From Chris Berry

Picture 003, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. Sixty-two years ago this morning - July 2, 1947 - the people of Utica, New York were waking to the arrival of the Greatest Show on Earth. Among the performers on hand that day, Felix Adler, who is featured on this poster. Except for a stint in the army during World War I, Adler had been a part of the big show since 1914. One of the greatest clowns ever on the show, Adler had been fired the previous season by Robert Ringling - the son of Charles Ringling - who was President of the circus during most of the war years. Robert Ringling had objected to the fact that Adler was working for indoor circuses during the winter of '46 saying it was a contract violation, so after more than 30 years with the show, Felix was out. His banishment didn't last long however. A few weeks later, during the stand at Madison Square Garden, John Ringling North began a series of stock maneuvers that put him back in charge of the show. After taking control during the spring of 1946 one of the first things that North did was rehire Adler. This poster was originally designed, along with other bright and somewhat unorthodox poster images, by the studios of Norman Bel Geddes for the 1941 season. After the war it was reworked somewhat and continued to be used throughout the 1940s. Incidentally, it was about the time that the show was in Utica, during the summer of '47, that John Ringling North put into place a plan that would give him essentially total control of the circus, and bring Art Concello back as General Manager. By the time the show reached Atlanta in late October, North was firmly in place as President of Ringling Bros and Barnum and Bailey, a position he would hold for the next 20 years.