Barnum & Bailey: "The Wizard Prince of Arabia" (1914)

Barnum & Bailey: "The Wizard Prince of Arabia" (1914)
By Chris Berry

By 1914 the Ringling Bros were clearly the circus kings of America. In addition to the show which bore their name, they also were sole owners of the Barnum & Bailey "Greatest Show on Earth" - and both shows were spectacular in their own right, traveling across the nation routed to best take advantage of the regional strengths associated with the legacies of each circus.

The "Spec" of 1914 was titled "The Wizard Prince of Arabia" and was heavily promoted during that season. The pageant told the story of Abdallah, an Arabian Prince, who faced numerous obstacles and adventures before winning the hand of the Princess Ahloe Saran, daughter of the great King Babar and heiress to a magical Indian city.

"The Wizard Prince" along with an expanded side show brought in record box office receipts for the Ringling-owned Barnum & Bailey Circus. These four one-sheets, along with the companion billboard sized posters, were produced by Strobridge in 1914 and certainly influenced attendance at The Greatest Show on Earth that season.

Chris Berry
email: circusposters@gmail.com