From Eric Beheim

Zacchini Cannon Spiel As transcribed from a 1954 performance recording, here is the spiel that Col. Harry Thomas delivered to help fill in the time required for the Zacchini cannon act to be readied: “While they’re finishing with the apparatus, perhaps it would interest you to hear a brief history of this great act. The cannon act was first conceived by the grandfather of the present generation of Zacchinis, Ildebrando Zacchini. And he with his sons worked for over nine years in a factory on the island of Malta, trying to perfect a cannon that would actually shoot a human being from its huge barrel. They finally succeeded and they held their first test on the island of Malta in June of nineteen hundred twenty three. Hugo Zacchini being the eldest son of the family was selected by his father to become the first human cannonball. But he was so injured in that first attempt that he was unable to reenter the cannon for three years. During that period of time Ildebrando and his sons constructed a new cannon, correcting the faults of the old one. And so they were ready for a second test in July nineteen hundred twenty six. This test occurred in the city of Kaipah, which is near Jerusalem, Palestine. Once again Hugo Zacchini entered the cannon and this time the attempt was a complete success, after which the famous Zacchini Family toured the entire world. And today ladies and gentlemen, their name is a byword in every country of the world and in every principal city of the United States. In later years, Emanuel Zacchini rose to new heights when he became the only member of this famous family to be shot from a cannon over three huge Ferris wheels at all of the largest fairs throughout the world. Tonight ladies and gentlemen, it is an extreme pleasure for us to be able to present the daughter of Emanuel – the youngest, the most daring of all the human cannonballs. Introducing the curvaceous -- the beautiful, Miss Flora Zacchini.