Bozo The Mind-Reading Dog

Davenport got a taste of showbiz magic on July 27, 1933, when Bozo, the world-famous “mind-reading dog,” trotted into town. The Davenport Democrat & Leader promised a spectacle unlike anything locals had seen. Bozo, a shaggy showman with a head for numbers, could “handle all arithmetic problems, including fractions.” The paper added, with tongue firmly in cheek, “He can tell how old you are, and he does not have to look at your teeth, as he does it blindfolded.”

Billed as a scientific wonder and a vaudeville sensation, Bozo drew crowds eager to see a dog outthink humans. His trainer would call out questions, the audience would shout answers, and Bozo would tap his paw or bark the correct response. “He never misses,” one reporter marveled, “and seems to enjoy the applause as much as any stage star.”

The clever canine was scheduled for several shows around town, including a headline performance at the Petersen-Harned-Von Maur department store. And amid Depression-era gloom, the best part was that it didn’t cost a dime. For a few bright summer days in 1933, Davenport residents could forget their troubles and watch a dog who—at least for a little while—seemed smarter than everyone in the room.

Next stop, the World’s Fair.