The Real Bozo - Part 2

Bozo Goes to Hollywood
By Bill Miller - For the Mail Tribune

Last week, we left Pinto Colvig, the self-described “Village Clown” of Jacksonville, telling us about playing E-flat clarinet in Corvallis with the Oregon Agricultural College band. At best it was a tongue in cheek education.

“I learned how to paddle a canoe and roll Bull Durham cigarettes with one hand, before I broke lose as a chalk talker.”

Pinto’s cartoons in student publications had made him popular on campus and led to his chalk talks—standing on stage, delivering a rapid fire, funny monologue, while quickly drawing cartoon characters on a large blackboard.

Vance DeBar "Pinto" Colvig

In early 1913, he left college, joined a vaudeville circuit, and took his chalk talks on the road. In September, he even appeared on Medford’s Page Theater stage. But the circus was always on his mind.

“Come early springtime, the green grass, elephants, and the call of the Calliope would lure me back to the circus, where I clowned, played clarinet on the bandwagon, and often pitch hit as barker for the big show. … The life I love.”

In the fall of 1914, he briefly took a job as a cartoonist for two Nevada newspapers, but it couldn’t last.

“Then came another spring. ‘Twas circus time and I was off. I finished the season atop the bandwagon and then sailed from Los Angeles to Portland. There I met a wonderful girl, Miss Margaret Slavin, who was willing to marry. I kissed all the elephants goodbye forever.”

One of Pinto’s prized possessions from those circus days was a “good luck” hair from an elephant’s tail that he kept in his wallet for the rest of his life.

The couple moved to San Francisco where Pinto went to work as a cartoonist and feature writer for the Call Bulletin newspaper. 

“I was known as the ‘boob reporter’ and, after a year, I quit to make the first color animated cartoons.”

Pinto formed the Animated Cartoon and Film Corporation and is indeed credited with creating the very first color animated cartoon. Soon; however, most of his staff were drafted into the Army to fight in WWI and his company closed down.

Pinto Colvig

“Then I made a strip for the Chronicle, which was syndicated throughout the country. My newspaper interviews put me in touch with the movie people who encourage me until I kicked over the traces and went to Los Angeles.”

Pinto was in demand, working as an animator, gag writer, occasional film actor, and vocal sound effects man for some of the biggest names in Hollywood, including Max Sennett of “Keystone Cops” fame and Walter Lanz, future creator and voice of Woody Woodpecker.

 Perhaps because they were close in age, one of his favorite Hollywood “bosses” was the legendary silent film

Vance DeBar "Pinto" Colvig

producer/director Jack White.

“Jack White, only 24 years old with 12 different minds where only one ought to be. He’s a great fellow to work for. Yet, I seem to work—with—not for him.”

In 1930, Pinto signed a contract with Walt Disney.

Next week, the conclusion; when the Jacksonville “Goof” becomes the world’s biggest Bozo. See you then.

Writer Bill Miller is the author of “History Snoopin’,”a collection of his previous history columns and stories. Reach him at newsmiller@live.com or WilliamMMiller.com.

Does history rhyme?

 History never repeats itself, but it rhymes.

— Attributed to Mark Twain

Mark Twain

Mark Twain may or may not have said it, but he does get the credit and, whether history repeating or rhyming is a good or a bad thing — well, that’s for you to decide.

I’m guessing you may have heard about the California man who recently said he wants to divide California into three states. You may also have heard about the latest attempt to merge part of Northern California with Southern Oregon and make a brand new state — the State of Jefferson.

Would you believe there’s nothing new under our sun?

Take California. Months before its admission as a state in September 1850, there were demands it be divided into north and south. Proponents said it was an issue of economics and better political representation, while the opposition believed it was an attempt to bring slavery to the West Coast.

There were calls for constitutional conventions to address the issue, and in 1852 a San Francisco representative actually suggested dividing the state into thirds.

Well, now the ball was really rolling. In quick succession came announcements that from a large portion of Northern California, a State of Klamath, and then a State of Shasta, would be formed. That’s when Oregon joined in.

Still a territory in search of statehood in 1853, Oregon had just seen its northern portion taken away with the formation of Washington Territory. By the end of the year, future Oregon senator General Joseph Lane was in the nation’s capital asking that Oregon be divided north and south, along a line just south of today’s city of Eugene.

Joseph Lane

Immediately, State of Klamath advocates in Northern California joined with enthusiastic Southern Oregonians under a battle cry of, “Let us have a New Territory!” On Jan. 25, 1854, the two groups formally met in Jacksonville.

Held in Dr. Jesse Robinson’s hotel, 21 delegates, representing both states, resolved to make every effort to prevent formation of an Oregon State Government based on current territorial boundaries.

Capt. Robert Emmet Miller argued that a new territory and eventual state finally would get congressional attention to the needs he felt were being ignored. “We have a good and generous government that would scorn to neglect any of her citizens like Southern Oregon and Northern California have been neglected.”

Joseph Lane and the majority of Northern Oregon legislators disagreed.

There were more meetings over the next few months, but nothing changed. Over the next century and a half, California would see over 200 more attempts to divide the state and Oregon would see at least a few dozen more.

So, maybe history rhymes and maybe it doesn’t. And maybe Mark Twain said it and maybe he didn’t.

“It is not worthwhile to try to keep history from repeating itself — for man’s character will always make the preventing of the repetitions impossible.”

Yeah — that one Mark said, for sure.

You see, Twain always had that “optimistic” take on humanity.

http://mailtribune.com/news/top-stories/california-couldve-been-three-states