Kimbo the Clown — beloved TV entertainer was also their imaginative English teacher, Mr Whitaker
What John M. Whitaker (Jack Whitaker) was involved in:
Walt Disney Studios — Cartoonist on classics like Bambi, Dumbo, and The Reluctant Dragon
World War II — Served in the United States Marine Corps
UCLA student — Studied while freelancing in art and music
National dance band musician — Played bass fiddle with the Freddy Nagel Orchestra
BYU student and performer — Acted in operas and plays, met his wife during The Marriage of Figaro
Radio personality — Disk jockey at KOVO in Provo and KALL in Salt Lake City
Television entertainer — Created and starred as “Kimbo” the clown on Channel 2, entertaining kids across Utah and Idaho
Horror show host — Created “Roderick,” host of Shock Theatre
Narrator — Provided vocal talent for Utah Symphony narrations, radio, recordings, and “Living Scriptures”
Teacher — English teacher at the new Granger High School (starting 1958–59)
Community neighbor — Active in Granger’s neighborhood life with his wife Dixie, who also performed and taught music
Church and civic performer — Sang at events, including for President David O. McKay and the LDS Church leadership
In its very first year, Granger High School was fortunate to have John M. Whitaker—a uniquely talented teacher whose background in Disney animation, radio, opera, and television brought remarkable creativity and warmth to the English Department
Granger High School was lucky to have a teacher whose talents reached far beyond the classroom. Jack Whitaker — known to thousands of children across Utah and southern Idaho as “Kimbo” the clown and to brave late-night viewers as “Roderick” the horror host — was the man behind the makeup and a beloved English teacher by day.
Born in 1923, Whitaker’s life was a tapestry of creative adventures. After growing up in Southern California and graduating from Los Angeles High School, he worked at Walt Disney Studios as a cartoonist on classics like Bambi, Dumbo, and The Reluctant Dragon. When WWII broke out, he served proudly in the Marine Corps. After the war, he balanced college at UCLA with music gigs — even playing bass fiddle in a well-known national dance band, despite never taking a formal lesson.
Jack later finished his studies at BYU, where he also met his wife Dixie Anne Mecham while performing Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro. By the mid-1950s, he was a popular radio voice at KALL in Salt Lake City. In 1956, “Kimbo” was born on Channel 2, delighting kids with cartoons and clowning around. Just two years later, Whitaker added a spooky twist to his career as “Roderick” on Shock Theatre, thrilling local audiences on Saturday nights.
Through it all, he found time to earn his teaching credential at the University of Utah and joined the brand-new Granger High School when it opened in 1958. He loved this tight-knit community, and the community loved him back — as a neighbor, a performer, and the teacher who brought imagination to life both on TV and in the classroom.
