Ned Locke

Norbert Locke, better known as Ned Locke (December 25, 1919 – February 4, 1992), was an American television personality and radio announcer, best known for the role of "Ringmaster Ned" on WGN-TV's Bozo's Circus from 1961 - 1976.

Locke, who was from Red Wing, Minnesota, got into radio quite young, appearing on a program in Minneapolis-St.Paul when he was only nine years old. An avid pilot who both operated two Des Moines area airports and trained pilots, Locke initially commuted to Chicago for his weekly radio program. Locke also served as the director of aeronautics for the state of Iowa for seven years. He wrote over 2,500 radio and television shows during the course of his career. and later wrote, produced and starred in the children's program Paddleboat; Roy Brown served as the show's puppeteer. He got the role of Ringmaster Ned, for which he is best remembered, on September 11, 1961, when Bozo's Circus made its debut. Locke received his ringmaster costume for the show on the last episode of Paddleboat. Locke stayed on until he retired from television in 1976.

A survivor of three heart attacks, after going into retirement he moved to Kimberling City, Missouri, where he was chief of police, owned a real estate firm, and was later mayor until his death from liver cancer in 1992. He was survived by his late wife, Rose, sons Norbert Jr. and Robert and his grandchildren. WGN-TV coloring book, 1959. Lunchtime Little Theater is on cover. thumb