CINCINNATI — The man who played Lucky The Clown on the popular “Uncle Al Show” on WCPO is being remembered as someone who was fun and loved working with children.
“He loved being on a children’s show,” said Williams' wife, Cheryl Williams. “He said he started off with his first job being the best job he’d ever have or ever would have. He knew it at the time.”
“He was very fun,” said Bill Renken, a photographer who worked with Williams on the show. “He did a lot of other characters besides Lucky The Clown.”
“He did the mailman. He did Ringo Rango, and I think he did 17 characters,” said Cheryl Williams.
“He created a lot of his own characters,” Renken said.
Jack Williams passed away Sunday from cardiac arrest at the age of 70.
Renken said he and Williams met on "The Uncle Al Show,” which had a remarkable 35-year run (1950–1985) on WCPO. It was one of the longest-running local children's shows of all time.
“You don’t see this kind of thing with kids much really today. It was very unique,” Renken said. "I mean, there was a waiting list to get on this show."
Lucky The Clown accompanied the main characters, Uncle Al and Captain Windy, played by the husband-wife team of Al Lewis and Wanda Lewis.
“He loved working with the kids and he loved Al and Wanda,” Cheryl Williams said.
Renken remembers Williams as very animated.
“He was always outgoing, very talkative, and that’s one of the reasons we kind of met,” Renken said.
Williams loved theater, Renken said. Williams recently worked with the Village Players of Fort Thomas.
“He was the kindest and gentlest man most people have ever met,” Cheryl Williams said.
Visitation is 5-7 p.m. Thursday at Grace Covenant Church, 6420 Bridgetown Road. Entombment is 10:30 a.m. Friday at Spring Grove Cemetery.
