- Bertram Mills
Bertram Wagstaff Mills (August 1873 –
April 16 ,1938 ) was a British circus owner who ran the Bertram Mills Circus. Originally fromPaddington ,London , his circus became famous in the UK for itsChristmas shows at Olympia in West London.His troupe were the last to perform with live animals on theDrury Lane Theatre stage.Circus Performance ( Aldershot - 22/4/1939 )
It was a very good show indeed and included some amazing turns. One, Fredenico, swung across the tent holding onto a rope by his teeth only - they call him the man with the Iron jaws and he certainly lives up to his name. Karniga, the Indian woman fakir, plays about with snakes, walks on swords, hangs by her neck on a sword, rolls on her back on broken glass and finally was buried alive for five minutes - an amazing performance. There were the wild lions, tigers, performing dogs who also played soccer, elephants who again played soccer, clowns including Kelly the American bobo clown who never talks but just walks round the audience in a tattered old tramp's suit with a most awful expression on his face. He is an entirely new sort of clown and really very clever. [http://www.war-letters.com/0023/0023.html Edward Bell's 1939 review]
External links
* [http://www.war-letters.com/0023/0023.html Edward Bell's review of Bertram Mills Circus in April 1939 in Aldershot]
* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=8853625&pt=Bertram%20Mills Find A Grave]
* [http://www.peopleplayuk.org.uk/guided_tours/circus_tour/the_modern_circus/bertram.php PeoplePlay UK information]
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