Blinky The Clown (1921-2012)

If you did not grow-up in Denver, Colorado the name Russell Scott means nothing to you. If you did the name may still mean nothing to you unless you recognize it as being the real name of Blinky The Clown. Russell Scott dies yesterday at the age of ninety-one and generations of adults who remember watching Blinky as a child or being on his show will smile in bittersweet memory of him when the read or hear the news. My sister was on his show when she was five-years-old and it is still an experience that makes her smile whenever she talks about it.

A few years ago my sister and I stopped to visit Blinky at his antiques store on South Broadway. When we got there he was sitting outside and we walked up to him, said hello, and told him how pleased we were to meet him. Then I said, "I just wanted to say...," and paused because I suddenly felt like crying. I stared at Mr. Scott and he stared back at me with a look of concern on his face. Then I finished my sentence, "...thank you."
A look of delight crossed his face followed quickly by tenderness and he smiled as he replied, "Ahhh, you are very welcome."

To give you an idea of how greatly Blinky The Clown influenced Denver children read the note below. Mr. Scott found it one morning when he opened his store.

Dear Blinky,

I was in your store a few days ago. I was coming in with the intentions of robbing you at gunpoint. But when I heard you were the real Blinky, I said to myself, 'I can't rob this person. I sat on Blinky's lap when I was 5 years old.'

In 2005 Russell Scott was inducted into the Broadcast Professionals of Colorado Hall of Fame. Below is the video used to introduce him that night.


His Denver Post obituary is here.

The official site of Blinky's Fun Club is here.