Bob "Flippo" Marvin- An Appreciation

Updated April 4, 2007
WBNS-TV, Columbus, Ohio/YouTube

About a couple weeks ago, I talked about the passing of Cleveland children's TV icon, Linn Sheldon. He played many characters, namely Barnaby the Elf on WEWS and WUAB in Cleveland. I remember watching him on cable in Columbus, and enjoying his antics.

So, it is with deep sadness that I write about the passing of another childhood icon from my youth. This time, this really hurts and I find it very difficult writing this, for this really hits close to home, not to mention my heart. But I'll do my best.

For over 50 years, Bob Marvin- born Marvin W. Fishman on January 6, 1927 in Cleveland- has entertained children- and adults alike as one character, Flippo, the King of Clowns. Every afternoon, on WBNS 10TV, the CBS affiliate in Columbus would host this show, The Early Show. This was in the days when local TV stations would show old movies (mostly comedies. After all, mom and dad had a hard day at work, and us kids had it hard at school as well). Flippo was the cure for what ailed us. With his corny jokes, and antics, plus games that the whole family would enjoy, Flippo was the jack of all trades- and to our delight, master of almost none of them.

I can recall back in the early 1970s, as a child, my family went to the Ohio State Fair- one of the largest in the country. If I'm correct, we didn't get to see the character in person, but we did get an autographed picture of him, which for a 4 or 5-year-old (at the time) was plenty enough.

Bob Marvin was more than the character of Flippo. He was a very accomplished jazz saxophonist who played in clubs around Columbus. He served in the Army after high school, and came to Columbus in 1947 to study optometry. But his first love- music- won out (imagine the eye doctor dressed up as a clown in a blue jumpsuit with white pom-pom balls...).

There was this hotel, the Neil House (since torn down. It was on the corner of Broad and High in the city center). Bob would entertain the folks, and it was where a 10TV producer discovered him. In 1952, the Ward bread company needed a clown for a Saturday morning show 10TV did. Marvin answered the call, and for thirty-one years, he would play the role with relish. He did sketches and sang for this show called Tip Top Bandwagon. Then, in 1957, due to his enormous popularity, he was given his own show, Flippo's Big Show. In 1962, The Early Show premiered. WBNS staffers would stop what they were doing just so they could watch the show. During its' 15 year run, The Early Show would show old John Wayne movies, and some comedies. In between, Flippo would do comedy skits, or do plugs for this local piano shop, Durthaler's. His end line in the commercials- often live, since The Early Show would air live- would be "Come see my pal, Dale Durthaler, at Durthaler's. At the end of each episode of The Early Show, right before Eyewitness News (or as it was called back in the 1970s, Eyewitness 90, because the 6:00PM edition would air, followed by CBS Evening News With Walter Cronkite at 6:30, then the 7:00PM edition of Eyewitness News), he would deliver his signature line, Keep smiling, and don't fight.

He also hosted a cable show on Qube cable- those of us from Columbus know what it is (for the rest of the country, Qube was...unique, with interactive shows, with this box viewers would use to vote. I don't have time to explain Qube fully)- previewing what movies were showing on pay-per-view that month.

Marvin would retire the role of Flippo in 1983, only to do an occasional appearance. His final public appearance was January of this year at the Ohio Historical Society building. He donated his Flippo costume to the museum January 5, and celebrated his 79th birthday the day after.

Marvin died June 10.

Thank you, Flippo, for the laughter ,and the joy you've brought to millions of us. You were truly a Columbus institution (even if you did decide to be the eye doctor, we'd still love you). As the late (London-born Clevelander) Bob Hope would sing, "Thanks for the memories."

Marvin Fishman, known professionally as Bob Marvin, will be sadly missed, but Flippo will be with us forever. He will always "The King of Clowns".

For more on the remarkable man behind the clown, go to http://www.flippotheclown.com

In the above video, you'll see a message on how to get the DVD Remembering Flippo, The King of the Clowns from WBNS. Just go to 10tv.com for details. The proceeds go to the station's Family Fund, which has helped Central Ohio families for many years.

Copyright 2006, 2007 by Darren W. Alexander. All Rights Reserved.