2004 Inductee
Thousands of Colorado Natives, now in their thirties, forties and even fifties celebrated their most memorable childhood birthday parties on television with Blinky the Clown. For over 30 years, these children heard a kind and caring voice singing “Happy Berfday To You.” The voice came from the always smiling, painted face of Russell Scott.
Born in Enid, Oklahoma, Russell landed a job hosting a live daily television show on KKTV in Colorado Springs in 1960. Six years later he was lured away to Denver where Blinky’s Fun Club continued to teach and entertain children at KWGN-TV. Blinky always stressed safety to his viewers: don’t play with matches, stay out of the streets, and mind mom and dad – were familiar themes. Russell’s love of performing is matched with his love and compassion for the children. Co-workers admit that they seldom saw Russell at the TV station, but Blinky was always there. Blinky the Clown was created by Russell for the sole purpose of entertaining children; for many of these children, appearing on Blinky’s Fun Club was so memorable that they returned as adults, bringing their own children on the show.
Russell’s television career spans four decades, and he has produced and hosted nearly 10,000 shows. He has devoted countless hours of his time to the community: Salvation Army Bells, Hospital Visitations, and Honorary Ringmaster at the Ringling Brother’s Circus. These days he spends time at his antique store on Broadway in Denver. He came to work one day to find that there had been a break-in, but nothing was missing. Instead he found a note of apology from the would-be burglar; it said, “I sat on your lap when I was five years old, I just couldn’t rob Blinky.”