Jim Parker was a member of the Circus
Historical Society, Inc. His massive collection of circusiana
contains over 6,000 circus photos and 500 clown photos.
Below
are a few collected facts to provide a brief history of the circus.
You may also click on a binder to jump to a specific year.
circa 2500 B.C.E.
Pygmy clown known to perform for the Pharaoh of Egypt’s court.
top circa
1800 B.C.E.
Court jesters noted performing in China.
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circa
1500 C.E.
Commedia del Arte began in Italy "comedy of professional
artists."
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circa 1520 C.E.
Aztec court jesters found by Cortez during his conquest.
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Late
1500’s
William Kemp and Robert Armin performed
as clowns for Shakespeare’s
Globe Theatre.
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Robert Armin wrote books on court
jesters including Phantasma, which subsequently became one of the
earliest histories of clowning.
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Late
1600’s
The emergence of the whiteface clown
in modern settings. (other sources contradict that the whiteface
clown has been said to date as far back as Greek antiquity)
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1768
Philip
Astley is noted for creating the first circus in England.
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1805
Joseph
Grimaldi introduced himself as the clown “Joey”...
and is noted as being the “first true circus clown.”
Joseph is known as “the father of modern clowning.”
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Early
1800’s
George
L. Fox introduced Grimaldi's style of slapstick comedy to the
American stage. The Humpty Dumpty character
on Broadway is also attributed to him.
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1810
P.T.
Barnum born.
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1858
Amelia
Butler is attributed as being the first female American clown
while touring with Nixon's Great American Circus.
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1870
P.T.
Barnum's Grand Traveling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan, and Circus.
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1874
James McIntyre and Tom Heath are noted for creating the first tramp
clown character.
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1881
Barnum joined with James
Bailey.
1888
"Barnum
& Bailey Greatest Show On Earth" first toured America.
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Late
1800’s
Dan
Rice’s clown, some claim as once being the highest paid
person in America, surfaced with patriotic wardrobe. Rice was known
for his political humor.
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1907
The Ringlings
finally purchased their largest competitor -- Barnum & Bailey
Circus.
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1968
Irvin Feld founded Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown
College.
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1960s-1970s
Bob Bell and Roy Brown, Bozo and Cooky respectively, performed on
“Bozo’s
Circus” and “The Bozo Show.”
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1970
Bob Bell, (Bozo
the Clown) received an Emmy award.
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1984
Cirque
du Soleil formed.
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1987
International
Clown Hall of Fame (CHOF) formed.
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1992
Roy Brown, (Cooky the Cook) also received an Emmy award for his
clown character.
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2003
40 million people have seen the Cirque
du Soleil since its inception.
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