# How to run away and join the circus in 10 easy steps



## Meanderer

"First spend months bumming around on the beach, then get serious and go to circus school".  -  10 Easy Steps


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## jujube

I always wanted to run away and join the circus and now it's too late.....the circus is gone.

My grandfather was a side-show performer back in the 1920's, so it's in my blood.  At the rate I'm going, I could aspire to be the Fat Lady.....


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## Meanderer

jujube said:


> I always wanted to run away and join the circus and now it's too late.....the circus is gone.
> 
> My grandfather was a side-show performer back in the 1920's, so it's in my blood.  At the rate I'm going, I could aspire to be the Fat Lady.....


The Circus ran away first and beat us to it, Jujube!  nthego:


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## Meanderer




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## Wren




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## Aunt Bea




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## Meanderer

Aunt Bea said:


>


HA, HA!  The perfect song, Bea, and a pleasant surprise!   I haven't heard that one in ages!  Thanks!


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## IKE

Not a circus but at around age 14 I traveled around the state of Wisconsin with a small carnival for a few months one spring and summer as a general laborer.......small wage and I slept in a tent bunkhouse. 

Most 'carnies' are fairly descent people but you do have that element that are rough and on the run for one reason or another but at 14 I was pretty much an adult in my thinking and size and never got messed with.

I remember to save some of my wage I made friends with the fellas that ran the hot dog and cotton candy booth and ate for free most of the time......I still like the occasional hot dog but even the smell or thought of cotton candy now makes me about 1/2 way sick to my stomach.


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## Pappy




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## Wren




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## RadishRose

This Saturday Circus show called The Big Top was popular on the east coast. Anybody remember it? So nostalgic. But, when I got to see a real circus, I wasn't crazy about it.


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## CeeCee

Anybody have one one of these?


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## Aunt Bea

The Sig Sautelle Circus traveled along the Erie Canal on two canal boats and eventually became a railroad circus.

Sautelle had this building in Homer NY that served as his home and Circus training center, when I was growing up the building was being used as a coffee shop and bakery.






This is a great link for Circus folks!

[video]http://www.circusesandsideshows.com/circuses/sigsautellecircus.html[/video]


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## Pappy




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## Aunt Bea




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## NancyNGA

CeeCee said:


> View attachment 41271
> 
> Anybody have one one of these?


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## Meanderer




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## jujube

CeeCee said:


> View attachment 41271
> 
> Anybody have one one of these?



Yes, indeed......his name was Phideaux.   He and his circus slept at the end of my bed.


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## jujube

There was a man who came around every year or two who had the most elaborate miniature circus and sideshow known to mankind.  It took days to set up and covered a huge area.  The detail was absolutely amazing.  He had made everything himself and it took him years to complete.   He charged a very small admission fee, so he must have been doing it for love as I can't believe he made much of a living on it.  I loved going to see it; it was always set up in the exhibit room on the top floor of one of the big department stores in town.


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## Meanderer

jujube said:


> There was a man who came around every year or two who had the most elaborate miniature circus and sideshow known to mankind.  It took days to set up and covered a huge area.  The detail was absolutely amazing.  He had made everything himself and it took him years to complete.   He charged a very small admission fee, so he must have been doing it for love as I can't believe he made much of a living on it.  I loved going to see it; it was always set up in the exhibit room on the top floor of one of the big department stores in town.


Is this it?
Joe's circus was set up in the basement of a local Beloit, WI department store





or the Clyde Parke Miniature Circus.?

or replica of a circus, created by Harold Dunn and displayed at the Hieronymus department store in Roanoke, Va., to promote the upcoming Dunn Brothers Circus show?(Video)


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## jujube

I'm going to say that third one looks the most familiar.   I just remember being blown away as a kid.

My grandparents took me to every circus that came to town.  Grandma and Grandpa took off on the circus side show circuit when my dad was two years old and traveled around until he was about three and a half.  Grandpa did an "electric man" act and my grandma was his pretty assistant.  He lit up various electric bulbs in his hands and, as a finale, stuck his tongue out and lit a kerosene-soaked torch with a spark that jumped from his tongue to the torch.  One time his other assistant turned the electricity up too high in the little platform he stood upon and it blew him several feet away.  I wish I had a picture of him from those days.


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## Greyson

This is the Circus poster that inspired Lennon's lyrics for Sgt Pepper ...


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## Wren

One of my favourite TV programmes in the fifties, starring Mickey Dolenz


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## Meanderer

BARNUM - Join the Circus


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## Meanderer

My Life - Peter's Circus - CBBC


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## NancyNGA

Runaway (The Runaway Boy and Clown)  
Norman Rockwell, Life Magazine Cover, June, 1, 1922.


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## Pappy




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## Meanderer

You get to make new friends!layful:


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## Meanderer

Step right up!


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## NancyNGA

The lonely life of a clown


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## NancyNGA

Not a very happy looking bunch, are they?


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## Aunt Bea

They never forget your birthday!!!


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## Pappy




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## NancyNGA

Elephant War Workers - From Lord Sanger's Circus At Horley, Osfordshire, England (1917)


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## Meanderer

Surrounded by Wild Elephants in 4k 360


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## Meanderer

Circus Family


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## Meanderer

charlie chaplin the circus


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## Pappy




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## Aunt Bea




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## Pappy

At our county fair, I paid a dime to see a man eating fish. That’s what I got...a man was eating fish. I guess they know a “sucker” when they see one.


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## Meanderer

Bea, those little Circus rascals, were just the ticket!layful:


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## Pappy

Another man eating fish story.....


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## Meanderer

Another man-eating fish story....?


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## HiDesertHal

_Burt Lancaster actually spent some time as a Circus Aerialist before getting into acting._

This is why he's so good in the movie "Trapeze", with Tony Curtis and Gina Lollabrigida.

Hal


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## Meanderer

Circus of the Stars


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## Meanderer




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## Pappy




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## Pappy




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## Meanderer

_Step right up!_


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## Meanderer

Off To Join The World (The Circus Song)


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## Meanderer

Red Nose Docs (Clowns)

Nicklaus Children's Hospital is thrilled to have a healthcare clowning partner in Healthy Humor, Inc.!


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## Meanderer

*RARE! Footage Of Marilyn Monroe Riding That Pink Elephant At Madison Square Garden 1955*


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## Falcon

Lucky elephant !    She rode side saddle.   HOORAY  for OUR  side !


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## Meanderer

That elephant never forgot her, Falcon!


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## Meanderer




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## 911

Right after I joined the State Police, we had a 15 year old male runaway. This was back in the early 70’s when we had very little technology to help us find missing children. In fact, we had zero technology and had to rely on pictures and word of mouth. Hopefully, if a cop stopped a kid for any one of a hundred different reasons and checked him out, maybe we would discover him or her to be a runaway. 

He he finally called home some 30+ years later. It just so happens that the county fair was going on at the time of his runaway, which hired a carney group to run the rides and midway shows. The boy, who was a bit tall for his age was able to join the carney guys and get himself a job. At the time of his call home 30+ years later, he was in Oregon. He never did come back to see his parents, but we were able to verify his identity with the aide of the Oregon State Police. 

What was sometimes thought to be a runaway child turned out to be a kidnapping and murder by a stranger. Worse than that, we have since learned that many of the “supposed” runaways were murdered children committed by the parent or parents.


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## Meanderer

What It's Like Trying To Join The Circus


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## Meanderer

For those on a budget.......maybe your DOG can run away!nthego:


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## Butterfly

For some reason, the circus gave me the serious creeps.  I went to ONE with my grandpa and never would go again.  To this day, clowns and all that creep me out and the way the animals are treated makes me sick.


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## Meanderer

New dog....old trick!


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## Meanderer




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## Meanderer




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## Meanderer




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## Pappy




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## fmdog44

I don't recall ever reading anything positive about circus life.


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## Meanderer

In many ways, we have all experienced the "circus" life.


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## Pappy




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## Meanderer

Laundry day at the circus


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## Meanderer




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## RadishRose

Butterfly said:


> For some reason, the circus gave me the serious creeps.  I went to ONE with my grandpa and never would go again.  To this day, clowns and all that creep me out and the way the animals are treated makes me sick.


I agree Butterfly, about the animals.

When I went once to a real circus, I didn't like it... I couldn't really see the acts like on the phony circus TV shows when we were little.

Now, Cirque du Soliel is something else. I've only seen video, but I imagine a live performance would be amazing. This is from 2013









https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/


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## Meanderer




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## Meanderer




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## Ken N Tx




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## Meanderer

OFF TO JOIN THE CIRCUS (2010)
https://blogs.mprnews.org/state-of-the-arts/2010/04/off-to-join-the-circus/

_Noah Bremer is an actor, artistic director of Live Action Set theater, and soon to be a clown with Cirque du Soleil._






 Noah Bremer has always wanted to join the circus. And now, at the age of 33, his dream is coming true. The world famous Cirque du Soleil has offered him a part – a significant part – in its touring show “Varekai.” He starts training on June 3, which begins in Montreal (where he’ll learn how to do his own make-up – a 2 hour process – among other things) and then takes him to Frankfurt, where he’ll shadow the performer he’s replacing.

So, how does it feel to have a dream come true?

_"Both terrifying and obscenely fulfilling. It’s funny – Cirque really likes people who are a little more established, who have a real presence and character.  What’s difficult about that, is that by the time you’ve achieved all that, you’ve set some roots down. It was easier to contemplate running away with the circus when I didn’t have such a great community of friends, and my own theater company. "_


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## Trade




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## toffee

never have I liked them even as a kid - and hate them more now with animals in them ' not going into the treatment 
of them but its all about money as usual -but circus without them can be interesting if u like them


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## Meanderer

toffee, this is not a totally serious thread.  The above article was from 2010.  Maybe you should be posting in the _"How to run AWAY from the Circus" _thread? There was a time when it was every kids dream.....not today, I know. It's kinda sad.

_




_


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## Meanderer




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## Meanderer




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## Meanderer




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## RadishRose




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## Meanderer

1940s: A woman sings about being promised a great life but being put in the circus act instead in this 1940s soundie musical.  (Link below) (TURN SOUND UP)
https://www.shutterstock.com/nb/video/clip-27147112-1940s-woman-sings-about-being-promised-great


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## Meanderer

Flying Fruit Fly Circus - JUNK Trailer (short)


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## Silverfox




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## Meanderer




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## Meanderer

Do you own a Swiss Circus Knife?


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## Ken N Tx




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## Meanderer




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## Marlene

My favorite circus


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## Pappy

Well, you gotta start somewhere....


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## Aneeda72

My granddaughter ran away and joined the circus in 2017.  What happens at the circus doesn’t stay at the circus.  Great granddaughter is now 2 years old.


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## Aunt Bea

Pappy said:


> Well, you gotta start somewhere....
> 
> View attachment 100683


_“Never let the guy with the broom decide how many elephants can be in the parade.”_ - Merlin Mann


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## fmdog44

Never saw the circus workers as sad figures. We had carnivals every summer where I grew up and the workers always looked like criminals that were on the run.


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## Meanderer

Stars who ran away to join the circus
The circus has often lured people away from static lives to live the life of an itinerant performer.

_"When young Ehrich Weisz needed to support his family he joined a circus, making his professional debut in 1883 as a trapeze artist aged nine. He later developed an interest in magic, but did other jobs while learning his craft. Changing his name to Harry Houdini, in honour of his hero French magician Robert Houdin, he took to travelling with a circus again, but later left the big top to make his name as a solo artist with his own show. When he died in 1926 he was the world’s most famous magician."_


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## Gary O'

fmdog44 said:


> Never saw the circus workers as sad figures. We had carnivals every summer where I grew up and the workers always looked like criminals that were on the run.


Mostly were

I've known some carneys 
All were running from something
Some stories
Most lies
Fake names
Interesting folk
Not good to sleep near if you have anything of value


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## Meanderer

Amazing Family Costumes


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## Meanderer




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## Meanderer

_Have you tried our Pie?_


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## Aunt Marg

One easy step... to be like Tony the Tiger (Frosted Flakes cereal), and follow your nose, a red rubber nose!


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## ronaldj

that first picture tells it all, one beautiful  girl and a bunch of clowns.


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## Meanderer




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## Meanderer

One woman and a bunch of beautiful Leopards.....


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## Meanderer

Passing the Make-up test!


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## Meanderer




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## Meanderer




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## RadishRose

*Halloween Clowns*


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## Hangaround

What a beautiful odd thread.


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## Meanderer

Hangaround said:


> What a beautiful odd thread.


@Hangaround - Welcome to the forums!  Hope you hang around.  Stop by the *Introductions tent* and tell us about yourself.


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## Ken N Tx




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## Aunt Bea




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## Meanderer

How to Run Away and Join the Circus

Kristin Finley had a comfortable life in Los Angeles with a stable job, a decent salary and solid benefits. But everything changed when she took her first trapeze class. In fact, she loved it so much that she decided to—quite literally—run away and join the circus. Now, she's living her dream at dizzying new heights.


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## SmoothSeas

I ran away to join the Merchant Marines, does that count...?


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## fmdog44

As of Mar 11, 2021, the average annual pay for a Circus Performer in the United States is *$63,526 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $30.54 an hour*. This is the equivalent of $1,222/week or $5,294/month.


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## Meanderer

How To Join the Circus
"Circus performers have a better outlook in today's society than most jobs – and you get to do what you love for a living? Where can you sign up? If you're working on a skill that you're willing to dedicate your life to, your name could be the next big act. It's best to start right now, because you've got a wild ride ahead of you".


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## Meanderer




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## Meanderer

Join A Senior Circus


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## Meanderer




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## oldiebutgoody

I've always admired the circus esp for its daring acrobatics:












Loved the old song about the "Daring Young Man On the Flying Trapeze".









But it's a tough life.  I had an uncle who was a clown but he was not a happy guy despite his smiles and friendliness towards others (he had a deformed leg which he used in his act). Poor guy died an alcoholic and of cirrhosis.


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## Meanderer




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## oldiebutgoody

Meanderer said:


> charlie chaplin the circus





Chaplin felt this was his greatest work. Many movie historians agree.


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## Meanderer

1930s


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## Meanderer

Why Burt Lancaster Dropped Out of College and Joined the Circus | The Dick Cavett Show


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## Lewkat

My dad took me to the Barnum and Bailey circus at Madison Square Garden on year.  I was enjoying the acts until the clowns decided to climb into the seats in front where we sat.  I was terrified, and my father had to take me out of there.  Never again.  Totally gross me out and never took my son.


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## Meanderer




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## Meanderer

Send in the Clowns......


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## Meanderer

_FFF 2017 - Trailer - Circus Kid_


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