services to accommodate all of his well wishers the first of which was attended by an honor guard of professional clown friends and carried live by KOCO TV 1 References Edit Patricia Birchall 2002 07 13 recollections External links EditHo Ho s Showplace on YouTube clip one of three on YouTube Ho Ho s Showplace on YouTube clip two of three on YouTube Ho Ho s Showplace on YouTube clip three of three on YouTube Ed Birchall at Find a Grave Ho Ho the Clown The greatest entertainer I ever saw Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ed Birchall amp oldid 1015807656, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
