stumbleupon Email Comment The circus is often called “The Greatest Show on Earth” after the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey company billed itself so soon after it began its series of performances in 1919. However, the circus had been around long before that with Philip Astley, considered “the father of the modern circus”, opening his equestrian-based show in England in 1768. Since then, the circus has continued to awe audiences with its captivating mix of clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze artists, jugglers, and other thrill or comedy-based acts. And of course, where there is thrill, there is likely to be danger, and circuses have unfortunately been the venue of various horrible accidents. Some of these mishaps have even resulted in performers’ deaths, and expectedly, authorities have always stepped in to investigate. Nevertheless, with the dangerous nature of circus acts, accidents have still continued to take place — and in all likelihood, will continue to occur. Here’s a look at ten of the most horrible accidents that have taken place during circus performances: 10.

Rossa Matilda Richter / Human Cannonball (1800s) The human cannonball act is considered one of the most dangerous in the circus business with more than thirty such stuntmen and stuntwomen losing their lives during their performances. However, the case we’ve chosen to include here doesn’t involve a death. Nevertheless, the circumstances surrounding the victim’s accident earns her a spot on this list. Rossa Matilda Richter is widely believed to be the first human cannonball ever, her act beginning in 1877 when she was only fourteen years old. Touring with the P.T. Barnum Circus, she was known publicly as “Zazel” and would bravely slip herself into the spring-powered cannon to be launched onto a safety net. Sadly, during one performance, she missed the net and broke her back, making her unable to perform ever again. 9. Otto Kline / Horse Riding Acrobat (1915) Via images.dover.lib.nh.us 28-year-old Otto Kline had one of the most exciting acts in the Barnum & Bailey Circus during the 1910s.

His stunt involved him circling the arena on his horse then swinging from side to side as his feet touched the ground while he held onto his saddle. Unfortunately, during one performance of the stunt at the Madison Square Garden in April of 1915, Kline lost his grip on the saddle and was flung against a box. As Kline’s head hit the wooden structure, his skull was badly fractured. The crowd of 5,000 people, at least half of them being children, were understandably shaken by what they had seen, and while personnel tried to revive the acrobat, they were unable to do so. Kline died at 7:40 p.m. later that night. 8. Fred Lazelle, Billy Millson (Trapeze Artists) and George North (Gymnast) / 1872 Via youtube.com P.T. Barnum trapeze artists Fred Lazelle and Billy Millson had hurt themselves so many times while performing their daring feats that it was no longer a major event for them whenever they took a fall.

However, in September of 1872, while performing at the hippodrome in front of a crowd of around 5,000 people, the trapeze mechanism they were using suddenly gave way and sent the men crashing to the ground. Gymnast George North, who was under the trapeze when the men fell, was hurt the most among the three as he suffered internal injuries. 7. Dessi España / Chiffon Acrobat (2004) Via nbcnews.com One Saturday afternoon in May of 2004, audiences were being treated to the aerial displays of chiffon acrobat Dessi España during a Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus show in St. Paul. In one portion of her act, she was upside-down and hanging by her legs when a chiffon scarf suddenly loosened, causing her to crash to the arena floor. The audience members, many of them children, said that they saw España land head first, but others claimed that she had actually landed on her stomach or her back. Immediately after the fall, clowns came out to try and distract the audience while medical personnel and circus officials worked on the injured aerialist.

Sadly, later than night, España succumbed to the injuries she suffered. Surprisingly, the 7 p.m. show later that day still pushed through as scheduled with circus spokeswoman Alexis Copeland saying, “The show must go on.” 6. Eva Garcia / Aerial Acrobat (2003) Via airbornecircus.com A crowd of 800 people were gathered at the Hippodrome Circus in Great Yarmouth, England in August of 2003 when Eva Garcia shockingly fell to her death after being suspended from the ceiling more than 20 feet up. According to members of the staff who witnessed the accident, Eva appeared to to lose her grip on the wire above her head, which caused her to plunge to the ground. The accident was completely unexpected as Eva had begun performing as an aerial acrobat almost daily ever since she was seven years old. Christine Jay, one of the circus owners, revealed, “All the artists are very upset about it. It’s a very close-knit company.” 5. Human Chandelier Performers / Hair-hanging Acrobats (2014) “My dream was to be a star performer.

Now my dream is to get up and walk.” — Those are the pained words of Julissa Segrera, one of the eight acrobats who were seriously hurt last May 4, 2014 when the umbrella-shaped rigging from which their hair was hanging suddenly gave way. Not only did they crash to the ground of the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island, but they also landed on another acrobat. Worse, the contraption from which they were hanging fell on them, too, requiring the injured women to undergo dozens of surgeries for spinal cord injuries and open fractures. An investigation by Providence revealed that a steel clip used to support the chandelier apparatus had failed. While seven of the acrobats planned to file a lawsuit to seek compensation for their injuries, another one, Samantha Pitard, has expressed that she would like to go back to Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey to perform again. 4.

Roy Horn / Tiger Tamer (2003) Via voices.suntimes.com Theirs was a unique act combining magic and tiger stunts, which allowed Siegfried and Roy’s production to be regarded as “the most-visited show in Las Vegas, Nevada” during its 30-year run. Shockingly, on October 3, 2003, during a standard trick, a then 7-year-old white tiger named “Mantecore Fischbacher Horn” suddenly attacked Roy Horn. Horn appeared to have suffered from a convulsion caused by a seizure, which in turn startled Mantecore, who proceeded to lunge towards his trainer. The attack to the throat was described by animal experts as a clear “kill move”, but fortunately, Horn was able to survive the attack despite sustaining severe blood loss. In February of 2009, Siegfried and Roy made a final appearance with Mantecore as a final goodbye to the public that had gifted them so much adulation. 3.

Sarah Guyard-Guillot / Aerial Acrobat (2013) Via bestmusic.ro “Cirque de Soleil” is a revolutionary Canadian-based entertainment company that combines traditional circus elements with modern artistry. One of its highly acclaimed shows, Kà, featured several floating platforms in lieu of a regular floor. This made for breathtaking visuals, especially during the final battle scene where the stage was vertically oriented and performers used harnesses attached to cables to act out the clash. On June 29, 2013, 31-year-old Sarah Guyard-Guillot was hoisted up 90 feet to the side of the stage for this scene, when she suddenly plummeted to the ground due to a cable giving way. An eyewitness reported, “Initially, a lot of people in the audience thought it was part of the choreographed fight. But you could hear screaming, then groaning, and we could hear a female artist crying from the stage.” The accident stopped the show with the audience being told refunds would be offered. Guyard-Guillot, a mother of two, expired on her way to the hospital. 2.

The Flying Wallendas / Highwire Act (1962) Via observer.com The Flying Wallendas interestingly got their monicker when during a highwire performance, all of the acrobats fell but did so in such a graceful manner that all of them were unhurt. Sadly, tragedy would follow the act in their performances. In 1944, as the group was performing in Hartford, Connecticut, a fire broke out at the circus, and over 168 were killed despite none of the Wallendas being hurt. That wasn’t the case in 1962, however, when during a performance at the Shrine Circus in Detroit, the lead man in their highwire pyramid act faltered and caused all seven of the Wallendas to fall to the ground. Richard Faughnan and Dieter Schepp were instantly killed, while Karl Wallenda injured his pelvis. Meanwhile, Karl’s adopted son, Mario, was paralyzed from the waist down. Surprisingly, the remaining Wallendas continued their act even after the horrible incident. Years later, Rietta Wallenda fell to her death and Richard Guzman lost his life after being electrocuted.

In fact, Wallenda helmsman Karl lost his life while attempting to cross a wire when he was 73 years of age. Nevertheless, several Wallendas (descendants and relatives of the original Wallandas) still perform as a highwire act today. 1. Thomas Maccarte / Lion Tamer (1872) Via blog.petaasiapacific.com He was professionally known as Massarti, a one-armed 1870s lion tamer. He had lost the limb to one of his beasts while performing in Liverpool with the Bell and Myers’ Circus, but Thomas Maccarte still dared to continue starring in his dangerous act. In fact, he actually grew more popular after the gruesome incident. In 1872, Massarti had wrapped up his tour across the country with Manders’ Menagerie when an additional performance was requested due to the public’s clamor to see the act one last time. Maccarte obliged. Unfortunately, during that originally unscheduled performance, one of his lions, Tyrant, suddenly seized the tamer by the hip. Making matters worse, an African lion that was nearby suddenly bit into the stump of Massarti’s arm.

The tamer tried to jab at the animals with his sword, and police fired blank rounds into the cage while several members of the panic-stricken crowd screamed. Unfazed by the human intervention, a third lion joined the attack, grabbing Massarti by the ribs, while a fourth one ripped open the man’s scalp. Eventually, circus attendants were able to drive away the lions with heated irons, but at that stage, Massarti’s body had been dragged to the other lions to be devoured. By the time his body was taken away from the lion’s cage, he was described as a “poor and almost pulseless piece of humanity”. 13 Shares The Greatest Show on Earth Reviews & Ratings - IMDb IMDb 59 out of 64 people found the following review useful: "Ladies and Gentlemen and Children of All Ages.........." from Buffalo, New York 18 September 2005 The Greatest Show on Earth is a Cecil B. DeMille extravaganza, maybe the best one he ever produced and directed.

Unlike his religious films or his historical films, this film is a nice tribute to an American institution, the Ringling Brothers&Barnum&Bailey Circus and as such it does not attract the controversy of some of his other films. The Best Picture Oscar for 1952 that this film won was more of a tribute to a Hollywood institution. Cecil B. DeMille in fact directed the first Hollywood made film, The Squaw Man, forty years earlier and this Oscar was essentially a tribute to him for the work of a lifetime. Not the first time or the last time the Motion Picture Academy has done that. This is DeMille spectacle at it's best. The circus as a cinema subject, so full of color and life, is ideal for a DeMille production. Wonderful camera work marks this film, both of the circus acts and the reaction shots into the crowd of the children of all ages. Cecil B. DeMille himself narrates portions of the film showing the work involved in putting on the Greatest Show on Earth. His was a familiar voice to the American public because for 10 years DeMille came into American households via radio narrating the Lux Radio Theater.

In fact until Alfred Hitchcock got his own anthology TV series, DeMille's voice was probably the most known to the American public of a film director. And only his name and that of Walt Disney's of people behind the camera were guaranteed box office in the days of the Hollywood studio system. Spectacle was his thing and DeMille was the master. As a director of players and a judge of good modern writing, DeMille left a lot to be desired. Because of the nature of the subject, no great historical or religious events, the grandiloquent dialog present in so many DeMille films is kept to a minimum here. This was Charlton Heston's first big break as a star and his second film under a Paramount contract. He had done a film called Dark City, a good noir thriller that got good reviews, but did little for him personally. DeMille saw the six foot two Heston walking on the Paramount lot one day and just said to himself that this was to be the circus ramrod for this film. But Heston was fourth billed behind Betty Hutton, Cornel Wilde, and Gloria Grahame, all better known than him at the time.

Wilde and Grahame were independents as was James Stewart who played a clown with a hidden past. Stewart in fact had always wanted to play a clown and took this supporting role with smaller billing just for the opportunity. At the time he agreed to do this, his wife Gloria was pregnant with their twin daughters. Stewart had it in his contract a clause that gave him permission to leave the film temporarily to be with Gloria when her time was near. In fact Gloria McLean Stewart had a rough time with the birth and Jimmy exercised that option and totally enraged DeMille who had to shut down production for a few days. He and DeMille did not get along after that though Stewart finished the film and was great in it. Gloria Grahame may not have been the most beautiful woman in Hollywood, but she was the most seductive operating in 1952. That was a banner year for her. She got a Best Supporting Actress for The Bad and the Beautiful on top of this DeMille film. As the elephant girl she attracts the unwanted attentions of Lyle Bettger who plays an elephant trainer. Bettger was a great player at that time who played a lovely variety of psychopaths on the screen.

He pulls out all the stops here and its his unwanted attentions to Grahame that set up the final scenes. Dorothy Lamour was here also in a supporting part and she gets to sing Lovely Luawanna Lady in sarong and the reaction shots of the crowd focus on a couple of familiar faces who panted after her in a few Paramount films. The story itself is a standard four sided triangle involving Heston, Hutton, Wilde, and Grahame with Bettger horning in. You have to see the film to find out who winds up with who. However the high point of the film involves a circus train wreck. DeMille got a lot of notice for wrecking a train in Union Pacific back in 1939. So he doubles the excitement and wrecks two trains here with circus animals pouring out of busted cages. Great stuff. Betty Hutton was coming close to the end of her film career. This and Annie Get Your Gun would be her biggest triumphs. Given DeMille's limitations on directing players, Hutton is surprisingly subdued here and effective. She also sings a couple of nice songs here as she bids adieu to Paramount in her next to last film for them.

When The Greatest Show on Earth came out and was doing great box office, Charlton Heston related a story that DeMille came over to him on the Paramount lot and gave him a newspaper clipping and said he would never get a better notice ever, no matter how long a career he had. Heston read the thing and the critic from some small town paper praised all the actors like Stewart, Wilde, Hutton, Grahame, and Lamour said they were great, but that C.B. DeMille must be the greatest director in the world to get a performance out of that circus ramrod. For all of DeMille's faults here, he created a circus picture that set the standard for any to follow. Was the above review useful to you? 55 out of 64 people found the following review useful: Hey, doesn't anyone remember Last Emperor? from United States 28 December 2005 It constantly amazes me that people carp that this won best Picture, as though no movie before or since ever won when maybe they shouldn't have. It was a big picture, it had a great story, it gave a lot of bang for the buck and that has always been a factor in grabbing the Oscar.

It does seem a bit dated to us now, used to high flying special effects, different acting styles, and quick cut editing, instead of letting the scene play out as it so often does here, but it's such a great story. The circus itself is a character and the way Demille used the audience to make them seem so individual is wonderful. And I'm not just referring to the Hope/Crosby cameo. Remember the fat guy with the kid scarfing down the ice cream laughing his head off while the kid looked confused? You could tell he was reliving his childhood and he became EveryMan to us with only seconds of screen time. That's mastery. The integration of the real circus people with the actors was seamless and if nothing else this movie captures a time when the circus was really a circus. Carp all you want, guys. But I think you may be too spoiled by ultra realism to appreciate the subtler gems in this very respectable film. Was the above review useful to you? 34 out of 40 people found the following review useful: Highly entertaining and informative from NY 24 March 2000 I've never been to the circus, so I think of this movie as my trip to the circus.

Charlton Heston is great as Brad, the all business manager of the circus. But my favorite character is James Stewart as Buttons the Clown. It's a very different role for him, but it's great. The Best Picture of 1952, "The Greatest Show on Earth" is wonderful, especially if you've never experienced it. I think this is one of Cecil B. De Mille's finest movies, and I recommend it to everyone. So I give it a 10 out of 10! Was the above review useful to you? 29 out of 34 people found the following review useful: Betty Hutton and Cornel Wilde are superb in their 'flyer' roles! from United States 8 August 2001 I saw this film in a theatre when it first came out and, had forgotten a great deal of it, until I saw it again last evening. Much of the film is actual footage of the REAL Barnum and Bailey Circus, setting up, tearing down and loading up for the trip to the next venue. I had also forgotten how superb both Betty Hutton and Cornel Wilde are doing a great deal of their own 'flying'!

While you realize that they have a net just under the view of the camera, they both perform physically demanding stunts with the camers right in their faces! I can't stand on my head on the floor much less on a swinging trapeze!! Wilde's front summersault from one swinging bar to another swinging bar is breathtaking!! Some of the action is quite dated and the trainwreck is...well, DeMille's rendition of a massive trainwreck. The plot creaks a bit here and there, but the many performers do their bits with conviction. Hutton and Wilde steal the show from Heston and Stewart. I recommend this film to Circus lovers everywhere and to people who appreaciate actors placing themselves in Harms Way to create illusions (be they VERY dangerous illusions) of the REAL thing! I give it an 8. Was the above review useful to you? 27 out of 31 people found the following review useful: Great show and story from Sugar Land, Texas, USA 1 October 2002 I know that some people are down on this movie, but I absolutely LOVE it. It has great ideals and good (not great) acting.

It tells a story about the circus in a pseudo-documentary. The story has love, action, and humor. Three things that are missing from much of today's movie. I also love the color and the dramatic "feel" of the film for that era. It's a wonderful, wonderful, piece of 'Americana'. Was the above review useful to you? 18 out of 20 people found the following review useful: I like this one from Charlotte, NC, USA 7 November 2006 I have seen this film several times and each time I am more impressed. I don't look at a film to rate the acting, but rather I look at a film for its entertainment qualities. This film shows a behind-the-scenes look into circus life that most people would never have a chance to see. The circus acts shown are typical and entertaining, the characters have some qualities that are not always seen in a movie of this magnitude. I am always interested in special effects and how they are used in a film. The train wreck is obviously done with models but it is so well done, it rates mention. There are many considerations in making special effects seem real and all of those are carefully used in this film.

Of course, the circus acts were NOT done with special effects and are very entertaining. If you have not seen this picture, please do so with an open mind and expect to be impressed. Was the above review useful to you? 17 out of 21 people found the following review useful: A colourful, light hearted and entertaining epic from Sydney, Australia 13 September 2000 It would validate this film best if I state outright at this point that I am a great fan of the movie SINGIN' IN THE RAIN, also released in 1952 and generally ignored by the Academy, seemingly due to the shower of accolades handed out to AN AMERICAN IN PARIS. THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH did not win many Oscars beyond the coveted best picture award, but even this fact has poisoned my viewpoint of the justification of the Academy's decision, and that this in itself displays the incomprehensible factor that the statuette ended up at Paramount, not MGM. However, my eventual purpose of viewing this film was threefold: to see Jimmy Stewart, Dorothy Lamour and one of the final best pictures of the 1950s, which I had not seen.

All my SINGIN' IN THE RAIN prejudices aside, I was very pleasantly surprised. Cecil B. DeMille's opinions of the circus as a human machine made up of many parts' is interesting as it evokes the assemblage of any motion picture, and certainly, an enormous production such as this one. The script, generally convincing in its theme, can deliver on its expectations and bring to life a drama-comedy-epic-action-romance-musical that actually works, all elements and sub-plots played alongside. Even if these aspects make for melodramatic story lines, I have assumed that the purpose of the film is generally basic entertainment. And the basic story the dramatic lives of circus performers culminating and reaching their peak underneath the glamour and colour of the big top isn't too bad either. DeMille's well-handled direction is intriguing and always expectantly, a job well done. There are many good examples of an all-star ensemble cast, but this one ranks close to the top Betty Hutton, Cornel Wilde, Charlton Heston, Jimmy Stewart, Dottie Lamour, Gloria Grahame each may bear no resemblance to their character's personalities, but play their parts interestingly well.

Generally, I found Stewart's portrayal as Buttons the clown, masked behind a multiple personality, to be the best performance in the film. It is difficult also not to mention the many great and entertaining real-life circus performers that truly made up the spirit of THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH, and continue to do so in their differed entertaining medium today, so it is really quite a nice tribute to their dedication. To satisfy the varied genres of the film, each character is where they are to fuel the particular element. Angel (Grahame) enhances the comedy with her natural talents, and Phyllis (Lamour) and Holly (Hutton) to fill out the musical aspects with an extensive musical program, including `Jumpin' Jack' and the title song. Romance is demonstrated in a series of different love triangles involving five of the six lead characters. Drama is seen with the integration of all these aspects, involving Buttons (Stewart), tension between Sebastian (Wilde) and Brad (Heston), and the case of post ANNIE GET YOUR GUN competitive one-upmanship between Holly and Sebastian on the trapezes.

Finally, in the case of action, the sensationalism of the train scene brings all these emotions to a halt to create one of the biggest epics of 1950s Hollywood, and to destroy some of the colourful and glamourous illusions of circus life. Despite the fact the film definitely exceeded my original expectations of it and the fact that it filled its three-hour plus running time certainly impressed me. However, I would like to continue to retain my position on the unfair juxtaposition of SINGIN' IN THE RAIN, and it is doubtful my opinion will swing to favour THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH any time soon. Rating: 8/10 from manila, philippines 11 February 2000 Since this film was released in 1952, some scenes in the film will really be outdated (effects). But other than that, the film is a feast to the eyes and if you're sentimental, to the heart. With a seemingly thin plot, Cecil B. deMille made the film work with visuals and moments of suspense that is missing from a lot of big films nowadays. Mr. deMille is a master of epic films and this is one example.

He made the circus one of the main characters in the film, that you will find yourself missing it at this day and age. A guilty pleasure? For me this is a magical pleasure. Was the above review useful to you? 12 out of 14 people found the following review useful: Brassy Big Top Corn from Biloxi, Mississippi 12 April 2007 Every one was shocked when THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH won Oscars for Best Motion Picture and Best Screenplay; there was nothing about the film that could be considered "great art." At the same time, however, SHOW was a lot of fun, and certainly audiences of the day flocked to it, making it the single biggest grossing film of 1952. The story is purple-prose soap opera. Circus manager Brad Braden (Charleton Heston) is doing a balancing act between rival arielist stars Sebastian (Cornel Wilde) and Holly (Betty Hutton)--the later of whom is torn in her affections between the two.

Add in a lovely but common show girl (Dorothy Lamour), a jealous elephant trainer (Lyle Bettger), the object of his affections (Gloria Graham), a clown with a mysterious past (Jimmy Stewart), high wire accidents, and a train wreck--all mixed well by Cecil B. DeMille's eye for larger-than-life spectacle. The result is brassy, silly, corny, and thoroughly enjoyable. Seen today, the big attraction here is the chance to see the circus when it was still traveling by rail and performing under "the big top." Filmed with the cooperation of Ringling Brothers-Barnum and Bailey, SHOW allows us to see what was involved in organizing the lavish show that was the circus in the 1950s, a world filled with roustabouts, elephants, barkers, peanut vendors, acrobats, and all the rest. One of the more interesting aspects of this is Emmett Kelly, one of America's greatest clowns, who appears throughout the film as himself.

THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH is lots of flash and dazzle, a little song and dance, Charleton Heston in his first major role, Betty Hutton in one of her final films (she did most of her own stunt work), and lots of corny charm. It might not really be the "greatest" show on earth, but it is very picturesque. The film isn't restored, but it isn't in bad condition; sadly, there are no bonuses at all. GFT, Amazon Reviewer Author: Rich Drezen (Drezzilla) 5 May 2004 This is my favorite Cecil B. DeMille picture and it rightfully deserves it's title. The cast is well cast. Heston makes a fine circus manager and a perfect "don't take nothing from nobody" type of guy when it comes to dealing with local gamblers. Cornell Wilde is perfect as the typical heart-throb of a trapezist. Betty Hutton is good as the daring young star fighting for the center ring. Last, but certainly not the least, James Stewart is wonderful as the lonely clown with a terrifying secret (I will not give it away!!! See the movie!!!).

Cecil was a man of tremendous persona with a hunger for showcasing spectacle by means of careful, intense, and thorough research. He achieves amazing success in portraying (to the best of his ability of the times) the most realistic circus acts without the use of raw footage, and covering the stories behind the characters involved. The thing that really moves everything along though, is the musical score. Two words on that GOOD GOD!!! The music will make you want to go to the circus, even if you didn't like this picture. For those of you who didn't like this picture, why not go to the circus instead? You may be entertained to the point that you'll end up silencing your bad reviews. I'm not saying you have top like this picture, but if you haven't seen it yet, and it's because of the certain bad reviews it got from some people, you're really going to miss something. Was the above review useful to you? Page 1 of 12: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus | Clownopedia | Fandom powered by Wikia Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus 208pages on Share Ad blocker interference detected!

Wikia is a free-to-use site that makes money from advertising. We have a modified experience for viewers using ad blockers Wikia is not accessible if you’ve made further modifications. Remove the custom ad blocker rule(s) and the page will load as expected. Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is an American circus company billed as The Greatest Show on Earth. The company was started in 1919 when the circus created by James Anthony Bailey and P. T. Barnum was merged with the Ringling Brothers Circus . The Ringling brothers purchased the Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1907, but ran the circuses separately until they were finally merged in 1919. In 1957 John Ringling North changed the circus from using their own portable tents to using venues, such as sports stadiums that had the seating already in place. In 1967 Irvin Feld bought the circus, but in 1971 he sold it to Mattel. He bought it back in 1982.

Contents History The Barnum & Bailey Circus (The Greatest Show on Earth) In 1875, Dan Castello and William Cameron Coup persuaded Barnum to lend his name and financial backing to the circus they had already created in Delavan, Wisconsin. It was called "P.T. Barnum's Great Traveling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan, and Hippodrome". The moniker "Greatest Show on Earth" was added later. Independently of Castello and Coup, James Anthony Bailey had teamed up with James E. Cooper to create the Cooper and Bailey Circus in the 1860s. The Cooper and Bailey Circus was soon Barnum's chief competitor, exhibiting "Columbia," the first baby elephant ever born in the United States. She was born in March 1880 in Philadelphia, to "Babe" and "Mandarin", and later euthanized in November 1907 for aggressiveness. Barnum attempted to buy the elephant. They eventually agreed to combine their shows in 1881.

In 1882, the combined "Barnum & Bailey Circus" was successful with acts such as Jumbo, advertised as the world's largest elephant. Barnum died in 1891 and Bailey then purchased the circus from his widow. Bailey continued touring the eastern United States until he took his circus to Europe. That tour started on December 27, 1897 and lasted until 1902. In 1884, five of the seven Ringling brothers had started a small circus about the same time that Barnum & Bailey were at the peak of their popularity. Similar to dozens of small circuses that toured the Midwest and the Northeast at the time, the Ringlings moved their circus from town to town in small animal-drawn caravans. Their circus rapidly grew and they were soon able to move their circus by train , which allowed them to have the largest traveling amusement enterprise of that time. Bailey's European tour gave the Ringling brothers an opportunity to move their show from the Midwest to the eastern seaboard. Faced with the new competition, Bailey took his show west of the Rocky Mountains for the first time in 1905.

He died the next year and the circus was sold to the Ringling Brothers. Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus The Ringlings purchased the Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1907 and ran the circuses separately until 1919. By that time, Charles Edward Ringling and John Nicholas Ringling were the only remaining brothers of the five who founded the circus. They decided that it was too difficult to run the two circuses independently, and on March 29, 1919, "Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Combined Shows" debuted in New York City. The posters declared, "The Ringling Bros. World's Greatest Shows and the Barnum & Bailey Greatest Show on Earth are now combined into one record-breaking giant of all exhibitions." Charles E. Ringling died in 1926, but the circus flourished through the Roaring Twenties. In 1929 the American Circus Corporation signed a contract to perform in New York City. John Nicholas Ringling purchased American Circus for $1.7 million. That absorbed five major shows: Sells-Floto Circus , Al G.

Barnes Circus , Sparks Circus , Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus , and John Robinson Circus . In 1938, the circus made Frank Buck a lucrative offer to tour as their star attraction and to enter the show astride an elephant. He refused to join the American Federation of Actors, stating that he was "a scientist, not an actor." Though there was a threat of a strike if he did not join the union, he maintained that he would not compromise his principles, saying, "Don't get me wrong. I'm with the working man. I worked like a dog once myself. And my heart is with the fellow who works. But I don't want some ... union delegate telling me when to get on and off an elephant." Eventually, the union gave Buck a special dispensation to introduce Gargantua the gorilla without registering as an actor. The circus suffered during the 1930s due to the Great Depression, but managed to stay in business. John Nicholas Ringling's nephew, John Ringling North, managed the circus through the difficult times for several decades.

Special dispensation was given to the circus by President Roosevelt to use the rails to operate in 1942, in spite of travel restrictions imposed as a result of World War II. A new marketing poster depicting a threatening circus tiger was also released that year. Many of the most famous images from the circus that were published in magazine and posters were captured by American Photographer Maxwell Frederic Coplan, who traveled the world with the circus, capturing its beauty as well as its harsh realities. The Hartford Circus Fire The Hartford Circus Fire occurred on July 6, 1944, in Hartford, Connecticut, during an afternoon performance that was attended by approximately 7,500 to 8,700 people. It was one of the worst fire disasters in the history of the United States. Emmett Kelly, the tramp clown, threw a bucket of water at the burning canvas tent in a futile effort to put the fire out, but ultimately more than 100 people were killed. The great irony of the fire was that the performance took place under canvas. Had the crowd realized it, safety was no farther away than ducking out under the sidewalls of the tent.

Some of the dead remain unidentified to this day, even with modern DNA techniques. Actor and theater director Charles Nelson Reilly, who was thirteen years old at the time, survived the fire and dramatized it in the film of his stage show, "The Life of Reilly". In a 1997 interview, Reilly said that he rarely attended the theater, despite being a director, since the sound of a large audience in a theater reminded him of the large crowd at the circus before the disaster. In the following investigation, it was discovered that the tent had not been fireproofed. Ringling Bros.' had applied to the Army, which had an absolute priority on the material, for enough fireproofing liquid to treat their Big Top. The Army had refused to release it to them. The circus had instead waterproofed their canvas using an older method of parrafin dissolved in gasoline and painted onto the canvas. The waterproofing worked, but as had been repeatedly shown it was horribly flammable. Circus management was found to be negligent and several Ringling executives served sentences in jail.

Ringling Brothers' management set aside all profits for the next ten years to pay the claims filed against the show by the City of Hartford and the survivors of the fire. Feld family The post-war prosperity enjoyed by the rest of the nation was not shared by the circus as crowds dwindled and costs increased. Public tastes, influenced by the movies and television, abandoned the circus, which gave its last performance under the big top in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on July 16, 1956. An article in Life magazine reported that "a magical era had passed forever". In 1957, when John Ringling North and Arthur Concello moved the circus from a tent show to an indoor operation, Irvin Feld was one of several promoters hired to work the advance for select dates, mostly in the Detroit and Philadelphia areas. Irvin Feld and his brother, Israel Feld, had already made a name for themselves producing touring rock and roll shows. In the fall of 1967, Irvin Feld, Israel Feld, and Judge Roy Mark Hofheinz of Texas, together with backing from Richard C. Blum, the founder of Blum Capital, bought the company outright from North and the Ringling family interests for $8 million.

Irving Feld immediately began making other changes to improve the quality and profitability of the show. In 1968, realizing there were only 14 professional clowns remaining in the show —and that many of them were in their 50s —he established the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College . The next year, he split the show into two touring units, a "Red Tour" and a "Blue Tour" which could tour the country independently. The separate tours could also offer differing slates of acts and themes, enabling circus-goers to view both tours where possible. In 1970, Feld's only son Kenneth joined the company and became a co-producer. The circus was sold to the Mattel company in 1971 for $40 million, but the Feld family retained production control. They bought the circus back in 1982. Irvin Feld died in 1984 and the company has since been run by Kenneth. After Walt Disney World opened near Orlando, Florida in 1971, the circus attempted to cash in on the resulting tourism surge by opening Circus World in nearby Haines City.

The park was never successful, as its standard carnival-type rides were no match for Disney's state-of-the-art attractions. As such, the circus sold the park to Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, who renamed it Boardwalk and Baseball. In 1990, the park finally closed down completely. Clair George has testified in court that he worked as a consultant in the early 1990s for Kenneth Feld and the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. He was involved in the surveillance of Jan Pottker (a journalist who was writing about the Feld family) and of various animal rights groups such as PETA. In 1994, Walt Disney Home Video and Gregory Sills Productions co-produced a video in the Mickey's Fun Songs (later Sing-Along Songs) series, "Let's Go to the Circus," which featured Mickey and friends take a trip through the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. In 1996, Feld Entertainment was created as the parent company of the circus, as well as a skating-themed sister show, Disney on Ice. The company also produces several large-scale Broadway and Las Vegas productions. Renaming The circus went under various names as new investors joined: P.

T. Barnum's Grand Traveling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan & Hippodrome; P. T. Barnum, William Cameron Coup and Dan Castello, proprietors (1871) P. T. Barnum's Grand Traveling World's Fair; The Greatest Shows on Earth; P. T. Barnum, William Cameron Coup, Dan Castello and S. H. Hurd, proprietors P. T. Barnum's Great Roman Hippodrome; P. T. Barnum, William Cameron Coup, Dan Castello and S. H. Hurd, proprietors P. T. Barnum's Greatest Show On Earth; P. T. Barnum, John J. Nathans, George F. Bailey and Lewis June, proprietors (and Avery Smith for part of 1876 only) Barnum & Bailey Circus; James Anthony Bailey (1891) Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus Circus trains Currently, the circus maintains two circus train -based shows, the Blue Tour and the Red Tour, as well as the truck-based Gold Tour (which began in 2003).

Each train is a mile long with roughly 60 cars: 40 passenger cars and 20 freight. Rolling stock belonging to the circus bears the reporting mark "RBBX". The Blue and Red Tours present a full three-ring production for two years each (taking off the month of December), visiting alternating major cities each year. Each train presents a different "edition" of the show, using a numbering scheme that dates back to circus origins in 1871 — the first year of P.T. Barnum's show. The Blue Tour presents the even-numbered editions on a two-year tour (beginning each even-numbered year), and the Red Tour presents the odd-numbered editions on the same two-year tour (beginning each odd-numbered year). The Gold Tour presents a scaled-back, single-ring version of the show, designed to serve smaller markets deemed incapable of supporting the three-ring versions. In the 1950s there was one gigantic train systems comprising three separate train loads that brought the main show to the big cities.

The first train load was comprised 22 cars and had the tents and the workers to set them up; the second section comprised 28 cars and carried the canvasmen, ushers and sideshow workers; the third section 19 sleeping cars for the performers. Animal care The circus claims that the best care is given to the animals' health and welfare. The circus believes that promoting human-animal interaction is vital to increasing public awareness of the need to protect and preserve animal species. They state, "Captive animals play an important role as Ambassadors — teaching people about the animals' needs and challenges and about our responsibility to ensure their future survival." Circus owner Feld Entertainment states that they meet all requirements for zoos and circuses for animal welfare; however, animal rights groups such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) claim numerous instances of non-compliance with the Animal Welfare Act including inappropriate housing, poor sanitation, animal escapes, inaccurate record keeping, failure to properly protect the public from wild animals, causing physical harm and behavioral stress to animals, and other non-compliant items. In 1995, the circus opened the Center for Elephant Conservation in Florida for the breeding, research, and retirement of its Asian Elephant herd.

All dogs in the shows are from animal shelters or rescued from poor living conditions. The circus participates in breeding programs for endangered species used in the shows including the Bengal tiger, the Siberian tiger, and elephant. The tiger population is retired to Big Cat Rescue. Many animal welfare and animal rights organizations, such as PETA, are opposed to the use of wild animals in circuses. The animal rights groups also oppose the use of domestic animals, such as horses or dogs, in circuses. Many of these groups actively campaign against circuses by staging protests to increase awareness of animal rights' violations and to urge circus-goers to boycott Ringling and other circuses and to patronize only animal-free circuses. The groups assert that animals used in the circus are subjected to cruel and inhumane treatment during training, harsh conditions during transport, and a general lack of mental and physical stimulation. Ringling Brothers circus was investigated following the death of a lion who died from heat and lack of water while the circus train was travelling through the desert. In 1998, the USDA filed charges against Ringling Brothers for forcing a sick elephant to perform. Ringling paid a $20,000 fine to settle the matter.

In 2011, the United States Department of Agriculture conducted an inspection of the circus' animals, facilities, and records, allegedly finding non-compliance with the agencies regulations. No specific violation was named and the circus denied the allegations, though they volunteered a $270,000 fine. As part of the settlement, the circus must employ a full-time staff person to insure compliance with the Act and all circus employees who work with or handle animals must complete training regarding compliance with the act within 30 days of when they are hired. The ASPCA, PETA and other animal groups sued the circus claiming that it violated the Endangered Species Act by its treatment of Asian elephants in its circus. These allegations were based primarily on the testimony of a circus barn worker. After nine years of ligitation and a six week non-jury trial, the Court dismissed the suit in a written decision, finding that the barn worker was not credible ASPCA v. Feld Entm’t, Inc., 677 F. Supp. 2d 55 (D.D.C. 2009).

In 2012, the circus learned that the animal rights groups had paid the barn worker $190,000 to be a plaintiff in the lawsuit regarding the Asian elephants. The circus sued the animal rights groups under the Racketeer Influence and Corrupt Organizations Act, accusing them of conspiracy to harm its business and other illegal acts. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals agreed to pay the circus $9.2 million to settle the lawsuit. Timeline 1871 P. T. Barnum's "Grand Traveling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan & Hippodrome" created with William Cameron Coup 1875 (c.) James Anthony Bailey starts his circus 1881 James Anthony Bailey and P.T. Barnum combine to form "Barnum and Bailey Circus" 1884 John Nicholas Ringling starts Ringling Brothers Circus 1891 Death of P. T.

Barnum 1891 James Anthony Bailey buys Barnum assets from Barnum's widow 1906 Death of James Anthony Bailey 1907 The Ringling Brothers Circus purchases the "Barnum and Bailey Circus" 1919 John Ringling merges the two into "Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus" 1937 John Ringling North takes control 1943 John Ringling North cedes control to his cousin, Robert 1944 Hartford Circus Fire 1947 John Ringling North takes control from his cousin, Robert 1967 Irvin Feld and Israel Feld and Roy M. Hofheinz buy the circus from John Ringling North 1971 Sold to Mattel The Big Apple: “Greatest Show on Earth” Entry from July 14, 2004 “Greatest Show on Earth” The Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus bills itself as "The Greatest Show on Earth." Trademark records show a first use on July 21, 1891.

New York City-born entertainer Dan Rice called his entertainment the "the GREATEST show that ever traveled" in 1853 and the "Great Show" and the "Greatest Show in the World" by at least 1859. "The 'country press' are unanimously of the opinion that 'Dan Rice's Greatest Show on Earth,' now traveling in the West, is the most consummate humbug extent" was cited in print on May 17, 1871. P. T. Barnum (1810-1891) is often said to have coined the phrase "Greatest Show on Earth." However, that can no earlier than 1871, when Barnum's travelling circus was founded; the earliest Barnum citation in print is and advertisement from May 31, 1872. The circus is now named the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus. The circus has defended the trademark against "the Greatest Snow on Earth" (used by the state of Utah) and "the Greatest Bar on Earth" (used by Windows on the World, on top of a now-destroyed World Trade Center). Wikipedia: Ringling Bros.

and Barnum & Bailey Circus Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is an American circus company billed as The Greatest Show on Earth. The company was started in 1919 when the circus created by James Anthony Bailey and P. T. Barnum was merged with the Ringling Brothers Circus. The Ringling brothers purchased the Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1907, but ran the circuses separately until they were finally merged in 1919. In 1957 John Ringling North changed the circus from using their own portable tents to using venues, such as sports stadiums that had the seating already in place. In 1967 Irvin Feld bought the circus, but in 1971 he sold it to Mattel. He bought it back in 1982. History The Barnum & Bailey Circus (The Greatest Show on Earth) In 1875, Dan Castello and William Cameron Coup persuaded Barnum to lend his name and financial backing to the circus they had already created in Delavan, Wisconsin. It was called "P.T. Barnum's Great Traveling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan, and Hippodrome".

The moniker "Greatest Show on Earth" was added later. Wikipedia: Dan Rice Dan Rice (January 23, 1823 – February 22, 1900) was an American entertainer of many talents, most famously as a clown, who was pre-eminent before the American Civil War. During the height of his career, Rice was a household name. Dan Rice was also an innovator, as he coined the terms "One Horse Show" and "Greatest Show" whilst becoming the pacesetter for the popularization of the barrel-style "French" cuff. (...) Decades before other circuses used the phrase, an Arkansas paper praised Rice's as "The Greatest Show on Earth." 15 November 1853, Amazon.com: The Greatest Show on Earth: Movies & TV The Greatest Show on Earth Format: DVD — — Unlimited Streaming with Amazon Prime Start your 30-day free trial to stream thousands of movies & TV shows included with Prime. Start your free trial See all buying options Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought Page 1 of 1 Start over Page 1 of 1 This shopping feature will continue to load items.

In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading. Next Special Offers and Product Promotions See all verified purchase reviews Top Customer Reviews By Almost 50 Lassie fan on January 23, 2016 Format: DVD|Verified Purchase This film is one of my favorites. My reasons have been given by previous reviewers. Currently being shown using that new 4k process on some digital sources, it almost seems blu ray, though apparently it is not yet available blu ray. The one negative with that new high def process with this film is you can easily see when a double substitutes for Cornel Wilde in all the trapeze mid air sequences. Before her death, Betty Hutton said in interviews she trained with a trapeze artist for one year to do her own stunts. Wilde feared heights and refused to do any trapeze sequences more than a few feet off the ground. New picture definition available today makes it very obvious, facially, when his double is actually doing his work. Still, the color is vivid, cosumes sparkle more than ever. I hope it is soon released on blu ray!

By IdaMcBay on November 15, 2016 Format: Amazon Video|Verified Purchase One of the Greatest circus movie of all time. Full of action,animals,laughter,excitement thrills.Clean for children to watch. I love the circus since I was a little girl this wasn't too long ago Just kidding I'm 67 now. The movie industry should make more circus movie takes the edge from all the nonsense in the world today. Charleston Heston play the right character-I wont go there right now behind the (Ten Commandments) But no this movie was colorful gigantic. When you're a kid it's huge on the screen with so many things going on. To me it was spectacular. Great like it was named. From the movie critic-McBay By none on March 6, 2013 Format: DVD|Verified Purchase In the summer of 1953 few people had air conditioning and the heat had become oppressive in the small prairie city of Des Moines. My mom decided to take me to an afternoon matinee at our twin downtown theaters just to get out of the heat. This was my first major motion picture and I was fascinated.

This docudrama is full of things that catch you visually and even though the plot is somewhat weak compared to todays films it really impressed me. Heston and Hutton work very well together with verve and honest portrayals of real circus people. Heston's fedora and leather jacket (before Indiana Jones) set him off as the rugged individualist road manager of the Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus, one of the last shows to tour the nation by train. I had to love Betty Hutton because my Mom (at least to me) looked just like her. Jimmy Stewart doesn't have much room to work here as his character doesn't get a lot of dialogue, but pulls it off like the star he is. All in all I loved this movie for its scope and marvelous performances and was my first "Greatest Show On Earth". By Jude on September 29, 2012 Format: Amazon Video|Verified Purchase As a piece of American circus history alone, this movie is worth the price. Plus, they just don't make movies like this anymore - must have spent a fortune in costumes.

And, since I don't believe they had available special effects, the cost of wrecking a train must have been extensive. Betty Hutton's acting, as always for her, was a bit over the top, but maybe not so much, since the character she played was highly immature and emotionally driven. It's good family entertainment, with a plot believable enough for all but sophisticated adults, and the cameo shots of various celebrities, such as Bing Crosby and Bob Hope, e.g., seated in the circus audience added a curious interest. It's packed full of old stars, again making it worth the price, just to have some of them in one's collection. By Christopher Schwinger on June 18, 2010 Format: DVD|Verified Purchase As film historian Leonard Maltin said, "Like most of DeMille's movies, this may not be art, but it's hugely enjoyable." It doesn't have the depth of themes and symbols, or nuances in cinematography and lighting, that are essential for REALLY HIGH QUALITY movies, but it sure is fun to watch the circus on the movie, and for Indiana Jones buffs, it's enjoyable to see where his persona and outfit came from.

The climax with the circus train crash is riveting, and though I'd say the character development is rather shallow, the characters do change and learn to work together, and the interplay between Charlton Heston and the other characters is really funny sometimes! In addition, it is really funny to see Jimmy Stewart as a clown (named Buttons). The only plot element left unresolved concerns some of the details about Buttons. It's a movie that's more spectacle than plot, but in this case, it works very well. It should bring you enjoyment, especially if you watch it with others! By William P. MacMonagle on February 7, 2008 Format: DVD|Verified Purchase I saw this movie in 1952, believe it or not. I was five years old and my parents took me to see it because we really loved circuses. It has remained with me as a colorful and exciting view into the world of life under the big tent. Now I am showing it to my adult ESL students and they are eating it up! Overlook the little side plots that you don't like and concentrate on the fun and drama. M*A*S*H goes to the circus.

DeMille needed to appeal to a wide range of tastes. Big tent rivalry, a man who lives only for the life of the circus, Betty Hutton in love with two men, and Jimmy Stewart as a doctor on the lam hiding behind his greasepaint. Dorothy Lamour and Bob and Bing sitting in the bleachers eating popcorn. High wire act daredevilry. Emmet Kelly and clowns who fit in cars unbelievably small. It's all there, including the crooked side show and the jealous elephant handler. And an appearance by my favorite cowboy, Hoppalong Cassidy. I think it is a great movie for its entertainment value as well as the capture of a moment in American history when we really did send large three ring circuses around the country by train.

Glimpse of History: 'The Greatest Show on Earth' comes to Irvington | NJ.com Glimpse of History: 'The Greatest Show on Earth' comes to Irvington ADJVery early photo of the Circus coming through town debra coller-weiner irvington.jpg Photo courtesy of the Irvington Public Library comments IRVINGTON -- The original caption on this photo taken in June 1931 reads "George Denman and his staff, Irvington N.J. June 7 1931;" Denman was an elephant trainer with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, which was billed as "The Greatest Show on Earth," began in 1907 according to ringling.com , resulting from the merger of the Barnum and Bailey Circus and the show run by the Ringling Brothers from Baraboo, Wisc. Carole Bos, writing in "Water for Elephants - the Circus During the 1930s" points out that both big-name national circuses and smaller independent shows helped lift the spirits of people during the era of the Great Depression.

"Posters, plastered on sides of buildings, announced when the circus would arrive. Traveling by rail or road, (the circuses) would set up their tents and roll out their attractions. Residents of small towns and large cities, alike, lined the streets to welcome the visitors." Ticket prices to the circus during the period, according to Bos, ranged from 50 cents to $1. If you would like to share a photo that provides a glimpse of history in your community, please call 973-836-4922 or send an email to essex@starledger.com. Ringling Bros. and Barnum - 必应 Phineas Taylor "P. T." Barnum (July 5, 1810 – April 7, 1891) was an American showman and businessman remembered for promoting celebrated hoaxes and for founding … T. Barnum 2016-12-8 Circus World was a theme park built north of Haines City, Florida in Polk County, on the east corner of the intersection of US 27 and Interstate 4.

It was originally a property … world 2010-7-20 The Circus World Museum is a large museum complex in Baraboo, Wisconsin, devoted to circus-related history. The museum, which features not only circus artifacts and exhi… World Museum 2007-1-23 A member of the 1974 class of Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Clown College, he performed for five years with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. He ... Lubin?mkt=zh-cn 2016-12-13 The stadium also plays host to many large concerts, sporting events, and trade shows. The Fargodome has held events such as the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Ci… George Lawrence Mikan, Jr. (June 18, 1924 – June 1, 2005), nicknamed Mr. Basketball, was an American professional basketball player for the Chicago American Gears of t… mikan?mkt=zh-cn The circus is coming to Cleveland Pride Share your thoughts on this story in our forum area. SUBSCRIBE Keep up on all the gay news with more stories like these.

Get home delivery of the Chronicle and you won't be left in the dark! Pride Guide, June 3, 2005 The circus is coming to Cleveland Pride Parade starts in Warehouse District this year by Anthony Glassman Cleveland--The circus is coming to town, and it will take over on June 18. The circus is Cleveland Pride, whose theme this year is ï¿½The Greatest Pride on Earth,ï¿½ a nod to the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, which for years has billed itself as the greatest show on earth. However, with this yearï¿½s line-up, Cleveland Pride might be giving them a run for their money. Of course, if itï¿½s going to be ï¿½the greatest,ï¿½ that would mean there must be changes from previous years. Change is necessary to go from ï¿½greatï¿½ to ï¿½greatest.ï¿½ The big change this year will be the parade route. In past years it has assembled near Cleveland State University in the eastern part of downtown. This year it will begin in the Warehouse District, a block west of Public Square.

The parade gathers at 11:30 am. It will step off from West 3rd St. and St. Clair Avenue at 1 pm and head toward the festivalï¿½s traditional location at Voinovich Park, where East 9th Street meets Lake Erie. Marchers will go north on West 3rd Street, then east on Lakeside Ave. past the Cuyahoga County Courthouse and Cleveland City Hall, then north on East 9th St. to the park. The new route is about half the length of the old one. A rally at the entrance to Voinovich Park will be held at 2 pm, with emcees Thom Rankin and Keli Zehnder. Performances by LGBT and allied marching bands from Cleveland and Columbus and the national anthem sung by the North Coast Menï¿½s Chorus will be the musical highlights of the rally. Of course, once attendees enter the park, the fun really begins.

Under the big top, the aerial antics of Wise Fool New Mexico will provide segues between the musical acts, which include Robbing Mary, Tamaras, Disappear Fear, American Idolï¿½s Kimberley Locke, Sacha Sacket, and headliner Jane Siberry on the main stage. On the acoustic stage, or the side show if you will, the North Coast Menï¿½s Chorus will again perform, along with Mr. and Ms. Black Gay Ohio, Slack Jaw, spiritual music, Rainbow Idol contest semi-finalists and hunk Eric Himan. In the fun house, DJ Low Key will spin dance tracks, while in the childrenï¿½s pavilion, entertainment will be provided by Flower and Jojo D. Klown. Add animal crackers, peanuts, cotton candy, a drag queen how-to station featuring Brandy, Coco Star and Erika Martinez and belly dancers, and one can really say the carnival is coming to town. For full information on the 17th annual Cleveland Pride, ï¿½The Greatest Pride on Earth,ï¿½ and all the related events, go to .

Question: What circus billed itself as “The Greatest Show on Earth”?
Answer: Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey