Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
Encyclopedia
Circus
A circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists...
company. The company was started when the circus created by James Anthony Bailey
James Anthony Bailey
James Anthony Bailey was the creator of the modern circus.-Biography:He was born James Anthony McGuiness in Detroit, Michigan. Orphaned at the age of eight, McGuinness was working as a bellhop in Pontiac, Michigan when he was discovered by Fred Harrison Bailey as a teenager...
and P. T. Barnum
P. T. Barnum
Phineas Taylor Barnum was an American showman, businessman, scam artist and entertainer, remembered for promoting celebrated hoaxes and for founding the circus that became the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus....
was merged with the Ringling Brothers Circus
Ringling Brothers Circus
The Ringling Brothers Circus was a circus founded in the United States in 1884 by five of the seven Ringling Brothers: Albert , August , Otto , Alfred T. , Charles , John , and Henry...
. 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
John Ringling North
John Ringling North was the owner of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus from 1937 to 1943 and from 1947 to 1967. In 1967 he sold the circus to Irvin Feld.-Biography:...
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
Irvin Feld
Irvin Feld was the head of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus and founder Feld Entertainment. He was a music promoter who is credited with discovering Paul Anka.-Biography:...
bought the circus, but in 1971 he sold it to Mattel
Mattel
Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
. He bought it back in 1982.
The Barnum & Bailey Circus (The Greatest Show on Earth)
In 1875, Dan Castello and William Cameron CoupWilliam Cameron Coup
William Cameron Coup was a Wisconsin businessman who partnered with P. T. Barnum and Dan Castello in 1871 to form the "P. T. Barnum’s Museum, Menagerie and Circus". Previously Barnum had a museum at a fixed location in New York City and the traveling circus allowed him to bring his curiosities to...
persuaded Barnum to lend his name and financial backing to the circus they had already created in Delavan, Wisconsin
Delavan, Wisconsin
Delavan is a city in Walworth County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 8,463 at the 2010 census. The city is located partially within the Town of Delavan.-Economy:Delavan is home to the Wisconsin School for the Deaf, and Andes Candies.-History:...
. 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
James Anthony Bailey
James Anthony Bailey was the creator of the modern circus.-Biography:He was born James Anthony McGuiness in Detroit, Michigan. Orphaned at the age of eight, McGuinness was working as a bellhop in Pontiac, Michigan when he was discovered by Fred Harrison Bailey as a teenager...
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
Elephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
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, and eventually agreed to combine their shows in 1881. In 1882, the combined "Barnum & Bailey Circus" was successful with acts such as Jumbo
Jumbo
Jumbo was a large African Bush Elephant, born 1861 in the French Sudan – present-day Mali – imported to a Paris zoo, transferred to the London Zoo in 1865, and sold in 1882 to P. T...
, advertised as the world's largest elephant. Barnum died in 1891 and Bailey then purchased the circus from his widow. He 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
Ringling brothers
The Ringling brothers were seven siblings who transformed their small touring company of performers into one of America's largest circuses in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born in McGregor, Iowa and raised in Baraboo, Wisconsin, they were the children of Heinrich Friedrich August Ringling...
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
Circus train
A circus train is a modern method of conveyance for circus troupes. One of the larger users of circus trains is the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus , a famous American circus formed when the Ringling Brothers Circus purchased the Barnum and Bailey Circus in 1907.In 1872 the P.T...
, 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
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
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 TwentiesRoaring Twenties
The Roaring Twenties is a phrase used to describe the 1920s, principally in North America, but also in London, Berlin and Paris for a period of sustained economic prosperity. The phrase was meant to emphasize the period's social, artistic, and cultural dynamism...
. In 1929 the American Circus Corporation
American Circus Corporation
The American Circus Corporation, consisted of the Sells-Floto Circus, the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus, the John Robinson Circus, the Sparks Circus, and the Al G. Barnes Circus. It was owned by Jerry Mugivan, Bert Bowers and Ed Ballard. They sold the company in 1929 to John Nicholas Ringling for $1.7...
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
Al G. Barnes Circus
-History:Stonehouse started the show in 1895 with a pony, a phonograph, a stereopticon. His circus was purchased by the American Circus Corporation in 1929 and was merged with the Sells-Floto Circus, John Robinson Shows, and Sparks Circus. That same year John Nicholas Ringling bought out the...
, Sparks Circus, Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus
Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus
The Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus was a circus that traveled across America in the early part of the 20th century. At its peak, it was the second-largest circus in America next to Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. It was based in Peru, Indiana....
, and John Robinson Circus.
Frank Buck (animal collector)
Frank Howard Buck was a hunter and "collector of wild animals," as well as a movie actor, director, writer and producer...
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
American Federation of Actors
The American Federation of Actors was an early actors union, supported by Sophie Tucker who was elected president in 1938. In 1939 the AFA was disbanded by the American Federation of Labor for financial mismanagement; the AFL issued a charter to the succeeding American Guild of Variety Artists,...
, 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
Gargantua (gorilla)
Gargantua was a captive lowland gorilla who was famous in his lifetime and has been credited with saving the Ringling Brothers circus from bankruptcy. An acid scar on his face gave Gargantua a snarling, menacing expression, and the circus management attracted attention to him by emphasizing, in...
the gorilla without registering as an actor.
The circus suffered during the 1930s due to the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, but managed to stay in business. John Nicholas Ringling's nephew, John Ringling North
John Ringling North
John Ringling North was the owner of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus from 1937 to 1943 and from 1947 to 1967. In 1967 he sold the circus to Irvin Feld.-Biography:...
, 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
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. A new marketing poster depicting a threatening circus tiger was also released that year.
The Hartford Circus Fire
The Hartford Circus FireHartford Circus Fire
The Hartford Circus Fire, which occurred on July 6, 1944, in Hartford, Connecticut, was one of the worst fire disasters in the history of the United States...
occurred on July 6, 1944, in Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
, 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
Emmett Kelly
Emmett Leo Kelly , a native of Sedan, Kansas, was an American circus performer, who created the memorable clown figure "Weary Willie", based on the hobos of the Depression era.- Career development :...
, 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
Charles Nelson Reilly
Charles Nelson Reilly was an American actor, comedian, director and drama teacher known for his comedic roles in theater, movies, children's television, animated cartoons, and as a panelist on the game show Match Game....
, 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. Circus management was found to be negligent and several Ringling executives served sentences in jail.
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, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
on July 16, 1956. An article in LIFE magazine
Life (magazine)
Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
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
Irvin Feld
Irvin Feld was the head of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus and founder Feld Entertainment. He was a music promoter who is credited with discovering Paul Anka.-Biography:...
and his brother, Israel Feld, had already made a name for themselves producing touring rock 'n roll shows.
In the fall of 1967, Irving Feld, Israel Feld, and Judge Roy Mark Hofheinz of Texas, together with backing from Richard C. Blum
Richard C. Blum
Richard C. Blum is an investment banker and the husband of United States Senator from California Dianne Feinstein. He is the Chairman and President of Blum Capital, an equity investment management firm that acts as general partner for various investment partnerships and provides investment...
, the founder of Blum Capital
Blum Capital
Blum Capital is a private equity firm focused on leveraged buyout, growth capital and PIPE investments in small cap and middle-market companies across a range of industries. The firm is known for pioneering a hybrid private equity / strategic block investment strategy in public companies.The firm,...
, 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 clown
Clown
Clowns are comic performers stereotypically characterized by the grotesque image of the circus clown's colored wigs, stylistic makeup, outlandish costumes, unusually large footwear, and red nose, which evolved to project their actions to large audiences. Other less grotesque styles have also...
s 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
Kenneth Feld
Kenneth Jeffrey Feld is the CEO of , which owns Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Disney on Ice!, and He is also the producer of several Broadway plays. The business was started by his father Irvin Feld and Ken became CEO upon his father's death in 1984. He has three daughters, two...
joined the company and became a co-producer. The circus was sold to the Mattel
Mattel
Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
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
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
in 1971, the circus attempted to cash in on the resulting tourism surge by opening Circus World in nearby Haines City
Haines City, Florida
Haines City is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 13,174 at the 2000 census. As of 2010, the population estimated by the Bureau of Economic and Business Research at the University of Florida is 18,762. Haines City is the third most populous city in Polk County, Florida...
. 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
Boardwalk and Baseball
Boardwalk and Baseball was a theme park built near Haines City, Florida, United States, on the east corner of the intersection of US 27 and Interstate 4. It replaced Circus World at the same location, and was owned by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich...
. In 1990, the park finally closed down completely.
Clair George
Clair George
Clair Elroy George was a widely respected veteran of the Central Intelligence Agency's clandestine service who oversaw all global espionage activities for the agency in the mid-1980s...
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
Disney on Ice
Disney On Ice is a touring ice show produced by Feld Entertainment under agreement with The Walt Disney Company. Aimed primarily at children, the shows feature figure skaters dressed as Disney cartoon characters in performances that each derive their music and plot from elements collected from...
. The company also produces several large-scale Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
and Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
productions.
Renaming
- P. T. Barnum's Grand Traveling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan & Hippodrome; P. T. BarnumP. T. BarnumPhineas Taylor Barnum was an American showman, businessman, scam artist and entertainer, remembered for promoting celebrated hoaxes and for founding the circus that became the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus....
, William Cameron CoupWilliam Cameron CoupWilliam Cameron Coup was a Wisconsin businessman who partnered with P. T. Barnum and Dan Castello in 1871 to form the "P. T. Barnum’s Museum, Menagerie and Circus". Previously Barnum had a museum at a fixed location in New York City and the traveling circus allowed him to bring his curiosities to...
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 BaileyJames Anthony BaileyJames Anthony Bailey was the creator of the modern circus.-Biography:He was born James Anthony McGuiness in Detroit, Michigan. Orphaned at the age of eight, McGuinness was working as a bellhop in Pontiac, Michigan when he was discovered by Fred Harrison Bailey as a teenager...
(1891) - Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
Circus trains
Currently, the circus maintains two circus trainCircus train
A circus train is a modern method of conveyance for circus troupes. One of the larger users of circus trains is the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus , a famous American circus formed when the Ringling Brothers Circus purchased the Barnum and Bailey Circus in 1907.In 1872 the P.T...
-based shows, the Blue Tour and the Red Tour, as well as the truck-based Gold Tour (which began in 2004). Each train is a mile long with roughly 60 cars: 40 passenger cars and 20 freight. Rolling stock
Rolling stock
Rolling stock comprises all the vehicles that move on a railway. It usually includes both powered and unpowered vehicles, for example locomotives, railroad cars, coaches and wagons...
belonging to the circus bears the reporting mark
Reporting mark
A reporting mark is a two-, three-, or four-letter alphabetic code used to identify owners or lessees of rolling stock and other equipment used on the North American railroad network. The marks are stenciled on each piece of equipment, along with a one-to-six-digit number, which together uniquely...
"RBBX". The Blue and Red Tours present a full three-ring production for two years each (taking 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.
The 2009 139th edition Red Tour was entitled "Zing, Zang, Zoom." It featured illusions, including a disappearing elephant. However, the Red Tour will no longer feature Bello Nock
Bello Nock
Bello Nock , usually known simply as "Bello", is a clown performed by Demetrius Alexandro Claudio Amadeus Bello Nock. A performer for three years with the one-ring Big Apple Circus early in his career, he later joined the Ringling Bros...
. Although both are credited for production of the show, the Red Tour is mainly under the control of Kenneth Feld while his daughter Nicole controls the Blue Tour.
Animal care
The circus claims that the utmost 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, routine US Department of Agriculture Inspection Reports indicate 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
Center for Elephant Conservation
The Center for Elephant Conservation is a breeding farm and retirement facility for elephants in Florida, opened in 1995. The CEC is solely sponsored by Feld Entertainment, the holding company which owns Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus.-Role and location:The CEC is the largest...
in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
for the breeding, research, and retirement of its Asian Elephant
Asian Elephant
The Asian or Asiatic elephant is the only living species of the genus Elephas and distributed in Southeast Asia from India in the west to Borneo in the east. Three subspecies are recognized — Elephas maximus maximus from Sri Lanka, the Indian elephant or E. m. indicus from mainland Asia, and E. m....
herd. All dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
s in the shows are from animal shelter
Animal shelter
An animal shelter is a facility that houses homeless, lost, or abandoned animals; primarily a large variety of dogs and cats.Parrots, for example, are the third most common pet owned by people...
s or rescued from poor living conditions. The circus participates in breeding programs for endangered species used in the shows including the Bengal tiger
Bengal Tiger
The Bengal tiger is a tiger subspecies native to the Indian subcontinent that in 2010 has been classified as endangered by IUCN...
and elephant
Elephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
. The tiger population is retired to Big Cat Rescue.
Many animal welfare
Animal welfare
Animal welfare is the physical and psychological well-being of animals.The term animal welfare can also mean human concern for animal welfare or a position in a debate on animal ethics and animal rights...
and animal rights
Animal rights
Animal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings...
organizations, such as PETA
Peta
Peta can refer to:* peta-, an SI prefix denoting a factor of 1015* Peta, Greece, a town in Greece* Peta, the Pāli word for a Preta, or hungry ghost in Buddhism* Peta Wilson, an Australian actress and model* Peta Todd, English glamour model...
, 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
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
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. The USDA also investigated the death of Benjamin, a four-year-old Asian elephant who drowned in a pond in Texas.
In 2011, the circus agreed to pay a $270,000 fine for alleged violations of the Animal Welfare Act. This is the largest penalty ever assessed against an animal exhibitor under this legislation.
Timeline
- 1871 P. T. Barnum's "Grand Traveling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan & Hippodrome" created with William Cameron CoupWilliam Cameron CoupWilliam Cameron Coup was a Wisconsin businessman who partnered with P. T. Barnum and Dan Castello in 1871 to form the "P. T. Barnum’s Museum, Menagerie and Circus". Previously Barnum had a museum at a fixed location in New York City and the traveling circus allowed him to bring his curiosities to...
- 1875 (c.) James Anthony BaileyJames Anthony BaileyJames Anthony Bailey was the creator of the modern circus.-Biography:He was born James Anthony McGuiness in Detroit, Michigan. Orphaned at the age of eight, McGuinness was working as a bellhop in Pontiac, Michigan when he was discovered by Fred Harrison Bailey as a teenager...
starts his circus - 1881 James Anthony BaileyJames Anthony BaileyJames Anthony Bailey was the creator of the modern circus.-Biography:He was born James Anthony McGuiness in Detroit, Michigan. Orphaned at the age of eight, McGuinness was working as a bellhop in Pontiac, Michigan when he was discovered by Fred Harrison Bailey as a teenager...
and P.T. Barnum combine to form "Barnum and Bailey Circus" - 1884 John Nicholas Ringling starts Ringling Brothers CircusRingling Brothers CircusThe Ringling Brothers Circus was a circus founded in the United States in 1884 by five of the seven Ringling Brothers: Albert , August , Otto , Alfred T. , Charles , John , and Henry...
- 1891 Death of P. T. BarnumP. T. BarnumPhineas Taylor Barnum was an American showman, businessman, scam artist and entertainer, remembered for promoting celebrated hoaxes and for founding the circus that became the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus....
- 1891 James Anthony BaileyJames Anthony BaileyJames Anthony Bailey was the creator of the modern circus.-Biography:He was born James Anthony McGuiness in Detroit, Michigan. Orphaned at the age of eight, McGuinness was working as a bellhop in Pontiac, Michigan when he was discovered by Fred Harrison Bailey as a teenager...
buys Barnum assets from Barnum's widow - 1906 Death of James Anthony BaileyJames Anthony BaileyJames Anthony Bailey was the creator of the modern circus.-Biography:He was born James Anthony McGuiness in Detroit, Michigan. Orphaned at the age of eight, McGuinness was working as a bellhop in Pontiac, Michigan when he was discovered by Fred Harrison Bailey as a teenager...
- 1907 The Ringling Brothers CircusRingling Brothers CircusThe Ringling Brothers Circus was a circus founded in the United States in 1884 by five of the seven Ringling Brothers: Albert , August , Otto , Alfred T. , Charles , John , and Henry...
purchases the "Barnum and Bailey Circus" - 1919 John RinglingJohn RinglingJohn Nicholas Ringling now is the most well-known of the seven Ringling brothers, five of whom merged the Barnum & Bailey Circus with their own Ringling Brothers Circus to create a virtual monopoly of traveling circuses and helped shape the circus into what it is today.-Early circus life:John was...
merges the two into "Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus" - 1937 John Ringling NorthJohn Ringling NorthJohn Ringling North was the owner of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus from 1937 to 1943 and from 1947 to 1967. In 1967 he sold the circus to Irvin Feld.-Biography:...
takes control - 1943 John Ringling NorthJohn Ringling NorthJohn Ringling North was the owner of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus from 1937 to 1943 and from 1947 to 1967. In 1967 he sold the circus to Irvin Feld.-Biography:...
cedes control to his cousin, Robert - 1944 Hartford Circus FireHartford Circus FireThe Hartford Circus Fire, which occurred on July 6, 1944, in Hartford, Connecticut, was one of the worst fire disasters in the history of the United States...
- 1947 John Ringling NorthJohn Ringling NorthJohn Ringling North was the owner of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus from 1937 to 1943 and from 1947 to 1967. In 1967 he sold the circus to Irvin Feld.-Biography:...
takes control from his cousin, Robert - 1967 Irvin FeldIrvin FeldIrvin Feld was the head of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus and founder Feld Entertainment. He was a music promoter who is credited with discovering Paul Anka.-Biography:...
and Israel Feld and Roy M. Hofheinz buy the circus from the John Ringling NorthJohn Ringling NorthJohn Ringling North was the owner of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus from 1937 to 1943 and from 1947 to 1967. In 1967 he sold the circus to Irvin Feld.-Biography:... - 1971 Sold to MattelMattelMattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
- 1982 Irvin FeldIrvin FeldIrvin Feld was the head of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus and founder Feld Entertainment. He was a music promoter who is credited with discovering Paul Anka.-Biography:...
buys the Ringling Brothers-Barnum & Bailey Combined Shows Inc. from MattelMattelMattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from... - 1984 Kenneth FeldKenneth FeldKenneth Jeffrey Feld is the CEO of , which owns Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Disney on Ice!, and He is also the producer of several Broadway plays. The business was started by his father Irvin Feld and Ken became CEO upon his father's death in 1984. He has three daughters, two...
takes over after the death of his father, Irvin FeldIrvin FeldIrvin Feld was the head of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus and founder Feld Entertainment. He was a music promoter who is credited with discovering Paul Anka.-Biography:...
.
Ringmasters
| Year | Edition | Unit | Ringmaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1871–1878 | 1st–8th | P.T. Barnum | Dan Castello |
| 1879–1881 | 9th–11th | P.T. Barnum | James Cook |
| 1882–1883 | 12th–13th | Barnum & London | R. H. Dockrill |
| 1884–1889 | 14th–19th | Barnum & London | R. H. Dockrill |
| Ringling Bros. | Al Ringling | ||
| 1890–1891 | 20th–21st | Barnum & Bailey | William Ducrow |
| Ringling Bros. | Al Ringling | ||
| 1892–1894 | 22nd–24th | Barnum & Bailey | R. H. Dockrill |
| Ringling Bros. | Al Ringling | ||
| 1895 | 25th | Barnum & Bailey | John O'Brien |
| Ringling Bros. | Al Ringling | ||
| 1896–1902 | 26th–32nd | Barnum & Bailey | William Ducrow |
| Ringling Bros. | Al Ringling | ||
| 1903–1904 | 33rd–34th | Barnum & Bailey | Frank Melville |
| Ringling Bros. | Al Ringling | ||
| 1905 | 35th | Barnum & Bailey | R. H. Dockrill |
| Ringling Bros. | Al Ringling | ||
| 1906 | 36th | Barnum & Bailey | William Ducrow |
| Ringling Bros. | Al Ringling | ||
| 1907 | 37th | Barnum & Bailey | William Ducrow |
| Ringling Bros. | Al Ringling | ||
| 1908 | 38th | Barnum & Bailey | Edward Shipp |
| Ringling Bros. | Al Ringling | ||
| 1909 | 39th | Barnum & Bailey | Edward Shipp |
| Ringling Bros. | Al Ringling | ||
| 1910 | 40th | Barnum & Bailey | Edward Shipp |
| Ringling Bros. | William Gorman | ||
| 1911 | 41st | Barnum & Bailey | William Gorman |
| Ringling Bros. | Al Ringling | ||
| 1912 | 42nd | Barnum & Bailey | William Gorman |
| Ringling Bros. | Al Ringling | ||
| 1913–1915 | 43rd–45th | Barnum & Bailey | Fred Bradna |
| Ringling Bros. | Al Ringling | ||
| 1916–1918 | 46th–48th | Barnum & Bailey | Fred Bradna |
| Ringling Bros. | John Agee | ||
| 1919–1946 | 49th–76th | Fred Bradna | |
| 1947–1948 | 77th–78th | Arthur Springer | |
| 1949 | 79th | Harry Thomas | |
| 1950 | 80th | David Murphy | |
| 1951–1955 | 81st–85th | Count Nicholas | |
| 1956 | 86th | Preston Lambert | |
| 1957 | 87th | Harold Ronk | |
| 1958 | 88th | Don Forbes | |
| 1959 | 89th | George Michel | |
| 1960–1968 | 90th–98th | Harold Ronk | |
| 1969–1972 | 98th–102nd | Blue | Harold Ronk |
| Red | Bob Welz | ||
| 1973 | 102nd | Blue | Tim Holst |
| 103rd | Red | Bob Welz | |
| 1974 | 104th | Blue | Harold Ronk |
| 103rd | Red | Tim Holst | |
| 1975 | 104th | Blue | Harold Ronk |
| 105th | Red | Tim Holst | |
| 1976 | 106th | Blue | Harold Ronk |
| 105th | Red | Tim Holst | |
| 1977 | 106th | Blue | Bill Witter |
| 107th | Red | Kit Haskett | |
| 1978 | 108th | Blue | Harold Ronk |
| 107th | Red | Kit Haskett | |
| 1979 | 108th | Blue | Harold Ronk |
| 109th | Red | Kit Haskett | |
| 1980 | 110th | Blue | Harold Ronk |
| 109th | Red | Kit Haskett | |
| 1981 | 110th | Blue | Lawrence Kelly |
| 111th | Red | Kit Haskett | |
| 1982 | 112th | Blue | Dinny McGuire |
| 111th | Red | Kit Haskett | |
| 1983–1985 | 112th–115th | Blue | Jim Ragona |
| Red | Dinny McGuire | ||
| 1986 | 116th | Blue | Jim Ragona |
| 115th | Red | Kristopher Antekeier | |
| 1987 | 116th | Blue | Jim Ragona |
| 117th | Red | Kristopher Antekeier | |
| 1988–1994 | 118th–124th | Blue | Jim Ragona |
| Red | Eric Michael Gillett | ||
| 1995–1997 | 124th–127th | Blue | Dinny McGuire |
| Red | Eric Michael Gillett | ||
| 1998 | 128th | Blue | Jim Ragona First Latin Ring Master Spanish Shows Roberto Miquel |
| 127th | Red | Robert Tully Roberto Miquel |
|
| 1999 | 128th | Blue | Jim Ragona/David Alan Marshall Roberto Miquel |
| 129th | Red | Johnathan Lee Iverson Johnathan Lee Iverson Johnathan Lee Iverson became the first African-American ringmaster of a major U.S. circus in 1999 at the age of 22 when he won the position at Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus.-Biography:... Roberto Miquel |
|
| 2000 | 130th | Blue | Michael James McGowan Roberto Miquel |
| 129th | Red | Johnathan Lee Iverson Roberto Miquel |
|
| 2001 | 130th | Blue | Kevin Venardos Roberto Miquel |
| 131st | Red | Johnathan Lee Iverson Roberto Miquel |
|
| 2002 | 132nd | Blue | Kevin Venardos Roberto Miquel |
| 131st | Red | Johnathan Lee Iverson Roberto Miquel |
|
| 2003 | 132nd | Blue | Kevin Venardos Roberto Miquel |
| 133rd | Red | Johnathan Lee Iverson Roberto Miquel |
|
| 2004 | 134th | Blue | Kevin Venardos |
| 133rd | Red | Johnathan Lee Iverson Roberto Miquel |
|
| 2005 | 134th | Blue | Kevin Venardos |
| 135th | Red | Tyron McFarlan | |
| 2006 | 136th | Blue | Chuck Wagner Chuck Wagner Chuck Wagner is an American actor, Director, Musical Theatre Historian, and Teacher.-Education and early career:Wagner was born in Nashville, Tennessee, and raised in Hartsville, Tennessee. He attended public school in Gallatin, TN... |
| 135th | Red | Tyron McFarlan | |
| 2007 | 136th | Blue | Chuck Wagner |
| 137th | Red | Tyron McFarlan | |
| 2008 | 138th | Blue | Chuck Wagner |
| 137th | Red | Tyron McFarlan | |
| 2009 | 138th | Blue | Chuck Wagner |
| 139th | Red | Alex Ramon | |
| 2010 | 140th | Blue | Johnathan Lee Iverson |
| 139th | Red | Alex Ramon | |
| 2011 | 140th | Blue | Johnathan Lee Iverson |
| 141st | Red | Brian Crawford Scott | |
| 2012 | 142nd | Blue | Johnathan Lee Iverson |
| 141st | Red | Brian Crawford Scott |
Gold Unit ringmasters
| Year | Ringmaster |
|---|---|
| 2004 | Ted McRae |
| 2005 | Ted McRae & Lilian Escobar |
| 2006 | Lilian Escobar |
| 2007 | Lilian Escobar |
| 2008 | N/A |
| 2009 | N/A |
| 2010 | David DaVinci |
| 2011 | David DaVinci |
| 2012 | TBA |
See also
- Barnum's KaleidoscapeBarnum's KaleidoscapeBarnum's Kaleidoscape was an American circus staged by Feld Entertainment, the owners of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, at a start-up cost of $10 million...
- William Washington ColeWilliam Washington ColeWilliam Washington Cole , was part owner of the Barnum & Bailey Circus, when he died he left an estate in excess of $5,000,000.-References:...
, a Barnum and Bailey business partner - Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College
- The Greatest Show on EarthThe Greatest Show on EarthThe Greatest Show on Earth is a 1952 drama film set in the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. The film was produced, directed, and narrated by Cecil B. DeMille, and won the Academy Award for Best Picture...
External links
- Circus World Museum
- Feld Entertainment
- Karl King Page Barnum and Bailey Circus Bandmaster — Wrote much music for the circus, including Barnum and Bailey's Favorite.
- Research Guide to The Hartford Circus Fire, July 6, 1944