Zacchini Brothers

Edmondo Zacchini, (1894-1981) and Hugo Zacchini (1898-1975) were circus entertainers. [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Hugo Zacchini, 77, Dies; First Human Cannonball |url=http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0E17F83C5B157493C3AB178BD95F418785F9 |quote=Hugo Zacchini, a circus performer who originated the human cannonball act in which he was catapulted from a cannon 200 feet into a net, died yesterday of a stroke in San Bernardino, Calif. He was 77 years old. |work=New York Times |date=October 21, 1975 |accessdate=2008-08-04 ] [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Edmondo Zacchini, Inventor Of Human Cannonball Act, 87 |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9803E2DE1239F934A35753C1A967948260 |quote= Edmondo Zacchini, credited with inventing the "Human Cannonball" circus act by firing himself out of an spring-powered cannon, died here in a hospital Saturday. He was 87 years old. Mr. Zacchini developed his act in Cairo in 1922 using a crude spring-powered cannon that hurled him 20 feet. He later developed one using compressed air. The first time he was shot from the cannon, he broke a leg and redesigned the device in the hospital. Mr. Zacchini and his brother Vittorio came to the United States in 1930 at the invitation of a circus promoter; eventually the family settled here. Their act involved six brothers and two sisters. |work=Associated Press in New York Times |date=October 7, 1981 |accessdate=2008-08-04 ] They were the sons of Ildebrando Zacchini (1868-1948). In 1975 the brothers were inducted into the International Circus Hall of Fame. [cite web |url=http://www.circushalloffame.com/Main.asp?SectionID=63&SubSectionID=266&ArticleID=88 |title=International Circus Hall of Fame Inductees |accessdate=2007-09-22 |date=2007-04-14 |publisher=International Circus Hall of Fame ]

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