Norbert Locke, better known as Ned Locke (December 25, 1919 – February 4, 1992), was an American television personality and radio announcer, best known for the role of "Ringmaster Ned" on WGN-TV'sBozo's Circus from 1961 - 1976.
Locke, who was from Red Wing, Minnesota, got into radio quite young, appearing on a program in Minneapolis-St.Paul when he was only nine years old.[1] Locke performed in various theater companies after his high school graduation and became a radio announcer for WHO (AM) in Des Moines, Iowa.[1]
Locke as Captain Hartz, 1955.
By 1950, he was appearing on WMAQ (NBC) radio in Chicago, on a program called Uncle Ned's Squadron. It was his appearance here that led him to substituting for longtime Chicago children's host Johnny Coons on his Noontime Comics series on WNBQ (now WMAQ-TV) in 1951.[2] An avid pilot who both operated two Des Moines area airports and trained pilots, Locke initially commuted to Chicago for his weekly radio program. Locke also served as the director of aeronautics for the state of Iowa for seven years.[1] His substitute television appearance led to other children's shows: Sunday Funnies, where Locke read the newspaper comics on television and Captain Hartz and His Pets, sponsored by Hartz Mountain.[1] He worked there and at local ABC affiliate WENR (now WLS-TV) appearing in teledramas, musicals, commercials and even writing a teleplay called Jet Pilot.[3] He wrote over 2,500 radio and television shows during the course of his career.[1]
He moved over to WGN-TV in 1956, where he was a weather forecaster; co-starred on the children's series Lunchtime Little Theater;[4][5] and later wrote, produced and starred in the children's program Paddleboat; Roy Brown served as the show's puppeteer.[6][7][8] He got the role of Ringmaster Ned, for which he is best remembered, on September 11, 1961 when Bozo's Circus made its debut. Locke received his ringmaster costume for the show on the last episode of Paddleboat.[8][9] Locke stayed on until he retired from television in 1976.[3] He temporarily came out of retirement and made appearances as Ringmaster Ned for the 25th and 30th anniversaries of the show.[4][10][11]
A survivor of three heart attacks, after going into retirement he moved to Kimberling City, Missouri, where he was chief of police, owned a real estate firm, and was later mayor until his death from liver cancer in 1992. He was survived by his late wife, Rose,[12] sons Norbert, Jr. and Robert and his grandchildren.[1][3][11] One of Locke's ringmaster costumes is part of the Museum of Broadcast Communications' Bozo's Circus collection.[13]
WGN-TV coloring book, 1959. Lunchtime Little Theater is on cover.
Ned Locke as Uncle Ned, Lunchtime Little Theater.
Referencesedit
^ abcdefCrimmins, Jerry (5 February 1992). "Ned Locke of Bozo's Circus". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
^ abc"Ringmaster Ned: That's Him". Chicago Television. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
^ abHollis, Tim, ed. (2001). Hi there, boys and girls! America's local children's TV shows. University of Mississippi. p. 361. ISBN1-57806-396-5. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
^. WGN-TV. Archived from the original on 9 July 2001. Retrieved 16 February 2011.
^. WGN-TV. Archived from the original on 9 July 2001. Retrieved 16 February 2011.
^"Forgotten Friends". ChicagoTelevision. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
^ abOkuda, Ted; Mulqueen, Jack, eds. (2004). The Golden Age of Chicago Children's Television. Lake Claremont Press. pp. 160–162. ISBN1-893121-17-8.
^Johnson, Allan (3 April 1988). "At 50, WGN Finds The TV Picture and Audiences Have Changed". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 17 February 2011.
^. WGN-TV. Archived from the original on 9 July 2001. Retrieved 16 February 2011.
^ ab. WGN-TV. Archived from the original on 8 August 2001. Retrieved 16 February 2011.
^"Rose Ann Locke". Chicago Tribune. 10 May 2004. Retrieved 17 February 2011.
^. WGN-TV. Archived from the original on 8 August 2001. Retrieved 16 February 2011.
Various shorts clips and original commercial breaks from airings of Bozo's Circus/The Bozo Show
January 01, 1970
locke, norbert, locke, better, known, december, 1919, february, 1992, american, television, personality, radio, announcer, best, known, role, ringmaster, bozo, circus, from, 1961, 1976, bornnorbert, locke, 1919, december, 1919red, wing, minnesota, usdiedfebrua. Norbert Locke better known as Ned Locke December 25 1919 February 4 1992 was an American television personality and radio announcer best known for the role of Ringmaster Ned on WGN TV s Bozo s Circus from 1961 1976 Ned LockeBornNorbert Locke 1919 12 25 December 25 1919Red Wing Minnesota USDiedFebruary 4 1992 1992 02 04 aged 72 Kimberling City Missouri USOccupation s actor and announcerKnown forRingmaster Ned Locke who was from Red Wing Minnesota got into radio quite young appearing on a program in Minneapolis St Paul when he was only nine years old 1 Locke performed in various theater companies after his high school graduation and became a radio announcer for WHO AM in Des Moines Iowa 1 Locke as Captain Hartz 1955 By 1950 he was appearing on WMAQ NBC radio in Chicago on a program called Uncle Ned s Squadron It was his appearance here that led him to substituting for longtime Chicago children s host Johnny Coons on his Noontime Comics series on WNBQ now WMAQ TV in 1951 2 An avid pilot who both operated two Des Moines area airports and trained pilots Locke initially commuted to Chicago for his weekly radio program Locke also served as the director of aeronautics for the state of Iowa for seven years 1 His substitute television appearance led to other children s shows Sunday Funnies where Locke read the newspaper comics on television and Captain Hartz and His Pets sponsored by Hartz Mountain 1 He worked there and at local ABC affiliate WENR now WLS TV appearing in teledramas musicals commercials and even writing a teleplay called Jet Pilot 3 He wrote over 2 500 radio and television shows during the course of his career 1 He moved over to WGN TV in 1956 where he was a weather forecaster co starred on the children s series Lunchtime Little Theater 4 5 and later wrote produced and starred in the children s program Paddleboat Roy Brown served as the show s puppeteer 6 7 8 He got the role of Ringmaster Ned for which he is best remembered on September 11 1961 when Bozo s Circus made its debut Locke received his ringmaster costume for the show on the last episode of Paddleboat 8 9 Locke stayed on until he retired from television in 1976 3 He temporarily came out of retirement and made appearances as Ringmaster Ned for the 25th and 30th anniversaries of the show 4 10 11 A survivor of three heart attacks after going into retirement he moved to Kimberling City Missouri where he was chief of police owned a real estate firm and was later mayor until his death from liver cancer in 1992 He was survived by his late wife Rose 12 sons Norbert Jr and Robert and his grandchildren 1 3 11 One of Locke s ringmaster costumes is part of the Museum of Broadcast Communications Bozo s Circus collection 13 WGN TV coloring book 1959 Lunchtime Little Theater is on cover Ned Locke as Uncle Ned Lunchtime Little Theater References edit a b c d e f Crimmins Jerry 5 February 1992 Ned Locke of Bozo s Circus Chicago Tribune Retrieved 6 February 2011 Samuels Rich Ned Locke Uncle Ned s Flying Squadron Samuels Rich Retrieved 6 February 2011 a b c Ringmaster Ned That s Him Chicago Television Retrieved 6 February 2011 a b Hollis Tim ed 2001 Hi there boys and girls America s local children s TV shows University of Mississippi p 361 ISBN 1 57806 396 5 Retrieved 6 February 2011 Bozo Timeline 1950s WGN TV Archived from the original on 9 July 2001 Retrieved 16 February 2011 Bozo Timeline 1960s WGN TV Archived from the original on 9 July 2001 Retrieved 16 February 2011 Forgotten Friends ChicagoTelevision Retrieved 6 February 2011 a b Okuda Ted Mulqueen Jack eds 2004 The Golden Age of Chicago Children s Television Lake Claremont Press pp 160 162 ISBN 1 893121 17 8 Johnson Allan 3 April 1988 At 50 WGN Finds The TV Picture and Audiences Have Changed Chicago Tribune Retrieved 17 February 2011 Bozo Timeline 1980s WGN TV Archived from the original on 9 July 2001 Retrieved 16 February 2011 a b Bozo Timeline 1990s WGN TV Archived from the original on 8 August 2001 Retrieved 16 February 2011 Rose Ann Locke Chicago Tribune 10 May 2004 Retrieved 17 February 2011 Bozo Timeline 2000 WGN TV Archived from the original on 8 August 2001 Retrieved 16 February 2011 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ned Locke nbsp Biography portal Various shorts clips and original commercial breaks from airings of Bozo s Circus The Bozo Show Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ned Locke amp oldid 1213296315, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
