A broadcasting legend who brought smiles to young and old in Windsor-Detroit has died.
You wouldn't have recognized Art Cervi on the street, but his alter ego Bozo the Clown was known to people of all ages in the '60s to the '70s.
Cervi started his career shaping the musical tastes of baby boomers on Swinging Time on CKLW-TV before transitioning into the character that entertained generations of kids.
Many fans never knew Cervi's real name, but his former ringmaster Robert Faubert tells The Dan MacDonald Show he was as genuine as they come.
"Art was a regular guy. I just remember the wonderful things like my kids being eight and six years old and Art comes to our house dressed up as Bozo for their birthday party," he says.
Faubert says Cervi stayed grounded no matter how popular his character became and made time to check in with everyone.
"Art was the kind of guy who'd walking into the reception area with his costume packed in a bag over his shoulder while he'd say hi to the receptionist," he says. "Chatting all the way to the dressing room or to the office."
He says Cervi was one of the nicest people he'd ever met.
"That was it, he was a heck of a nice guy, a funny guy who was always happy and in a good mood," says Faubert. "He treated everybody with a great deal of respect and love."
Cervi passes away at his home in Novi, Mich. He was 86 years old.