Talk:Ringmaster (circus)
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Category?[edit]
I'm the original author of this article. I later realized that it isn't categorized. I put it in a generic "entertainment" category. But I'm just now learning about all the categories and I'm not really sure which categories might be appropriate. Any categorization help would be appreciated. Joe 17:06, 18 October 2005 (UTC)
I have included a link to my article on George Claude Lockhart, the famous ringmaster of Belle Vue, Manchester, and Blackpool Tower. He is cited in numerous sources and is generally accepted to be the first ringmaster to ever wear the "pink" hunter tails and top hat on the orders of Bertram Mills. May I recommend an article on Norman Barrett, who is perhaps the UK's most well known circus ringmaster and the successor to Lockhart? User:Byshee 10:17, 24 October 2007
— Preceding unsigned comment added by 187.58.35.193 (talk) 19:07, 28 May 2014 (UTC)
Norman Barrett[edit]
Norman Barrett grew up on his father's farm in Yorkshire. His father trained animals, predominantly horses and so Barrett Junior was a proficient horseman in his teens. He first began work with Bertram Mills rising quickly to become Equestrian Director, a post which carried with it a requirement to become Ringmaster. As Bertram Mills ceased touring, his tranfer to Blackpool Tower to take over from George Lockhart who had moved to Belle Vue was timely. It is vital that a Ringmaster has an encyclopaedic knowledge of ring safety. All Ringmasters can be seen silently whisking around any erected equipment such as safety nets for trapezes checking for tightness and strength of rig on all temporary structures.[1]
With the demise of animal acts at the Blackpool Tower Circus, Barrett accepted a position with the soon to be, Hippodrome on Blackpool (South Shore)[2] which was under construction for animal acts and which no longer appears to be in existence! Norman Barrett however is still as busy all over the World [[1]][[2]]. Silvanian (talk) 03:52, 22 December 2009 (UTC)
French[edit]
The ringmaster is known as "Monsieur Loyal" (i.e. mister loyal). I'm not sure where that name has come from. Nor why the happy clown is "Auguste" and the sad clown is "Le Blanc"... —Preceding unsigned comment added by 92.193.117.131 (talk) 23:05, 10 September 2009 (UTC)
For answers to the above see Clown,Circus_clown,[[3]]. Silvanian (talk) 03:14, 22 December 2009 (UTC)
Incorrect generalizations[edit]
This article's scope needs to be adjusted to represent the wide variety of ringmasters in contemporary circus and non-American circuses. I have tagged the article with a "globalize" tag because it currently consists of generalizations that only represent the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus school of ringmasters, making it sound as if that's the only type of ringmaster there is or ever was. I'm no expert, but I've seen enough circuses to know that all ringmasters don't wear the same outfit, say the same opening lines, or speak in the language of hyperboles described here. These traditions were never universal, even within American circus, and certainly not anymore.
Fewer incorrect generalizations and the addition of some specific, sourced historic/current examples of ringmasters would help a lot. AtticusX (talk) 04:53, 18 January 2011 (UTC)