The Sub-Culture of the American Circuses of the Early 20th Century

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Table of Contents

Introduction
The first circus in America; the Ricketts circus, 1793-1800
The 1906 – 1940 circus
Conclusion
References

If there has ever been an endearing and popular form of entertainment that has stood the test of time to remain significant in a world where cutthroat competition is the order of the day, it is the circus. However, the role of the American circus in shaping the history and culture of America is often sidelined. The circus in America (2004), gives a detailed survey of the history of the American circus indicates that “the history of the circus is in many ways a microcosm of the history of America”

During the 20th century, it is said that the American circus was comparable to many things in terms of time, place, and geography. For starters, all the other entertainment activities that conformed to similar ways of entertainment are considered as parallels and competent competitors of the American circus. In addition to that, all the other circuses circulating around the world are considered to have been a great threat to the American circus, since they exposed it to various different challenges in different forms, for instance, certain activities were viewed as a threat to the power and stronghold of the American circus. Also considering the American circus of a different time period also serves as a parallel of the 20th-century circus of America.

The circus has been instrumental in the shaping of fascinatingly democratic public entertainment. An American studies professor at the University of Texas states that the circus has had a significant cultural impact, particularly the railroad circus and it evolved to be a powerful and significant cultural icon in American history. She further indicated that the circus was representative of the gender and racial mix that is characteristic of the America of today and illustrates the precedent that determined America’s emergence of global power. However, Davis further emphasizes the importance of a comprehensive analysis of the circus subculture in lieu of a larger context as opposed to the confinement of social institutions (Davis, 2004).

Circus freaks were rare human occurrences as per the times. For example, a Sumatran woman covered with long flowing hair was considered to be the missing link between humans and a gorilla! This was probably because by then the aberration in humans had not been scientifically explained and when science finally did explain, it was apparent to the showmen that there were even more physical abnormalities and were by far nothing special. While this was dehumanizing, it had the upside of creating employment for someone who would have otherwise been unemployed. This trend is often seen in modern America, with many taking employment positions, especially within the entertainment circles because of their special qualities.

Introduction

The first circuses of the world were in Rome and involved pachyderms and chariot racing. They also involved entertainment from strong athletes who performed acrobatic feats, daring equestrians, and animal duels that left the Roman audiences in awe and demanding more. However, the dark ages befell Europe, and so, the circus was soon forgotten. Groups of moving performers kept the fire of the circus burning in the hearts of the populace. When the circus arrived in America, it was well received and by the onset of the 20th century, there were well over 100 circuses spread all over America, with each having an estimated 12, 000 crowd at every single performance.

Among the admirers of the moving performers in Europe was a British cavalryman by the name of Philip Astley. Astley has been credited for the invention of the modern-day circus and is known as the father of the modern-day circus. His fascination quickly turned from an observatory position into an insatiable obsession to learn more skills and in no time, Astley could stand on the back of a moving horse. He was capable of putting up outstanding shows by mixing comedy, acts of physical prowess, and danger, all improved by music. His performances were inside a shed that had several seats placed within, which predetermined the direction of seated audiences circuses. Soon, Astley incorporated rope dancing, tumbling, and juggling to the round performance set up, which were the precedent for the future of the circus. His trademark act was called the tailor riding to Brentford (Circus in America, 2004). Astley quickly learned the ropes of effective advertising and soon, what had begun as a one-man show gained popularity and grew to include had a highly skilled cast (Circus history, 1996). Although Astley never set foot on American soil, his mastery of skill, thrill, and danger preceded him.

The first circus in America; the Ricketts circus, 1793-1800

During Astley’s reign, there was hardly any competition. However, Charles Hughes presented a potential challenge because of his reputation as a masterful riding instructor. Among his students was a man called John Bill Ricketts. Ricketts has been credited for the introduction of the circus to America and the subsequent introduction of equestrian acts to the American circus. Ricketts was an exceptionally gifted horseman who performed for several dignitaries including George Washington. He set up a riding school in Philadelphia and was often referred to as the “performing great feats of horsemanship”. Ricketts took the circus to many American towns and masses were drawn for his comic dances and rare horseback riding. Although he eventually succumbed to serious financial woes, his influence on the American circus and by extension, the future of American culture and entertainment was nothing short of remarkable. In fact, future circus icons such as the Ringling brothers, the cirque de Soleil, and Barnum and Bailey credited much of their own success to the president set by John Bill Ricketts.

Following the end of the 1812 war, the traditional equestrian-themed circus was done away with in favor of the rolling shows which set up tents in villages. In fact, this set the tone for circuses because to this date, tented circuses are the order of the day (Circus history, 1996).

The 1906 – 1940 circus

The great seasons of the American circus had finally reached their turnaround point because of the economic, social, and technological changes that were underway. The circus also faced a death knell because of the subsequent world wars, the San Francisco earthquake, the rise of the National Association for Advancement of Colored People, the Spanish Influenza, the famous transatlantic flight by Charles Lindberg among others.

By 1911, the growth of circuses in America was exponential. The Ringling bros. circus for example conducted tours all over America with over a hundred cars and ported massive tents that could accommodate over ten thousand spectators at any given show. It was required that extensive land of up to fourteen acres be needed for the occupation of all the people, animals, and equipment (Circus in America, 2004).

By 1905, Bailey was in a position to fully acquire the Adam Forepaugh and Sell bros. circus. He later sold it at a profit to the Ringling Bros. Bailey has gone down history as the greatest, most efficient, and generous circus manager of all time, and his death in 1906 was felt in the circus community. The Ringling bros. were now the most significant and popular circus owners and by 1907, they had amassed the necessary wealth to enable their absolute acquisition of the Barnum and Bailey circus. They decided to run the two units separately though centrally managed up until 1919 when they merged the two circuses into one (Circus in America, 2004).

By 1927, the circus popularity had waned significantly. The Jazz Singer, a complex and intriguing form of entertainment was introduced to the population and they were a hit. This was probably the population had become so accustomed to the circus and they longed for a change. In fact, the physical presence of the circus began to disappear, “By the 1920s its physical presence began to diminish. The morning street parade … disappeared at the big railroad outfits. The ethnological congress and up-to-date spectacles of recent foreign events also vanished. By the 1930s audience numbers were … in decline. Urban development and the rise of the suburbs pushed the show grounds away from the vicinity of the rail yards…. But more significantly, the circus no longer had a monopoly on novelty or current events. Movies [and] radio … provided audiences with compelling and immediate images that displaced the circus as an important source of information about the world” (Davis, 2002, page 228-229). The blow that finally broke the camel’s back was the Great depression’s onset and the circuses found themselves with no audiences to entertain.

The last surviving Ringling brother did not manage to secure a long-standing contract in1929 and in a desperate attempt to salve matter, he hastily purchased the American Circus Corporation for around $ 2 million through a loan. While this move made him king, literary, of the circus, it was a poor strategic move because, by 1931, he was officially bankrupt. Ringling was not the only affected party; most circuses had folded their tents and in 1933, merely three moving circuses remained. Furthermore, the rapid urban growth that was been seen across American limited the space available for tent erections. Street carnivals and parades were no longer considered practical because of the fast pace of urban life. Movies and theatre performances seemed cost-effective as a form of entertainment (Circus in America, 2004).

However, no real break was foreseeable for the circus entertainers. In an attempt to save face, two nephews of the Ringling brothers, John and Henry Ringling North, took the reigns of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey and called it the big one. The only thing that helped to make a complete turnaround was Gargantua the great, a disfigured African gorilla. So popular was Gargantua that the circus, in general, gained its earlier glory and so the Ringling circus was free of the deep financial troubled that it had faced right before its closure. However, the American circus was never able to fully revive itself from the glaring effects of the depression. It was no longer appealing for the masses to attend performances by roaming circuses. In fact, there were hardly any going around anyway.

To add insult to injury the Second World War began in earnest in 1940 and this meant that the nation had to undergo social, industrial, and technological revolutions. Despite all these challenges, the circus somehow managed to appeal to a small demographic; children, who as a result, the circus’ preeminence as one of America’s longstanding forms of entertainment was maintained (Circus in America, 2008).

John North was an exceptional leader because he saved the show from ruin. He fired all older timers from the show, because he felt they were not in tune with the demands of the day. He instead hired new Hollywood types who embraced roughshod over monotonous traditions. He also hired a specialist who assisted in the revamped the show and by 1939, the show’s reputation as new and rejuvenated was unmatched. It was under his stewardship did circuses begin to use follow spots to illuminate aerial acts. In 1940, Max Weldy, a famed French costumed designer was contracted at a cost of $80, 000 for the recreation of Marco Polo’s return (Circus in America, 2008).

There is the debate that suggests hat there was an unapologetic and fascinatingly defiant subculture that surrounded the American circus, one of which was extreme exploitation and even human rights abuses. It was not uncommon too hereof performances by children, whose prideful looks during a performance would result in the assumption that they were best suited for the occupations that had been so wrongly imposed on them.

In retrospect, the popularity of circuses, with all their aberrations, comes across as misplaced within a politically correct 21st century. Animal performances, objectification of the women folk and abject racism against colored individuals that was characteristic of circus communities were simply unbelievable and extremely distasteful.

Russian circuses were officially nationalized in 1919 after the Russian government realized the importance of circuses and their great potential as a lucrative business and ideology carrier. In essence there was a fundamental difference between circuses in America and the Russian ones in relation to the endorsement issue. This government endorsement greatly influenced the Russian circuses in the 20th century, making them a popular source of entertainment. History claims that in order to further enhance the performances of these Russian circuses the state university of circus and variety Arts was established. Its main aim was to train the performers thoroughly. On the other hand, American circuses remained privately owned. This in turn became one of the basic causes of American circuses’ decline, due to the inability to survive the financial loses by the private owners. American circus enhanced unity and oneness among people. Circus is said to be an activity involving human beings, making it directly coalesced with society. People would meet and make lasting friendships through circuses. It also enhanced cultures through dialogues and dressing used by performers. These cultures inspire attributes that directly influence the audience on non-native origins, as the circuses for different corners of the world. A good example is the Russian circuses that incorporated their ideologies in their circuses massively. These ideologies were not addressed but implied in a very subtle fashion as the Russian circuses traveled to the western countries during the cold war era.

Australian circuses are said to have similar aspects to American circuses. These similarities are said to have come about due to the many tours to Australia in the 19th century. They show the same origins and inspirations.., Mark st Leon believes that the main inspiration for the American and Australian circuses were Astley Amphitheatre in London. However the American circuses grew a great deal and further influenced the Australian circuses. They are said to have shown a great trend inspired by the American circuses.

Many circuses from America toured almost all the major Australian cities thereby leaving foundations for the native circus. These processes were further enhanced by visits of Australian circuses like Melville’s Australian circus to the USA during the same period of time. The Russians used animals for entertainment. The French and German too controversially many American circuses are moving away from the Animal use in their performances. Their slogan is “we are animal-free” [American circus, 2008).

American circus was able to influence the American culture greatly, during the 20th century. It was able to impart some changes to the changing patterns of the country. For instance Tattoos are considered as one of the attributive practices of the united states [in the flow of various cultural arts]. But many researchers and historians differ that the art of tattoo making on the body, was introduced in the United States of America through circuses. If traced, the early history of tattoos, we discover that the European circus displayed a Polynesian boy with a tattooed body for the first time in circuses 1691 [Tattoo Archive, 2003].

Consequently James O’ Connell may have been the first tattooed man to be exhibited in the united states of America in the mid-1930s. Having been tattooed by friendly natives and shipwrecked around 1829 in Micronesia, O’Connell was married off to one of the chiefs’ daughters. He returned to America onboard and is said to have started earlier in a circus that lasted for twenty years. Forty years later, Irene commonly known as La belle” an American tattooed woman arrived on the scene, being the first and only tattooed woman ever- it is believed that James O’Reilly and Charles Wagner tattooed her. After being a rare attraction for a number of years, Irene passed away in 1951 in Philadelphia being 63 years old (Tattoo archive, 2003).

As the circus people toured various ends of the world, they were able to learn new and various sets of knowledge and also acquire cultural ways from all over the world. As they returned not only did they transfer cultural traces from various parts of the world but participated as representatives of the American people in the other parts of the world thereby increasing exposure of those people. [a pictorial history of the American circus by Durant]. It is said that America grew from wagons to trucks to trains due to exposure. Circus continues to reward innovation and creativity.

Not only did the circus provide entertainment but also a source of knowledge. Through circus people got to know whatever developments were happening in other parts of the world. For instance transportation and communication advancements had been made but had not been accessed by many people especially those in villages and smaller towns. This gave the people a chance to be on par with current developments.

Language is an aspect that cannot be overlooked in the American circus. Slang was created and nurtured in different parts of the world and they are only limited to the natives where they are shared and understood. Different slang from different parts and organizations were collected by circus people as they traveled from place to place. This enabled people to learn other people’s slang thus enhancing interaction. In addition American circuses too, being an organization, created their own slang, basically meant to be used among participants of the circus. These slangs were fed to the community loading to conformity even to the society today. For instance Alfalfa (paper money) is said to have originated from circus people.

In relation to this American circuses developed in such a way that even after being the preceding successors of the long standing American circuses taking place in China and Britain, the American circus originated certain attributes which distinguished it from other circuses. Although athlete and animal participation was the prolongation of the traditional circus practices, the inoculation of the song and dance in the American circus was something very new to their counterparts. One similarity between American and European circuses is that during the early years of 20th century both the circuses were traveling far and wide across the globe to arrange the shows so that they could capture an audience and thus translating to big profits from a broader market [Circus in America, 2008). Entities like television, radios and theme parks are believed to have been the major competitors of the American circus. Early counterparts did not greatly influence the audiences of the American circus to a great deal because the stage shows &mistress lacked the spirit of the circuses in terms of the electric items, participants and colors even after being very powerful. All in all competitors of the early 20th century provided almost all the entertaining features of the circuses. Although radios only provided audios entertainment, television did provide both audio and visual entertainment. Both TVs and circuses had many things in common. For instance, the interest of both the young and adults, availability of graphic and visual entertainment and exposure of the audience to the trends and cultures of the other parts of the world. The added advantage of the television is that it did not involve much physical cost and it made entertainment available at the doorstep. Precisely a good number of animals were captured and either exhibited or farmed to perform for audiences. In the 1960s and 1970’s the circus began to loose many of its activities because of individuals and groups interested in animal rights who advocated for alternative forms of entertainment. Consequently, circuses such as the circus Nauveau emerged which is a performing arts movement in France that uses physical theatre aspects of circus to tell a story; there are typically no animals used in this type of circus. The presence of wild animals in the circus created insecurity in the public. Though the animals were famed, they are always wild and when set free during performances they could easily cause harm to the spectators. Another pending issue was that many different Animal Welfare organizations were quickly emerging and they advocated against the captivity of wild animals. The circuses didn’t want to take the risk of spoiling their reputation by having animal performance. Also the loss of necessity to fame and keep animals. The once erotic and rare animals were no longer rare but common in televisions and zoos in every city of America. They no longer acted as attention drawers to circuses.

The circus has often been scrutinized for its questionable provision of visceral and vibrant art that rhymed with the cultural eras. The individual exhibits and acts, such as nude women plastered in paint and statue women have gone against the call of women to be treated as human beings as opposed to mere sexual beings. Davis (2002) insists that the circus has “helped catapult a nation of loosely connected islands into a modern nation-state with an increasingly shared national culture”. This is the unfortunate state of affairs today. Since the time that it was openly acknowledged that sex does in deed sell, entertainers across the board have gone out of their way to bombard audiences with sex-affiliated images. Turn on any television set and you will see music videos and holly wood movies objectifying women. Las Vegas, the gambling capital of the world has throngs of women using their sex appeal to attract party goers.

Conclusion

No single phenomenon that involves human beings as its participants is devoid of the traces left by human society. This is the case with circuses. The introduction of literature and the latest music in the American circus proves that the circus itself was influenced by the surroundings. It is basically due to the development of the society around that the circuses in America developed the latest attractions for the spectators thereby showing the signs of being influenced by the society. Consequently, the reason why women did not participate in the American circus in the early 20th century is because of the social stereotypes prevailing in the past. American circuses are to have been the trend setters of many developments to come.

American circus also influenced the coming up of clowning school. The downing profession was accepted as art after the world war in 1918. Realizing the grave importance and role of clowns, established American circuses like Ringing Brothers and Barnum and Bailey circus not only employed people from within the United States but also hired talented people from across the globe to fill vacancies of clowns in their circuses.

The growth and the evolution of the American circus were highly representative of the growth of American society in general. A circus is a form of representation of the creativity and innovation that is synonymous with American today. The circus demonstrated a capitalistic and independent flair that reflected on the good spirit of America as a society. The circus has been around for centuries, and continues to entertain and captivate the hearts of the audiences and will continue to do so while propagating its change and growth in life with the human spirit. The circus’ influence on the future of business in America was historical because it defined American particularly along cultural lines. It casted an unforgettable influence on the direction of the definition of the American society as a modernized industrial society and more so, as a world power. By rare and effective incorporation of varying elements of race, gender and forceful nationhood, the circus successfully highlighted the rapid change of the world to both rural and urban audiences. It is indisputable that the circus has had a significant impact on the American culture and this impact continues to resonate through the prevailing race and gender representations.

References

Academy of performing Arts in clowning (2008). History 1900s.

American circus (1793-1993) Tatoo Achive.

Circus in America (2008). Timelines.

Circus history Greus web (2008). Circus History. Web.

Davis Jamel (2002). The Circus Age: Culture and Society under the American Big Top. The University of North Carolina Press.

History Magazine (2008). Circuses.

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