Frank Wiziarde was born in Westmoreland, Kansas into a family of performers and stayed in the entertainment business his entire life. His parents, Jack and Lou Wiziarde, had a circus and as soon as Frank and his brother, Jack Jr. were old enough, they were introduced into the act. After high school, Frank went to Hollywood and appeared in a few films. In 1947, he was a radio announcer for KFEQ in St. Joseph, Missouri. He was considered a pioneer in television, working in production and as a director when KMBC-TV channel 9 went on the air in Kansas City, Missouri in 1953. (ABC affiliate in Kansas City MO) Responding to requests for a children's program, Frank revived the clown of his earlier years and became "Whizzo" the clown, a role he played for the remainder of his life. The show aired in 1954 on KMBC-TV channel 9. Whizzo jumped out from behind a curtain, tripped over items scattered around his set and sang the song he composed, "Who's always smiling, never sad? It's Whizzo!" After 15 years, he moved to KCMO-TV 5(CBS affiliate in Kansas City, MO)and then to Topeka television. In 1983, President Ronald Reagan asked him to entertain children at the annual White House Easter Egg Hunt. Kansas City's Mayor H. Roe Bartle once predicted that if kids could vote, Whizzo would be Mayor of Kansas City.
Frank and Kitty Wiziarde were the parents of Laura Michele Wiziarde (b. December 1, 1946, d. May 2, 2009).
Frank and Kitty Wiziarde were the parents of Laura Michele Wiziarde (b. December 1, 1946, d. May 2, 2009).
Frank Wiziarde was born in Westmoreland, Kansas into a family of performers and stayed in the entertainment business his entire life. His parents, Jack and Lou Wiziarde, had a circus and as soon as Frank and his brother, Jack Jr. were old enough, they were introduced into the act. After high school, Frank went to Hollywood and appeared in a few films. In 1947, he was a radio announcer for KFEQ in St. Joseph, Missouri. He was considered a pioneer in television, working in production and as a director when KMBC-TV channel 9 went on the air in Kansas City, Missouri in 1953. (ABC affiliate in Kansas City MO) Responding to requests for a children's program, Frank revived the clown of his earlier years and became "Whizzo" the clown, a role he played for the remainder of his life. The show aired in 1954 on KMBC-TV channel 9. Whizzo jumped out from behind a curtain, tripped over items scattered around his set and sang the song he composed, "Who's always smiling, never sad? It's Whizzo!" After 15 years, he moved to KCMO-TV 5(CBS affiliate in Kansas City, MO)and then to Topeka television. In 1983, President Ronald Reagan asked him to entertain children at the annual White House Easter Egg Hunt. Kansas City's Mayor H. Roe Bartle once predicted that if kids could vote, Whizzo would be Mayor of Kansas City.
Frank and Kitty Wiziarde were the parents of Laura Michele Wiziarde (b. December 1, 1946, d. May 2, 2009).
Frank and Kitty Wiziarde were the parents of Laura Michele Wiziarde (b. December 1, 1946, d. May 2, 2009).
Bio by: Bill Walker
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