“Walt Disney and the Circus”

Walt Disney (who was heralded posthumously as “the greatest showman since P.T. Barnum”) had always enjoyed the circus!

As a child, he put a circus show on for the local children in Marceline. According to www.WaltDisneyMuseum.org: “When a young Walt decided to hold a circus in the barn, his friends paid 10 cents for a show comprised of a lethargic goat, a pig, and the family, dog and cat dressed in sister Ruth doll clothing. They were not impressed. When Flora heard the commotion in the barn. She requested Walter refund the admission and shared this wisdom: ‘If you ever deliver more than your audience expects, they will never be disappointed.’ A Lesson Walt took to heart.”

"Walt Disney Productions and the Circus"

Several of Walt’s short subject and feature length animated films contained circus themes. There was "Alice's Circus Daze" (released April 18, 1927), “Mickey’s Circus”, released August 1, 1936), Walt Disney’s “Dumbo” (released 1941), “Bongo the Bear” (part of “Fun and Fancy Free”, released 1947), and “The Big Wash” starring Goofy and a circus elephant (released 1948)!

Since 1951 (and Walt’s earliest official planning stages for a “Mickey Mouse Park” across the street from Walt Disney Studio), a circus was reckoned to be among the attractions! As development continued (and other parcels of land were purchased), a circus was also planned for Walt Disney’s Disneyland! According to the 1953 Disneyland Prospectus (prepared by WED Enterprises for Disneyland Inc.), an area called Holiday Land was to be “a showplace of special attractions that change with the seasons…Summer brings … Circus Time…with a Circus Parade down Main Street…and under the big top, a one-ring circus with special acts from all over the world.”

Beginning in 1949, Herb Ryman (a former Walt Disney Studio artist and current 20th Century Fox Artist) travelled with the Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus for two summers. During the July through August 1949, “the greatest show on Earth” made its way through Chicago, Milwaukee, Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, and Nebraska. Along the way, Ryman captured the “circus life” through his paintings and drawings.

No doubt these images were fresh in his mind by the time that Walt called on him to create circus-related elements for his “Aerial View Over Disneyland!” The “Schematic Aerial View of Disneyland” (produced by Herb Ryman over one weekend in 1954) has gained some notoriety when few have come to auction in recent years, but it was first published in periodicals like Popular Mechanics, December of 1954. A short time later, what has been called the 1954 “Disneyland prospectus” by some, continued to mention the inclusion of circus tents at Disneyland. All of these documents were part of the Disneyland Presentation Portfolio prepared (by Walt Disney Productions and WED Enterprises) “to take back East to sell the Disneyland concept to prospective licensees,” according to Walt Disney Archives Founder Dave R. Smith. Herb’s drawings (as well as their photostat and hand-traced copies) continued to feature circus tents and wagons in an area called “Holiday Land”, which was to be located West of Main Street U.S.A., south of a “Frontier Country.”

In 1954, another artist (by the name of Bruce Bushman), even created aesthetic concepts for a proposed nearby Circus-themed dining area located in Fanasyland!

Amidst his loose line work, Walt Disney Studio artist Bruce Bushman (who was also affiliated with Bradley & Kaye) suggested a Stromboli Puppet theater in an area inspired by Pinocchio’s village, a gravity-flow canal ride featuring Monstro the Whale, a circus midway-themed dining area entered through a towering clown arch, a sailboat in a lagoon, and remembering that “it was all started by a mouse,” his detailed designs also included a “Birth of a Mouse” show. [The Disneyland News, Vol.1, No.9 published for March 10, 1956.]

Owing to all this conceptual artwork, some of the earliest Disneyland merchandise (produced from 1954 to the spring of 1955) often depicted circus tents, circus wagons, circus-themed areas and other related elements as a part of the attractions soon-to-be experienced at Walt Disney’s Disneyland!

Disneyland was a miracle of showmanship in many ways! When the opening day telecast of the Disneyland’s ceremonies were broadcast on July 17th, 1955, Art Linkletter exclaimed, “Walt, you’re making a bum out of Barnum today!” Little did anyone know how true that would be in a few months. Even after Disneyland opened, Travel magazine published an article foretelling a “merry one-ring circus” as part of the seasonal entertainment in store!

According to “Disneyland: Inside Story”:

“Walt wanted a circus- ‘The Mickey Mouse Club Circus’ - to run for six weeks starting at Christmastime. The idea met with downright opposition by some of his staff. ‘Walt, you just can’t do this!’ said C. V. Wood, one of his key administrators. ‘A circus always plays by itself. The guy comes to Disneyland to stay around for four hours and see what you've got. He's not going to spend two of those hours at a damn circus!’

Disney was undaunted. In order to gain more support for the idea, he decided that the Studio would eventually make a film called Toby Tyler or Ten Weeks with a Circus. He then convinced his brother Roy that they would need the huge circus tent and the old wagons he had located. As one might suspect, all of these items found their way down to Disneyland.”

*January 8, 1956 according to The Disneyland News; VOL. 1-No. 6; DECEMBER 10, 1955;

“Here comes the circus! Ev’ryone Loves The Circus - And That Includes The Merry Mouseketeers”

All these plans were finally realized, when (sometime after Disneyland opened) Holidayland would provide a stage for the Mickey Mouse Club Circus (a $30,000 Disneyland addition) that would come to include the largest “talent roundup” of television’s Mouseketeers as well as top acts from major circuses like Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus! Soon, those “happy-hearted roustabouts” were pulling canvas and driving stakes in order to raise “the world’s largest candy-striped tent”!

In addition, a calliope was bought by Walt Disney from Dave Bradley, owner of Beverly Park in Los Angeles, who helped Disney in the early planning of Disneyland. Walt had these “forgotten” antique circus wagons restored to their original beauty by Disney Studio artisans for use in pictures, and then brought to Holidayland. A press release stated: “With all its remodeling, the old vehicle remains as it was. The are no springs on the front wheels causing the player to ride rough, and the same patented, steel hubs necessary for plowing through deep mud and which were used in the original version, are seen on the Disneyland calliope.”

The “Souvenir of The Mickey Mouse Club Circus” (published 1955) states, “Taking it upon himself as a public trust, and deserting to perpetuate the happier things of our American heritage, Was searched for and found these original circus parade wagons. Researchers, artists, designers, special craftsmen and wagon builders were enlisted by Walt in his desire for authenticity in their rebuilding. Circus historians and ‘old-timers’ were brought in as consultants. And since Walt Disney believes that any heritage worth bringing back to life is worth putting back into actual use, these circus wagons were put back into service. Proudly they’ll roll again up Disneyland’s Main Street on their way to the Big Top.” Of the cars restored was a “Steam Calliope, a Beauty Wagon, Whiskers Wagon, White Ticket Wagon [featuring ornate hand-carved figures in cameos], the [1890] Swan Band Wagon, the [Barnes Circus] Green Cage [wagon], the Swan and Fawn, and the J.H. Eschman Circus’ Shell Cab [built by the Beggs Wagon Company of Kansas City]”, according to the Pasadena Independent (published December 18, 1955). Photos and artwork of these wagons (preserving what they looked like) can be viewed on four pages of “The Souvenir of Mickey Mouse Club Circus” (published Winter of 1955).

But, what is not commonly seen, is what those antique wagons looked like before Walt’s artists restored them to such a pristine condition. Below, are a few “Vintage Views” featuring three of the wagons.

When the Mickey Mouse Club Circus first opened on Thanksgiving Day, there was a parade of the entire cast, led by Grand Marshall Walt Disney (wearing a cowboy hat) and Co-Grand Marshall Fess Parker (dressed in his Davy Crockett duds)! Mouseketeers marched along the route, bearing standards, which introduced the various parade units. The Disneyland Band was piled high inside the Swan Band Wagon, while school bands marched along the route. The sky-blue and gold-accented Beauty Wagon (which also has some screen time in “Walt Disney’s Toby Tyler or 10 Weeks with a Circus”) was pulled by six horses dawning red feather plumes on their head. There were elephants, clowns, and the Steam Calliope providing the keynotes of popular melodies and piping white clouds of steam down the route (with engineer in tow). The circus lasted for only a few months, but before being discontinued, the beige Mickey Mouse Club Circus tent, those restored circus wagons, the opening parade, along with a certain tree-topped hill (rising to the east, over Fantasyland), can readily be seen preserved on film, in some aerial footage of “Disneyland, U.S.A.” (a “People and Places” feature film, released in the U.S. on December 20, 1956 through Buena Vista Film Distribution Company). Remember, that the circus was one of Walt’s dreams (seen in Harper Goff’s early c.1951 drawings of Mickey Mouse Park to be built along Riverside Drive in Burbank), and a true labor of love (judging by all the details added to the big show).

“Here comes the circus! Everyone loves the circus, and that includes the merry Mouseketeers!”

Marvin A. Davis (creator of early Disneyland site plan drawings) added circus tent elements to Nash Rambler commercials produced during September and October of 1955. While these brief televised scenes would only subtly advertise the arrival of the circus at Disneyland, handbills (soon distributed at the Disneyland Main Entrance) would divulge the Big Top acts!

Van France recalled: “Walter Knott had warned us about the weeks before Christmas. He said that the public seemed to forget at the same time each year that there was a Knott's Berry Farm. Well, we didn't want the public to forget Disneyland, so Walt, or somebody, came up with an idea for changing that pattern of visitors.”

We'd call it the Mickey Mouse Club Circus.

The Mickey Mouse Club Circus was a temporary show which began Thanksgiving Day (of November 24, 1955) and ran though the cold winter months, until January 8, 1956. Walt Disney and Davy Crockett (Fess Parker) rode together as Co-Grand Marshalls of the big Thanksgiving Day parade!

The White House backstage (where Van France worked) became the headquarters for the performers. In order to assure that guests and performers to be comfortable during the acts, “the world’s largest candy-striped tent” (or, “made-to-order pink and white striped Big Top”) was heated. Between the two tents a total of 2,500 guests could be accommodated simultaneously. [“Disneyland: Then, Now, and Forever,” by Bruce Gordon and Tim O’Day]

The show was produced by Walt Disney, managed by Ben Chapman, and staged by both Hal Adelquist (co-creator and Associate Producer for television’s Mickey Mouse Club) and Walt Disney Studio “gag artist” and “Big Mooseketeer” Roy Williams! Artistic Direction of this “gaudy and gilded circus of the good old days” was owed to Bruce Bushman, who once (from 1954 to 1955) provided many original concept drawings of potential Fantasyland adventures and attractions (many of which became reality). The diverse and colorful wardrobe was provided by Chuck Keehne.

"See the Animals and Clowns"

Partially owing to Hal Adelquist’s negotiations and arrangements with the Gil Gray Circus, the “full-scale hippodrome performance” (which cost more than $300,000 to produce), featured more than 80 animals and more than 70 performers (many of them, children ranging from “ages 8 to 14”) in 12 big acts, appropriately underneath a circus tent with a 2500 guest capacity!

Walt Disney and Davy Crockett (Fess Parker) rode together as Co-Grand Marshalls of the big Thanksgiving Day parade held November 24, 1955. The Circus Parade included wagons, elephants and wild jungle cats.

The Mickey Mouse Club Circus included the following acts - (1) On Parade, (2) George Keller and His Feline Fantastics, (3) Clowns and Follow the Leader, (4) The Mouseketeers in an Aerial Ballet, (5) Animal Varieties, (6) Kinko the Clown, (7) The Camels and Llamas, (8) The Ted DeWayne Troupe of Acrobats and tum-blers, (9) The Clowns and the Mouseketeers, (10) Serenado, the Musical Horse, (11) The Baby Elephants featuring the world’s only twins, (12) The March of the Clowns, (13) Flying Alexanders aerialist Trapeze Number, and (14) the March of the Toys from “Babes in Toyland” with a Christmas Tree Finale. The acts of the Mickey Mouse Club Circus were briefly covered in a wonderful 2-page spread (full of photos), in The Disneyland News (Vol.1 -No.6 ; published December 10, 1955).

Many of these co-starred television’s Mouseketeers, for the first time in-person. In fact, the seventy-five minute show (led by Ringmaster Jimmie Dodd, songwriter and musician of The Mickey Mouse Club television series) had 12 headlining acts amongst the show’s total acts! To understand the scope of this, is the following list of Mouseketeers who performed : Sharon Baird, Karen Pendleton, Mike Smith, Doreen Tracey, Dennis Day, Dickie Dodd, Billie Jean Beanblossom, Tommy Cole, Darlene Gillespie (as “Tinker Bell”), Mark Sutherland, Cubby O’Brien, Lonnie Burr, Ronnie Steiner, Judy Harriett, Lee Johann, Johnny Crawford, Bonni Kern, Nancy Abbate, Mary Sartori, Don Underhill, Mary Espinosa, Annette Funicello, Bronson Scott, and Bobby Burgess - for the first time in-person!

“See The Animals and Clowns”

The show’s lineup opened with the set of Professor George Keller’s Feline Fantastics (previously popularized through performances ranging from Hamid’s Steel Pier of Atlantic City to Madison Square Garden, with Ringling Bros. Circus and the Shrine Circus). Professor George Keller did not utilize “whips, gun, or chair” (“standard props of the lion trainer’s art”). Though the show was scheduled to feature a total of 14 cats, Professor Keller’s first season act featured seven breeds of cats including pumas, panthers, leopards, Bengal tigers, and mountain lions among the 30 cats).

Another act was Ted DeWayne and his troupe of acrobats and gymnasts performing their tumbling act and “four-high human pyramid.” The Flying Alexanders performed breath-taking aerial somersaults and “flythroughs.”

The show’s second act featured “The March of the Clowns” (like “Uncle” Bob-O the Clown of television’s Mickey Mouse Club, or Klinko the Clown and his miniature automobile). A Clown Band included Dick Winslo, George Landeer, Eddie Stoll, and George DeRubies. Charley Cheer was famous for his tramp costumes, squeaky voice, and mallet. Other notable clowns included Bille Burke (a veteran of 32 years), television’s Chucko the Birthday Clown, Dick Doud, and Lou Kish.

The clown act helped set the stage for the “Aerial Ballet” featuring Tinkerbell and Peter Pan performing an aerial ballet under ultra-violet light, alongside 24 Mouseketeers.

There were camels, dogs, the world’s only twin baby elephants, horses (like Serenado the musical wonder horse performing “Davy Crockett”), llamas, ponies, and seals in the “Animal Varieties” act.

Dick Berg's seals performed phenomenal feats of balance.

Three brightly colored elephants were put through the paces by trainer John Herriott.

Beatrice Dante (a former Parisian night club dancer who found animal training a more interesting life) strolled with her chimp Charlie. Charlie, was a special animal who has been taught to walk on stilts and perform 20 other tricks - by Beatrice. John Gerlack recalled this chimp (though associating it with another entertainer: “I remember one day when a performing chimp from Professor Keller's Circus opened the door of the Sound room and came walking right in.”

A Christmas tree rising from the center ring triggered the climax of the show! The “Flying Alexanders” with their breathtaking aerial summersaults and soaring “fly-throughs” astounded audiences. The highlight of the show was a procession of pageantry (which would become a Disneyland tradition) - the “March of the Toys” (the “Living Toys” from Walt Disney’s “Babes in Toyland”) and Walt Disney’s characters courtesy of the Ice Capades (including Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, Pluto), and even Santa Claus in-person, riding in a sleigh pulled by “matching ponies” in the magical growing “Christmas Tree Finale” (in which the 40-foot tree grew in 10 seconds)!

All of these acts were performed to unforgettable circus songs directed by Tommy Walker (son of Vesey Walker, Director of the Disneyland Band). This entire show ran twice daily on weekdays, and three times daily on weekends (show times were announced “over the Park Public Address System… 15 minutes before each performance”).

All of these acts took 75 minutes to present the entire show, holding the title as “the longest show in Disneyland history,” according to “Disneyland: Then, Now, and Forever,” by Bruce Gordon and Tim O’Day.

“Grand Opening Show”

According to “Disneyland Inside Story”: “Joe Fowler remembered opening night as if it were a recurring nightmare. ‘Walt and I were sitting together. The first thing that happened, Owen Pope brought his big pumpkin chariot into the huge circus tent pulled by six of his most beautiful ponies. One of the wheels caught a large diagonal post that held the big top up and carried it away. I thought, ‘Oh, no, my God, no!’ But fortunately the tent still held up…

According to Fowler, that was only the beginning, as things got worse. One of his staff came running up and said, ‘Joe, the llamas have escaped!’ Excusing himself from Walt, Fowler and his staff chased the llamas along the railroad track, finally recapturing them at the Main Street Station.” Disneylander and “55er” Gil Pimentel recollected “the nasty critter that got loose from Professor Keller's Circus and chased me down the railroad tracks... spitting at me!” When Fowler returned, Walt told him, ‘Well, Joe, you missed the best part of the show. One of the leading ladies bent down and split her tights!’” Jack Lindquist may have actually seen this occur, and years later he recollected: “I remember the opening night of Keller's Circus. A beauteous and well-endowed aerialist would swing back and forth over the audience. Well, on one swing, her bra broke! It was QUITE A SHOW!!!”

Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse Club Circus had served its purpose - “to introduce his Mouseketeers to the public for the first time in person,” according to the "Disneyland 1st Anniversary Souvenir Pictorial" Excerpt, published 1956.

General admission for the grand Mickey Mouse Club Circus show was just 50¢, and reserved seating $1.00 (this was of course, separate from Disneyland General Admission), purchased through Disneyland’s Main Entrance Box Office as well as “nearby little kiosks,” according to “Disneyland: Then, Now, and Forever,” by Bruce Gordon and Tim O’Day. “Regardless of adjustments in schedules, ticket prices, or anything else”… the public “just didn't seem to want to see the circus.”

During a Disneyland Merchant's Association Meeting (held January 25, 1956), Walt stated “the fact that certain things do not belong in Disneyland.” The meeting minutes preserve Walt’s expressions: “We went out on a limb and put in a circus for Christmas season. Although it was a great circus, experience proved that a circus does not belong in Disneyland. It is something that can be seen without coming to Disneyland. We need things that are unique - things that are ‘Disneylandish’.”

While it had been decided to phase the un-“Disneylandish” elements out of the Park, this did not mean that the circus would disappear from Disneyland. Though the Mickey Mouse Mouse Club Circus disappeared less than a year before Disneyland celebrated its first year of operation, subsequent parades and show elements not only assured the sight of circus wagon processions down Main Street U.S.A., but continued to incorporate the circus theme into the Disneyland Show! In addition, circus performers continued to have a role in the Disneyland Show.

For instance, an escape artist hung upside down over Fantasyland audiences, while attempting to escape from ties and bonds. Also, the popular Mickey Mouse Club Circus headlining act, “Keller’s Jungle Killers” was held over from February 19th (*or, 18th by some accounts), 1956 to September 9th, 1956. Coronet player Ted Tracey recalled playing at Professor Keller's Circus: “The Circus was one and a half hours long for 50¢, which was quite a bargain.”

Soon, “The Disneyland News” (published for March 10, 1956) announced “‘Feline Fantastics’ Back For Spring Engagement.” By now, the “special attraction” was given a new name - “Professor George Keller’s Feline Fantastics,” which starred “real wild jungle killers,” (like Tabu the leopard; see “Echoes of Disneyland”) according to “The Disneyland News” (Extra Edition). Dee Fisher (of Wurlitzer) provided background music on a Wurlitzer Organ, for what was billed as “the only jungle cat act now in operation in the United States,” according to “The Disneyland News” [Vol. 2, No.2 ; published for August, 1956]. During the era of the “Big 10 + 2 Winter Bonus Ticket Plan”, daily performances were valued at 25 cents, or one ”B” coupon.

“Remembering George’s Big Cats & Other Animals”

Many Disneylanders recalled Professor Keller and his cats and these recollections help paint a composite picture of the big cats of the attraction.

Joe Fowler recalled: “During the premiere of the circus parade, a black panther grabbed the paw of a neighboring tiger and chewed it off.” Disneylander and “55er” John Hernandez of Parking recalled Professor Keller's Circus and “that there was a big black panther with fierce yellow eyes. There was a fellow working with me and he was so afraid of that panther that he'd never go anywhere near the Circus. He'd go a long way out of his way when coming and going where we were working.”

Others felt differently like “55er” Chris Christopher who started working on the graveyard shift and “used to watch Professor Keller feed his animals with big tubs of meat.” “55er” Marion Schawacha “talked with the animals of Professor Keller's Circus. Marion loved to go over on her lunch hour and rap with her friends, the animals. Those were the good old days!”

Disneylanders Jack Lindquist (eventual President of Disneyland) and Jim Quigley (eventual Supervisor of Disneyland Account Control) fondly recollected “Dr. Keller and his lion taming act”… “housed in a tent about where Health Services is.” Jim Quigley would often “go out there and talk to George Keller for a while.” He remembered: “In 1957, I was over at George Keller's Circus. He had tigers, pumas, cougars, cheetahs, lions and leopards and he use to put his head in the lion's mouth. One day when I stopped to talk to Prof. Keller, I found myself squatting beside an unleashed leopard….but not for long!… He said, ‘Jim, just stand still and don’t move.’ Not a comforting thing to hear in a wild animal tent. He slowly walked around to where this leopard or cheetah was stretched out and managed to get a collar around him.”

It was certainly an exciting time to visit Disneyland!

By the time “Professor George Keller’s Feline Fantastics” was discontinued, a total of 171,051 guests had been admitted to the show, according to one “Rides and Attractions” Report (published October 2, 1971). According to one “Admission, Ride and Amusement Revenue and Direct Expenses” report, Jungle Killers produced $355 in revenue (with a total direct expense of $348) for DISNEYLAND, INC. for the fiscal year (52 weeks) ending September 29, 1957. Animation Mechanic Oren Gallegly recalled when “the day came to move Professor Keller's great big tent. A contractor wanted $15,000 to move the tent, but a Disneyland worker, with four other men, worked all night, moved the tent, and charged ONLY for the overtime!”

Caption : “George J. Keller, a former college professor turned wild animal trainer, demonstrates for the first time the unarmed subjugation of a group of African lions, tigers, leopards, mountain lions, jaguars, black panthers and a cheetah.”

Though this version of Holidayland was dismantled, that wasn’t the end of the red-and-white circus tent, which was used for events in the second incarnation of Holidayland! (Read more HERE.) Walt also made some use of his restored circus wagons, using them as props for “Toby Tyler or Ten Weeks With a Circus” (released January 21, 1960). Two years later (in 1962), both Independence Day and the winter holiday season brought old-fashioned circus parades (complete with calliope, circus wagons and pachyderms) back to Main Street U.S.A. for their final runs.

By some accounts (as one published in “Disneyland Inside Story”): “circus people were a tough lot used to drinking and gambling between shows.” However, some exemplary circus performers continued to grace Disneyland. While it became a casting policy that “no person would be employed who had previous experience in an amusement park, fair, or circus,” occasionally few were inducted into the Disneyland family, hired into the Disneyland Entertainment Division for Shows and Parades. [“The Spirit of Disneyland,” page 46; prepared 1984 by Walt Disney Productions]

One of the most remarkable exceptions to the rule was Tiny Kline, who was once an aerialist (for Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus), before helping Tinker Bell “come to life” in flights of “Fantasy in the Sky” over Sleeping Beauty Castle, for three summers, from 1961 to 1963! Others included French circus aerialist Mimi Zerbini succeeded Tiny Kline for the following summer (of 1964), after which Judy Kaye (whose family was of “circus stock”, and who performed with her circus family in the Mickey Mouse Club Circus), would return to Disneyland and began to fill the role of Tinker Bell in 1965!

Now, Walt was well known for donating artifacts and even animals to museums, parks, and gardens. Once the festivities ended, all of the restored wagons (with the exception of the Dragon Calliope) were donated to Circus World Museum in Baraboo, Wisconsin, during 1962. [Box Office Magazine, June 11, 1962] Six years later, Monsanto Magazine (published for the Summer of 1968) released an article about the museum and some of its newly acquired antiques.

The Swan Band Wagon was used in production of Toby Tyler, and also to transport the Mouseketeers in at least one parade while at Disneyland. For some unknown reason, the Swan Band Wagon (in the care of Circus World Museum) was transported aboard railroad cars, perhaps in relation to some c.1985 rehabilitation or exhibition. [See Vintage View, above]

Anyhow (two years after gifting the wagons to the museum), Walt still had interest in the circus culture. In 1964, through a special business arrangement with Al Dobritch (of the Dobritch Circus), Mickey Mouse would make appearances in high-wire circus acts outside of Disneyland - first at the Canadian National Exposition (held August 24 - September 5, 1964), followed by the Detroit Shrine Circus (January 29 - February 14, 1965), and the St. Louis Police Circus (held April 22 - May 9, 1965).

Meanwhile (throughout the 1960s), clowns, acrobats, and the occasional pachyderm made appearances in seasonal shows like Fantasy on Parade (see the Vintage View above). According to the Disneyland Inc. Inter-Office Communication (dated November 17, 1962; below), Disneyland had their animals “set” for the Disneyland Christmas Parade. However, Disneyland Entertainment was “always interested in renting animals” and contemplating renting animals (like a trotting horse, Shetland ponies, and even elephants) from Rudy Jacobi‘s Rudy Brothers Shrine Circus (in the local Corona area).

The show went on and numerous exotic animals even made appearances at Disneyland. For instance, during 1969, the Disneyland Sheet Metal Group repaired the wheel of a circus wagon which contained an angry Jaguar trying to claw his way out.

From 1975-1976, the America on Parade Bicentennial Celebration included a Circus Float.

“Circusland”

According to the 1976 Shareholders Report: “Contemplated as part of the Park's new seven-vear developmental master plan is ‘Circusland,’ an entirely new "land" to be located on approximately five hitherto undeveloped acres both inside and outside the berm adiacent to ‘It's A Small World.’ Here, circus banners will herald a wide variety of attractions, including a relocated and elevated Dumbo elephant sky ride: a new Pinocchio dark ride with Stromboli's Little Puppet Theater gracing its queue line: a whimsical Clown Restaurant, and Mickey's Mad House, a thrilling ride-through themed to the 1930's and the days of glorious black-and-white Mickey Mouse cartoons and ragtime music. However, the highlight of this all-Disney themed area will be Circus Disney. a major ride-through attraction featuring a myriad of favorite Disney characters, all brought to life through the Audio-Animatronics process. Guests will travel through the wild animal menagerie (featuring King Louie and Shere Khan from ‘The Jungle Book’); down the midwav where familiar Disnev stars may be seen in the sideshow, like ‘The Amazing Flying Dumbo-Ninth Wonder of the World’: through clown alley and finally into the Big Top where they will actually be ‘on-stage’ as part of the three-ring show, featuring such daredevil acts as ‘The Flying Goofys.’ Ultimately Frontierland and the Circus area will be connected through the development of Discovery Bay along a portion of Rivers of America.”

Dumbo’s Circus Parade (featuring other Disney Characters) first performed twice daily (at noon and 5pm) during weekends and holidays of the summer season of 1979. On June 16th, 1979, Dumbo’s Circus Parade began a 7 day-a-week run until September of 1979!

Bongo the Bear and Lulubelle lead Dumbo’s Circus Parade part of the opening unit.

They were followed by Ringmaster Mickey Mouse, and Casey Junior!

Big Bad seems to be stuck in a “Wolf Pacifier,” part of the Casey Junior Unit.

Many stars of Walt Disney’s Jungle Book were featured in acts of Dumbo’s Circus.

… and Tigger brings the exotic “liger” to life!

Dumbo’s Circus Parade was so popular with Guests, that the usual afternoon parade was briefly discontinued so that Dumbo’s Circus Parade could run every day of the week! The parade also sparked Dumbo's Circus debuting May 6, 1985, a 120-episode Disney Channel television series that used "puppet-tronics".

Now, thirty years after the Mickey Mouse Club Circus first entertained Disneyland guests, and six years after Dumbo once again soared to new heights of fame, Disneyland presented one of the most spectacular events in entertainment history, as crowds once again lined Main Street U.S.A. for “the Greatest Show” returned to “the happiest place on earth”!

During three seasons (spanning the Springs of 1986, 1987, and 1988), Circus On Parade would bring the circus back to Disneyland’s main thoroughfare, in a memorable show, led by none other than ‘the leader of the club’ - Mickey Mouse!

Please step this way, as we re-visit Circus Fantasy’s :

First Season (January 25, 1986 - March 9, 1986)

Second Season (Saturday, March 7, 1987 - Sunday, April 26, 1987)

Third Season (January 16, 1988 - March 6, 1988)

According to Bob McTyre, this year’s marketing strategy is “for long-term events, ones that will allow time for interest to build and spread, thus attracting more guests during traditionally slow periods.” In addition to the Gift Giver Extraordinaire’s return, the year 1986 “started something” new, with what would become a three year tradition - Circus Fantasy! Kenneth Feld, Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus and Disneyland proudly presented Disneyland Circus Fantasy, billed as “Circus Days” in LINE Magazine (Winter, 1985)! After much planning, Disneyland Cast Members were cast for dancing and non-dancing roles during December of 1985.

Soon, Disneyland’s newest short-lived tradition would pay tribute to the “big top” with parades, river show, circus acts, and special entertainment. Animal acts - The Diano’s Elephants and Castle’s Bears performed from the Videopolis Stage. Press release photos depicted a cavalcade of clowns and pachyderms in funny hats parading toward Disneyland! Alpine Gardens hosted an interactive activity, where guests could “be a clown for a day” courtesy of face paint. Howl at admirable antics behind every corner and every tree at Clown Alley (in Plaza Gardens)! Thrill to the artistry and audacity of death defying daredevils - The Great Wallenda Duo perform their world-famous high-wire aerial feats (over Main Street U.S.A.), The Centrons (at the entrance to Tomorrowland), The Duo Theron (starring John Theron) performing his Sway Pole acrobatics, and Captain Christopher Munoz - the Human Missile (in New Orleans Square)! Finally, see the show-stopping pageantry and pomp of a star-spangled finale including a massive Mark Twain float!

The pageantry and artistry of Circus on Parade occurred once daily in January (around 8:50p.m. in the evening).

There probably haven’t been this many elephants marching down Main Street U.S.A., since the holiday season of 1962 when an entire circus unit with live elephants walked the old parade route!

Pictured Above : Here in the Backstage (c. 1986), a Disneyland Security Host (possibly Jack Kehoe) is assigned to keep the Cast Members “concerned and informed” of the animal locations. He seems to also be greeting one of the big cats to be featured in Circus Fantasy. This was the first time that big cats were kept on the property for extended periods, since “Keller’s Jungle Killers” left Disneyland. When showtime was over many of these animals (like the tiger pictured here) were housed at the old Global Van Lines property where the Team Disney Building currently stands. According to Disneyland LINE (Vol. 20, No. 4 January 29, 1988), inspections and previews of all shows were required and performed by the local Orange County Animal Control Office. These were necessary “to confirm that the animals…[were] being housed according to standard and that the performances… [were] not too strenuous on the animals.”

Some of these very circus wagons would be utilized again, for three seasons of Circus Fantasy (1987 and 1988)!

Inside Disneyland, the circus-themed atmosphere abounded in Disneyland’s second annual tribute to the “big top”. Clowns performed various skits, and three Face Painting Areas (with a fee of $4.50 per person), were set up (one at Videopolis Meadows, one at Big Thunder Mountain Trail, and another at Card Corner). Plenty of circus-themed food was made available. Yumz provided an assortment - pink cotton candy, candy twirl pops, red licorice twists, salt water taffy, animal crackers, roasted peanuts, Cracker Jacks. Vending carts served (lemon and cherry-flavored) Italian shaved ice, and Barbeque wagons served hot dogs!

Circus on Parade performed daily (at 3pm), and twice on Saturday and Sunday (at 2pm and 8pm). Carnation Plaza Gardens was transformed into Clown Alley starring clowns, performers, and Disney characters! Circus Fantasy (a 30-minute weekend musical, performed from Videopolis) starred singers, dancers, aerialists, acrobats, musicians, and Disney characters. Videopolis Stage was also the place to catch to more shows - the Eric Braun Dog Act, and a Trampoline Act.

Big Thunder Ranch became Mickey’s Menagerie, and temporary home to elephants, camel, llama, Brahma bull, and zebra (which could be visited during limited hours of operation).

Wide-open areas turned into stages - acrobats performed inside the Wheel of Destiny (before it’s a small world), and Central Plaza Hub held a Globe of Death containing two motorcyclists defying death at more than 55 miles per hour!

Several acts took place “over” Disneyland, including the Posso Brothers’ high-wire arts (featuring a bicycle, handstands, and a 3-man pyramid). A Trapeze Act stretched across Main Street (from Coke Corner to Card Corner). An Astro Sky Cycle rode an incline wire from Village Haus Restaurant to the top of the Matterhorn!

Just outside Disneyland, local sponsor Carl’s Jr. (another Anaheim-born business), offered promotional tie-ins featuring Mickey & friends!

Fact Cards made Cast Members knowledgeable about Circus Fantasy ‘87 parade and stage showtimes and exhibits, special Concessions, and Merchandise locations around Disneyland.

As a sidelight, the chimpanzees in this very parade “devoured the coins sewn onto their costumes,” according to Diana Kuriyama of Disneyland Entertainment Costuming (to Disneyland LINE, Vol. 20 ; No. 4). This would affect how Entertainment Costuming manufactured chimpanzee costumes for subsequent Circus Fantasy Shows. The same article (covering Circus Fantasy 1988) impressed the fact that the chimpanzees were familiar with costume fittings by that time. “When our Workroom Coordinator walked into the animal trailer for the costume fitting, one of the chimps grabbed the pants from her hands and immediately put them on. Then the shirt… Then he mugged a little and blew a kiss.”

The Giraffe Cage Float returned during Circus Fantasy 1988

You may recollect seeing this circus wagon carrying the tiger down the parade route during Dumbo’s Circus Parade (1979). Now, the car still bears the marquee of the previous circus-themed parade!

Your grandparents and your parents may recall the days when a parade heralded the coming of the circus! Now, a daily old-fashioned parade featuring live animals, circus performers, and (of course) a cast of Walt Disney’s characters, lights up the turn-of-the-century Main Street U.S.A.! We can feel the excitement building as the first unit makes its way under the trapeze net, and toward us!

The first unit is lead by eight prize-winning Percheron draft horses!

Finally, the traditional 1907-style Disneyland Dragon Calliope with its pipe organ (and pianist) stops to delight crowds periodically! You may recollect that this was one of nine circus wagons that Walt Disney purchased from Bradley & Kaye’s Kiddieland amusement park in Beverly Park. While the other cars were rehabilitated, Walt had this particular circa 1907 circus wagon redesigned, utilizing parts from other circus wagons. The result of the $50,000.00 overhaul, was a one-of-a-kind, steam-powered (and engineer-operated) “Dragon Calliope”!

The Dragon Calliope went on to become a constant feature of numerous events over the years, beginning with the Mickey Mouse Club Circus Parade in 1955. The Dragon Calliope was also featured in at least one Walt Disney Production - “Toby Tyler or Ten Weeks With A Circus” released in Sarasota Florida on January of 1960. The Dragon Calliope was notably featured among the circus units of the Independence Day parade of 1962. Two years later, Walt Disney donated the circus wagons to the Circus World Museum in Baraboo, Wisconsin, but he kept his custom-built Dragon Calliope!

The 1980s would see the Dragon Calliope utilized several times, and even receiving a minor refurbishment (of which two fine whistles were installed, in order to increase its musical ability two full octaves)! The Disneyland 25th “Family On Parade” would be one of the Dragon Calliope’s final Disneyland appearances. When the parade ended, the Dragon Calliope was shipped off to Walt Disney World (in Florida) to play a part on the Walt Disney World Tencennial celebration, before being utilized during three seasons of Disneyland’s Circus on Parade!

The final season of Circus Fantasy was presented by the Disneyland Entertainment Division and consultants like Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Special Projects Manager Ron Severini! The Show was just “too big to fit into three rings”, and the entire show debuted Friday, January 15th (an entire day early) for a Los Angeles Parade featuring all the clowns, marching bands, performers, elephants, and Mickey Mouse. The entire Magic Kingdom was turned into the world’s largest big top for one last time! By 1988, Circus on Parade had become “an international cavalcade of exotic animals, clowns, acrobats, musicians, and dancers” led by those popular Disney characters! Clown Alley (with its backstage view of the world of clowning) at Carnation Plaza Gardens welcomed guests to run away and join the circus at Disneyland! Aerialists (like Clownmount Pictures presents ‘Terror Trolley’, and The Flying Españas) performed aerial acrobatics and death-defying tightrope walks over Main Street U.S.A., clowns strutted on stilts, and both a parade and Big Thunder Ranch showcased a menagerie of animals including a liger, a Brahman Bull, an American Bison, two pregnant camels, eland, parrots, “Jughead and Oscar” the ostriches, tigers and pachyderms! Videopolis was transformed into Circusopolis, and featured daily non-stop shows. Acts included Patricia White’s Lions and Tigers, Risley - the ancient art of foot juggling, Ali Hassani Acrobatic Troupe, the double-trapeze act -the Franconi Duo, Hawthorne’s Elephants, and Lady Rosaire (Pam Zoppe) and her Zoppe Chimpanzees (including the 35-year-old Judy who performed the role of “Cheetah” in television’s Daktari, and the young Newton. In addition, Disneyland Cast Members, their friends, and their family were auditioned for roles during late December of 1987!

The Wheel of Destiny was a high-powered circus thrill performed by the Ivanhoe Family in front of its a small world. There was a heart-stopping “Globe of Death” featuring two motorcyclists, while the spine-tingling Astro Skycycle races to the top of the Matterhorn while precariously balancing on a thin cable.

The 1988 first quarter report to Walt Disney Company shareholders briefly made mention of “the festive International Circus Cavalcade” which highlighted the event, and stepped off daily on Main Street. The final season was commemorated with an NBC television special - The Magical World of Disney presents “Disneyland’s All Star Comedy Circus”! The special (scheduled to air either December 4th or 11th, 1988), starred Rue McClanahan of the Golden Girls introducing “an array of compelling and amusing circus acts.”

The animals enjoyed special accommodations (for instance, the elephants were “sheltered in a tent stocked with water and hay. Stanchions… [kept] the area secure and private,” according to Disneyland LINE, Vol. 20 ; No. 4).

At the other end of Main Street U.S.A., the acrobat rig and net is slightly visible.