Two Sisters

Just two sisters.  Hanging out.  Doing what two sisters do.  Not at all!

The Chaludis Troupe

1950 Lucia and Gerda Muller

Oh the Chaludis Troupe!  I am so intrigued by these two ladies.  How did this act come about?  How did they know this was a thing?  How do they start it?  How do they 'dismount'? Yet again to be a fly on the wall of history to watch these two in person.  

The Chaudis came to the United States to work for the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1950.  They performed with RBBB only three years until 1953.  At which time they returned to Germany for two years performing with the Circus Grock.  In 1955 again they returned to the U.S. as part of the Western Unit of the Polack Bros.' Circus. 

The sisters performed a bicycle routine with Karl Schwarzbauer Jr. and Karl Schwarzbauer Sr.

The Chaludis, (left to right) Karl Schwarzbauer Jr., Lucia Muller, Gerda Muller, Karl Schwarzbauer Sr.  'A very excellent bicycle act' July 16, 1950.

1951 Look how beautiful they are!

Billed as the Cycling Chaludis in 1951 with 'Amazing Achievements Awheel' and as 'Amazingly Clever Artists'.  

I might have posted this photo on the prior bicycle blog.  But it is TOO GOOD to not post again.  Wow.  I bike.  But would never in a million years think to do this.  Cudos.

1951 Costume designs for their act.  Cool!

Proving every circus performer wore many hats, the lovely 

Gerda Muller participates in the 1952 spec.

1952 Lucy and Dita with the Schwarzbauers

In 1952, Cecil B. DeMille's The Greatest Show on Earth premiered.  You bet.  The Chaludis made the cut!  Incidentally, Dita Chaludis doing the headstand also doubled for Betty Hutton.  She did the distant shots doing the headstand on the trapeze and also the chair balancing. Since she wasn't an aerialist she had a safety wire on which is evident when the chair slips and she falls sideways.  

  

If you haven't seen the movie (then do it!), the movie follows the dramatic lives of trapeze artists, a clown and an elephant trainer against the background of circus spectacle.  

About 1:19 seconds into this video, the Chaludis!  

On a ladder.  Twirling a baton with her feet!

    

Passers-by stop and stare as circus performer Lucia Muller walks along the pavement at Hammersmith Broadway carrying her sister Gerda on her head, 21st January 1953.  Can you imagine!  Can you even!?  I would die. 

During 1956 the Chaludis were with the Orrin Davenport Circus thru May.  

Their contract to to play fairs for Barnes-Carruthers was cancelled due to Lucia Muller's critical illness.  The sisters flew back to Kiel, Germany on July 13th where Lucia passed away on October 14, 1956.  She was only 29 years old.  29.  Sigh.

Lucia was survived by sister Gerta and a second sister, Alice who planned to join the act.   

Thank you for all you did.