Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus was an American circus company billed as The Greatest Show on Earth. Founded through the 1919 merger of the Ringling Bros. Circus and Barnum & Bailey Circus, it dominated American big top entertainment for nearly a century. Owned and operated by Feld Entertainment, the spectacle featured a vast array of international performers, exotic animals, and colossal productions that traveled via its own dedicated railroad network.

History

The origins of the combined entity trace back to two distinct 19th-century shows. P. T. Barnum and James A. Bailey merged their operations in 1881 to form the Barnum & Bailey Circus, which toured extensively in Europe. Concurrently, the five Ringling brothers began their midwestern tent show in Baraboo, Wisconsin. Following Bailey's death, the Ringling family purchased the Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1907, running the two circuses separately until merging them in 1919. The combined show established its winter quarters in Venice, Florida, later moving to Palmetto, Florida. In 1967, the circus was sold to Irvin Feld and his partners, with operational control fully passing to Feld Entertainment.

Acts and attractions

The circus was renowned for its diverse and spectacular acts, which included internationally famous clowns like Lou Jacobs and his tiny car, and the revered Emmett Kelly. Daring high-wire and trapeze artists, such as the Flying Concellos, performed without safety nets. For decades, a major draw was its menagerie of exotic animals, featuring performers like Gunther Gebel-Williams with big cats and a celebrated herd of Asian elephants. The production also included elaborate parades, calliope music, and sideshow oddities, maintaining the traditions of the American circus.

The Greatest Show on Earth

The moniker "The Greatest Show on Earth" was originally coined by P. T. Barnum and became the official title of the merged circus. This branding was central to its identity, promising an unparalleled scale of entertainment. The show's logistics were monumental, requiring a massive private railroad fleet to transport personnel, animals, and equipment between cities. This title was also used for the 1952 Academy Award-winning film *The Greatest Show on Earth*, directed by Cecil B. DeMille and starring Betty Hutton and Charlton Heston, which further cemented the circus in the national consciousness.

Closure and revival

Facing declining attendance, changing public attitudes toward animal rights, and high operating costs, Feld Entertainment retired the iconic Asian elephants from the show in 2016. Subsequently, in January 2017, the company announced the closure of the entire production, with the final performance held at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York on May 21, 2017. After a six-year hiatus, Feld Entertainment announced a revival of the circus, reimagined without animal acts. The new iteration, titled "The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey", debuted in September 2023.

Cultural impact and legacy

The circus left an indelible mark on American culture, symbolizing grand-scale family entertainment for generations. Its influence extended to Broadway, film, and television. The Ringling family legacy is preserved at The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota, Florida. While its treatment of animals became a focal point for activists like PETA, its historical significance is documented in institutions such as the Circus World Museum in Baraboo, Wisconsin. The circus remains a powerful archetype in the nation's collective memory.

Category:Circuses Category:Defunct circuses Category:Entertainment companies of the United States