Circus Comes to Town

Year Published: 1946

Description: This film by Ron Harris "Circus Comes to Town" (1946) shows the Belle Vue Circus in Manchester, UK. It starts with music and the orchestra playing as attendants move towards the ring. The ringmaster (probably the famous George Lockhart) ensures everything is in order, and the first night begins with an Indian bareback rider escorted by clowns. The rider, known as the great white Chief Running Water, demonstrates his horsemanship, followed by a performance from the famous three Austin clowns. The conductor cues the next act, a hand balancer, who performs impressive balancing tricks. The Shetland ponies, with their lady trainer, respond to orders and perform well. The trapeze artists, including the flying twins, perform daring stunts, such as the human pendulum. The famous Adagio dancers, Bol and Merin, perform, with the girl jumping from a high platform and being caught safely by her partner. The clowns return with comedic stunts, followed by a knife thrower, the merry muttons Mavis and Mmadu, a strongman act, a wire walker, and a juggler performing with rings. The Oxfords then perform a basketball game on bikes, which continues with fast-paced action. The audience rises as the first night ends with the playing of the king. The first Belle Vue Circus (so named because it took place at the eponymous Belle Vue Gardens) took place in 1922, and again in 1929. After that year it became a regular Christmas-time event held in the Kings Hall. Ringmaster George Lockhart became synonymous with the Belle Vue Circus, and his face was used on many advertising posters. Belle Vue Zoo superintendent Gerald Iles included some of the zoo's animals in the circus, in a feature called Noah's Ark. Another of the circus stalwarts was resident band leader and Belle Vue's musical director Fred Bonelli, who led various Belle Vue circus bands for 40 years, and Jacko the Clown and his partner "Little Billy" Merchant, who performed for three decades. The last circus to take place in the Kings Hall before its sale was in 1981. 00:00: Music plays. 0:13-0:21: The musical beginning as the orchestra plays and attendants move towards the ring. 0:21-0:45: The ringmaster ensures everything is in order and the first night begins. 1:10-1:15: The first act features an Indian bareback rider escorted by clowns. 1:15-1:29: The rider, known as the great white Chief Running Water, demonstrates his horsemanship. 1:29-1:52: The famous three Austin clowns perform. 2:11-2:22: The conductor cues the next act, a hand balancer. 2:22-2:51: The hand balancer performs impressive balancing tricks. 3:05-3:22: The hand balancer continues with more balancing feats. 3:38-3:54: The Shetland ponies perform with their lady trainer. 4:10-4:33: The ponies respond to orders and perform well. 4:33-5:01: The trapeze artists, known for their daring acts, perform next. 5:01-5:14: The flying twins perform on the trapeze. 5:14-5:53: The trapeze artists perform various stunts, including the human pendulum. 5:53-6:08: The famous Adagio dancers, Bol and Merin, perform. 6:08-6:46: The girl climbs to a high platform and jumps, caught safely by her partner. 7:05-7:21: The clowns return with their act. 7:21-7:37: The clowns perform various comedic stunts. 7:37-7:51: The knife thrower performs his act. 8:00-8:13: The merry muttons, Mavis and Mmadu, perform. 8:13-8:31: The strongman act follows. 8:31-8:42: The wire walker performs. 8:42-9:01: The juggler performs with rings. 9:01-9:26: The juggler continues his act. 9:26-9:38: The juggler performs more tricks. 9:38-10:12: The Oxfords perform a basketball game on bikes. 10:12-10:48: The basketball game continues with fast-paced action. 10:48-11:02: The audience rises as the first night ends with the playing of the king.

Online Copy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ab68lHccos0

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