Clowns on the Midway - An Image with Lasting Power

By Chris Berry
circusposters@gmail.com

The artwork seen here was associated with various circuses for some 40 years - making it among the most venerable of circus advertising images. The first use was by Ringling-Barnum in 1938 as the back cover of that season's courier promoting GARGANTUA. The faces of Lou Jacobs and Paul Jerome appear here. The makeup for both evolved over the years. Jerome becoming a "tramp" clown - and Jacobs adding a shock of red hair!

NOTE: The original artwork seen above has been reproduced and purported to be an authentic window card with a Madison Square Garden date has been widely sold as an original on eBay and elsewhere. Buyer beware - THAT poster is a reproduction and does not date from 1938 despite the text on the poster.

The King Bros Circus (owned by Floyd King) used the same artwork as their program book in 1954. It was adapted to a window card that also was used as a half-sheet by both Beatty-Cole and King Bros in the late 1960s. (This half sheet dates from 1965).

The original "Circus Midway" artwork was adapted to a window card that also was used as a half-sheet by both Beatty-Cole and King Bros in the late 1960s. Another variation on the Midway theme was produced as a half-sheet "flat" (horizontal) for Beatty Cole in 1965. The keen observer will notice that while the same clown appears - the "Main Entrance" has an updated photograph of the crowd. Those standing on the midway now look like they are from the 1960s rather than the 1920s!

Over the years these Beatty-Cole and King Bros window cards were printed by the thousands and used for many many seasons. (Note the difference from the half-sheet in both the lettering and additional text.) I pulled this one out of a store window in 1974 - 20 years after it appeared on the King Bros program - and nearly 40 years after the original design was used on the Ringling-Barnum courier of 1938.

Because of the fact that dozens of both the King Bros and Beatty-Cole window cards are in the hands of collectors - these posters are worth only a few dollars at auction.