The American Circus in All Its Glory(neh.gov)
neh.gov
The American Circus in All Its Glory
https://www.neh.gov/article/american-circus-all-its-glory
8 comments
I love the circus era
Great archive of US images
http://digital.library.illinoisstate.edu/cdm/landingpage/col...
It's a shame what happened to the circus. Is anyone here affiliated with one? I'd love to hear some personal anecdotes.
As a kid, I got to spend most of a week with the Flying Wallendas on a circus tour.
There's such a difference between watching anonymous performers walk a highwire, versus watching a girl your own age, who you've just been playing tag with the last few hours, walking the wire 90 feet in the air, no net - and then climbing up two levels of people to get on top of a pyramid. It's hard to watch.
Also, the Wallenda kids wouldn't ride roller coasters at the theme park, "Who knows who put that up - I only go in the air on something my dad has checked."
There's such a difference between watching anonymous performers walk a highwire, versus watching a girl your own age, who you've just been playing tag with the last few hours, walking the wire 90 feet in the air, no net - and then climbing up two levels of people to get on top of a pyramid. It's hard to watch.
Also, the Wallenda kids wouldn't ride roller coasters at the theme park, "Who knows who put that up - I only go in the air on something my dad has checked."
I don't have a lot of fond memories from traditional circuses as a kid. I mostly remember being a little bored.
The first time I saw a modern circus (Cirque Du Soleil) I was completely blown away.
The first time I saw a modern circus (Cirque Du Soleil) I was completely blown away.
One of my mom's close friends is an animal handler for a circus. I first met him when I was in 3rd grade shortly after moving into our new house. I let the dog out for a walk and this dude rides a Harley up the lawn, gets off, pulls out a whip, and asks if my mom was home. I slammed the door shot and yelled to my mom, who ran out and give him a hug.
Thirty minutes later, the lion tamer is in the yard showing my parents and me the finer points of operating a whip. The neighbors must have loved us!
Fast forward almost 20 years, and the animal handler was at the house the day I brought my girlfriend (now wife!) home to meet the folks for the first team. He regaled us with stories, such as having a shredded leg fixed up at a back alley surgeon in Thailand, and being stranded on an airport tarmac with a pair of elephants somewhere in China. He gave my GF his business card, which had the tagline "If it's wild, I work it."
He did work for Ringling Bros. for a couple years, but most of his work has been with smaller circus acts. Definitely an interesting dude.
Thirty minutes later, the lion tamer is in the yard showing my parents and me the finer points of operating a whip. The neighbors must have loved us!
Fast forward almost 20 years, and the animal handler was at the house the day I brought my girlfriend (now wife!) home to meet the folks for the first team. He regaled us with stories, such as having a shredded leg fixed up at a back alley surgeon in Thailand, and being stranded on an airport tarmac with a pair of elephants somewhere in China. He gave my GF his business card, which had the tagline "If it's wild, I work it."
He did work for Ringling Bros. for a couple years, but most of his work has been with smaller circus acts. Definitely an interesting dude.
Very cool series from PBS!