Thursday, July 12, 2018

PROGRAM #17


8 comments:

Chic Silber said...


I never heard of this partnership

(or was it a partnership at all)

Charles Hanson said...

1953 was the last Season for the King-Cristiani Combined Circus partnership. This is where the Cristiani Family ended up for 1954 Season. Supposedly, part of the allure for the Cristiani Family was touring without the daily struggle of putting up the big top. From my understanding, it was a partnership. but a lot of dissatisfaction ....Not like the highly lucrative King-Cristiani partnership .....

Charles Hanson said...
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Chic Silber said...


Only deleted the duplicate Charles

Who were they partnered with

Charles Hanson said...

Big Bob Stevens was the partner....It is my understand that this saga only lasted two Seasons 1954 and 1955. In 1956, the Cristiani Family started their own Cristiani Bros. Circus....

Chic Silber said...


Wasn't the following title

"Cristiani Wallace Bros"

fully family owned Charles

After that closed a few of

them tried & failed with the

"United Nations" show maybe

partnered with Hoxie

Charles Hanson said...

It was always my understanding that Wallace Bros Circus and then Cristiani-Wallace Bros Circus had controlling interest by Pete and Norma Cristiani. It is possible that a few of the family may have held a very small percentage of the show. Cosetta, Remo, Ortans and Freddie toured with this circus...along with other members of the family. Howver, Pete and Norma were at the helm of the show. After the big King Bros Circus folded in 1956 (Floyd King and Arnold Maley owned....The courts in Macon, Georgia awarded the rights to the title of King Bros Circus to Vicki Kernan King (Mrs. Floyd King). The so called Little Cristianis headed up by Benny Cristian aka Benny Fornarasi, Cosetta and Remo, Chita and Tripoli and maybe Ortans and Freddie Caneestrelli leased the title "King Bros Circus" from Mrs. King. This show toured for two Season 1958 and 1959......The first year was highly successful...Believe this was the time period when Floyd King was booking towns, for Beatty Show, Sells and Gray and King Bros Circus. I always found it interesting that after such a bitter breakup in 1953....that part of the family came back and leased the title.......I was at Fort Gordon, Ga and saw the United Nations show in Augusta....The partnership may have been with Bartok.....

Chic Silber said...


Yup it was Bartok indeed