The Greatest Quiz On Earth

Answer: 1884

Within ten years, the small circus founded by the Ringling Brothers established itself as one of the largest and best run circuses in the country.

Answer: five

The circus was founded by five of the seven Ringling Brothers. They were: Albert (1852-1916), Otto (1858-1911), Alfred T. (1862-1919), Charles (1863-1926), and John (1866-1936). Collectively they became known as "Kings of the Circus World".
The quintet was joined by a sixth brother, Henry (1869-1918) in 1886, and the seventh brother, August G. "Gus" (1854-1907) in 1889. Brothers Charles and John served as the shows supervising managers.

Answer: ten

The circus debuted as, "P.T. Barnum's Great Traveling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan, and Hippodrome".
Later, the name was extended to include, "The Greatest Show on Earth".

Answer: "The Ringling Bros. United Monster Shows, Great Double Circus, Royal European Menagerie, Museum, Caravan and College of Trained Animals"

The show first premiered in 1870. Admission price for the show was one penny.
In 1882, the shows name was changed to, "The Ringling Bros. Classic and Comic Concert Company.
Once again in 1884, the name was changed to, "Yankee Robinson and Ringling Bros. Circus". This change represented the only time the Ringling Brothers took second billing in the name of the circus.

Answer: Honest and fair attitude towards the public.

The Ringling Bros. Circus earned the reputation for being a fair, clean, and family orientated show. Unlike many of the other circuses of the time, Ringling Brothers did not allow ticket seller to short change or cheat customers. Games of chance found in other circuses, such as Three Card Monte and the shell games were not allowed at the circus venues.

The use of profanity by circus employees was strictly prohibited.

Answer: 1919

Following the purchase, the circuses operated as independent shows, touring different parts of the country until 1919.
Al and John Ringling, the only remaining brothers, felt it was too difficult to operated two separate circuses, so a decision was made to combine the shows.
The first performance of the combined Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus was on March 29, 1919, at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Answer: "Stars and Stripes Forever"

John Philip Sousa wrote this popular patriotic march song in December of 1886. By act of Congress, it was designated as the National March song of the United States of America.
In show business, specifically theater and circuses, it is known as "The Disaster March". The playing of the song during a performance is a code signaling personnel that a dangerous or life threatening situations exist, and a cue to initiate emergency, orderly evacuation from the venue site. The song has been played during circus performance when dangerous animals have escaped, but one of the most famous uses of the warning occurred at the July 6, 1944, circus performance of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, when the canvas big top caught fire.
In the circus, the song is NEVER played unless emergency situations exist.

Answer: Great circus fire.

The Hartford Fire was viewed as one of the worst fire disasters in the history of the United States. The fire occurred during the performance attended by 7,500 to 8,500 people. Nearly 170 persons perished in the fire. One irony of the incident was that the fleeing crowd did not realize that a safe exit from the fire was no farther away than to merely duck under the sidewalls of the canvas tent.

Many deaths occurred as a result of the crowd trying the leave via the tent exits, causing some to be trampled by the frantic, fleeing crowd. Tragically, some of the dead have remained unidentified to this day, even with modern DNA technologies.

Answer: Harold Ronk

Ronk worked with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus from 1951 until 1981.
Ronk presented an impressive figure as Ringmaster with his strong, rich operatic baritone voice, his wavy blond hair, and almost always attired in his red sequined coattails, and black top hat.
Ronk traditionally started each performance with his trademark greeting, "Ladies and Gentlemen, Children of all ages".
Ronk sang "Welcome to the Circus" at the start of thousands of performances over his 30-year tenure with the circus, and became known as the first Singing Ringmaster. During introduction and narration of circus events during the shows, Ronk was noted for the phrases, "And now for the first time in the world" and referring to acts as, "The most enchanting extravaganza ever conceived".
In 2004, Ronk was inducted into the International Circus Hall of Fame, in Peru, Indiana. The plaque dedicated to him identifies him as "Legendary Voice of the Circus.

Answer: Mattel Toy Company

In 1971, the circus was sold by then owners Irwin and Israel Feld to the Mattel Toy Company. Their plan was to incorporate the circus into an amusement theme park in Florida. While plans and groundbreaking took place for the new attraction, financial setbacks forced Mattel to abandon the project. In March of 1983, Mattel sold the circus back to the Feld Family for a reported 22.8 million dollars.



Some information sources used:

Ringling Brothers
www.ringling.com

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
www.en.wikipedia.org/wili/ringling_bros_barnum,_and_bailey_circus

Harold Ronk
www.nyt.com/2006/08/05/05ronk


Thank you - I hope you found this quiz to be both fun and informative. :-)