Advertising Paper

 

Before the internet, before television, even before radio, the Ringling Brothers Circus (as with all circuses) faced the monumental task of advertising their imminent arrival in a town.  This job was made all the more difficult by the fact that, at the time, unless it was a large metropolitan area, the circus would only be in town for a day.

Selling a product that was only available for one day meant getting across a clear and enticing message informing potential customers of the most important facts:  What?  When? and Why?  The circus would generally spend more on its advertising than on any other single part of its operating costs.

Show posters, aka paper, were brightly colored, beautiful artwork, with amazing subjects which sparked an excitement that would build until the arrival of the show.  From their initial design to the way in which they were hung all over town, circus posters were intended to make certain no one could fail to know that the circus was coming.  Printing and lithographic services were provided by both the Courier Company and Strobridge Lithographing Company.

Press agents were assigned the newspaper advertising.  Usually ex-newspapermen whose familiarity with the business enables them to reach the readers of the principal papers with the announcements of the show's arrival.  The position of press agent is one requiring rare skill, judgment, discretion, and business capacity, as well as an able command of the powers of descriptive writing.

Harold Alzana, the Incomparable and His Astounding Troupe

 

From the late 1940s to the 1960s, Harold Alzana was a HUGE star for the Ringling Bros Barnum & Bailey Circus.  He was a daredevil who performed on the high wire without a balancing pole!  Harold also worked at high speed which differed from prior high wire stars such as the Wallendas known for a slow, steady, careful approach.  

                                           1948 Design                                                             1947 Design

Born in Maltby, a mining town outside Sheffield, England.  His father, a coal miner and amateur acrobat installed a backyard wire and began training his children on the art.  By age 6, Harold was debuting in local fairs and festivals. SIX!

1949

Harold worked in the coal mines and in 1941 married his girl Minnie.

At the conclusion of WWII, Harold decided to try his luck in the circus.  Billed as The Sensational Alzanas, Harold would cross the wire on a bicycle with his sisters Hilda and Elsie hanging from a trapeze suspended below. After working a number of seasons, the act was discovered by Ringling and moved to America in 1947.

      

The act was a huge succes!

Harold started the act by climbing a wire at a 45 degree angle up to his platform, as noted, without a balancing pole.  Check out the video on Circopedia.  Cool stuff.

His various wire crossings with his sisters were interspersed with his fast-paced solos, high-speed rope skipping, and carefully performed 'near misses' on the wire. No pole.  No safety device.  And the audiences could Not. Get. Enough.

 
1946 design

Without devices for safety or balance, when an accident happened.  Not good.  One such accident included a 40 foot fall with his sister Hilda, whereby both were injured.  

You can literally see them hanging from the wire.  Frightening!

Miami FL, 1947

Evenutally the sisters retired from the act

 but Harold continued on with great solo success.

1948 design and costumes

The daredevil performed publically into the 1970s before retiring...at which time Harold again had a wire installed in his backyard... and continued to perform privately into his 80s!  

Harold passed away in 2001 as one of the greatest high wire performers of all times.  

Thank you!