Featured Old Circus Photos & Films

On PBS, part one linked here. I attended a circus one time. Otherwise my knowledge of the circus is nil. I’d never seen old photos of the Circus, but I’ve probably seen every Civil War photo that’s been published. So I enjoyed this program, first part anyway, haven’t had time to catch the rest.

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/circus-part-1-chapter-1/

 

I recorded it last night. The promos looked very interesting.

 

I watched; an interesting show.

 

Nice. I found a bunch (over 100) of old 1940's Ringling Brothers photos once, including many H.A. Atwell Studio photos. They belonged to one of the female aerial performers originally.
I wish I would have never sold them.

 

I watched some of the PBS show last night. Interesting.

 

Finally finished watching last night. The whole thing was quite an education. But the most amazing thing I learned? Zippy the Pinhead (cartoon character) was based on a real person from the circus sideshow!

 

yup. I recall the last line in the bit on Zippy-at the end of his career, or end of whatever, he remarked to the boss “Well we fooled ‘em for a long time, didn’t we?”

 

Yup - death bed I think the script said. And the irony? His sideshow persona was a mute.