Longtime WCVB-TV personality Frank Avruch has died at the age of 89, according to his family. 
 
 During more than 40 years on the air, Avruch wore many hats including, "Good Day" contributor, host of "The Great Entertainment" and WCVB's "Man About Town." 
 
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 “In this business that is not known for longevity, I have managed to hang in there for a long time,” Avruch said during a retrospective of his career when he was inducted into the National Television Academy's Gold Circle. 
 
 Avruch, a Boston University graduate, started on radio before making the transition to television. 
 
 “I’ve done it all. I’ve done radio, I’ve done TV, I’ve done booth announcing, disc jockey shows ... interviews -- serious interviews, not-so-serious interviews,” Avruch said in the retrospective. 
 
 
 
 Perhaps most famously, Avruch played Bozo the Clown from 1959 until 1970. 
 
 
 
 “A lot of people when they talk to me now, they are sort of hesitant to bring it up. How could this suave, somewhat sophisticated man be this guy with red-orange hair and big shoes? And I said, that is one of the highlights of my career,” he said. 
 
 Avruch died Tuesday at his Boston home after a long battle with heart disease, his family said. Avruch is survived by his wife, Betty, two sons, grandchildren, relatives and friends. 
 
 
 
 "While it's hard to say goodbye, we celebrate the legacy of joy and laughter he brought to millions of children around the world as Bozo the Clown on TV and as a UNICEF Ambassador and later as host of Channel 5's Great Entertainment and Boston's Man About Town," his family said in a statement. "Our dad loved the children of all ages who remembered being on his show and was always grateful for their kind words. We will miss him greatly." 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 In this 2009 photo provided by his manager Stuart Hersh, Frank Avruch, left, who played Bozo the Clown, poses with Hersh, center and Carroll Spinney, who played Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch on Sesame... (Associated Press) 
 
 In this 2009 photo provided by his manager Stuart Hersh, Frank Avruch, left, who played Bozo the Clown, poses with Hersh, center and Carroll Spinney, who played Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch on Sesame Street, at the Chiller Theatre Expo in Parsippany, N.J. Avruch died Tuesday, March 21, 2018 at his... (Associated Press) 
 
 In this 2009 photo provided by his manager Stuart Hersh, Frank Avruch, left, who played Bozo the Clown, poses with Hersh, center and Carroll Spinney, who played Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch on Sesame Street, at the Chiller Theatre Expo in Parsippany, N.J. Avruch died Tuesday, March 21, 2018 at his... (Associated Press) In this 2009 photo provided by his manager Stuart Hersh, Frank Avruch, left, who played Bozo the Clown, poses with Hersh, center and Carroll Spinney, who played Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch on Sesame... (Associated Press) 
 
 BOSTON (AP) — Longtime Boston television personality and entertainer Frank Avruch, who was the star of the popular children's TV program "Bozo the Clown," has died. He was 89. 
 
 Avruch died Tuesday at his Boston home from heart disease, his family said in a statement to WCVB-TV . 
 
 Avruch played Bozo the Clown from 1959 to 1970, a clown character particularly popular in the U.S. in the 1960s because of widespread franchising in television. Avruch became the first nationally-syndicated Bozo the Clown. 
 
 "He had a heart of gold," manager Stuart Hersh told The Associated Press on Wednesday, "He brought the Bozo the Clown character to life better than anyone else's portrayal of Bozo the Clown." 
 
 Avruch also was a contributor to WCVB-TV for more than 40 years as a host of "Man About Town" and "The Great Entertainment." 
 
 He was an active philanthropist and a board member of UNICEF'S New England chapter. He toured the world performing as Bozo the clown for UNICEF. 
 
 "He touched so many people with his portrayal," Hersh said. 
 
 Avruch is survived by his wife Betty, two sons Matthew and Steven and several grandchildren. Funeral services for Avruch were scheduled for Friday. 
 
 "While it's hard to say goodbye, we celebrate the legacy of joy and laughter he brought to millions of children around the world as Bozo the Clown on TV and as a UNICEF Ambassador and later as host of Channel 5's Great Entertainment and Boston's Man About Town," Avruch's family said in a statement to the station. "Our dad loved the children of all ages who remembered being on his show and was always grateful for their kind words. We will miss him greatly." 
 
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 Information from: WCVB-TV, http://www.thebostonchannel.com 

 Bozo No No OG Clown Dead at 89 
 
 Bozo the Clown, Frank Avruch, Dead at 89 
 
 Breaking News 
 
 Send in THE clown ... to God. 
 
 Frank Avruch, TV's original Bozo the Clown, died Tuesday in Boston after a long battle with heart disease ... according to his family. He was 89. 
 
 The Boston legend created Bozo back in 1959, and played the lovable clown until 1970. Although Frank wore a lot of hats -- as a local host on radio and WCVB-TV -- he'll most be remembered for wearing that red-orange wig, oversized red shoes and pajamas with the frilly collar. 
 
 Avruch is an inductee of the National Television Academy's Gold Circle. Bozo's survived by his wife Betty, 2 sons, grandchildren, and, of course, his cousin Homey. 
 
 After Frank had the role some other clown, Larry Harmon, slipped into Bozo's famous getup. Harmon died in 2008. 
 
 Have a great time under the Big Top, St. Peter.
– Frank Avruch, perhaps better known as Bozo the Clown, died Tuesday at age 89. Avruch, who died at his Boston home from heart disease, created the iconic character and originated the role in 1959, TMZ reports. He played the red-haired, frilly-collared clown until 1970 and was the first nationally-syndicated Bozo. "He had a heart of gold," manager Stuart Hersh tells the AP. "He brought the Bozo the Clown character to life better than anyone else's portrayal of Bozo the Clown." In addition to playing the character on the children's program Bozo the Clown, Avruch toured the world performing as Bozo for UNICEF. After getting his start in radio, Avruch was a longtime Boston TV personality on WCVB, hosting The Great Entertainment and Man About Town and appearing on Good Day in addition to his Bozo duties. He was also inducted into the National Television Academy's Gold Circle. "While it's hard to say goodbye, we celebrate the legacy of joy and laughter he brought to millions of children around the world," his family says in a statement. "Our dad loved the children of all ages who remembered being on his show and was always grateful for their kind words. We will miss him greatly." Larry Harmon, who played Bozo after Avruch left the role, died in 2008.