After Falling Ill Popular Juarez Clown Niko Liko Has Passed Away At 81

Niko Liko, the long-time clown, television personality, and children's entertainer from Ciudad Juárez, passed away after recently falling ill; he was 81.

After 22 years of entertaining children on television across Juarez and the surrounding region, the host of the iconic TV program for kids, The Niko Liko Show, passed away over the weekend after fallen ill earlier last week.  

Antonio Gaytán Muruato, best known as Niko Liko, arrived from Zacatecas to Ciudad Juárez in 1949 at the age of 9.  After a few short years at the age of 15, he began to work for Chanel 5 / XEJ-TV doing various jobs from answering the phone to seating audience members and even working as a cameraman.  

Years later, at the age of 33, he was offered the opportunity to create a daytime children’s show by the TV station owner after another TV-personality clown quit. While he had no experience or proper training as an entertainer, he managed to break local viewership records, creating the highest-rated kids’ television show across the border.  

In 2000 Niko Liko retired but made a comeback in 2012, broadcasting as The Niko Liko and Friends Show again on Chanel 5 / XEJ-TV on Saturday mornings. 

Unlike other clown entertainers who paint their faces, Niko Liko instead wore a mask similar to those worn by Luchadores (Mexican wrestlers) featuring a red nose and painted smile to save time. The rest of his costume included a golden brown wig, a round red hat, and a red suit coat with a golden flap. 

Our sincere condolences to family members, friends, and fans of Niko Liko (Antonio Gaytán Muruato) - his memory will live on and will surely be missed by all the children that he entertained over the decades, bringing much laughter and fun to the Borderland.  

Niko Liko is the second clown/tv personality who has passed away this month. Just three weeks ago, Cepillín, Mexico's most beloved clown, died after a battle with cancer and heart issues; he was 75.