Things You Didn't Know
Through various educational programs, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey has long been committed to teaching children by applying circus-related lessons in vocabulary, physics, animal care, geography, and life skills such as teamwork, trust, and goal setting. (The educational program CIRCUSWORKS is available via www.Ringling.com.)
In 1955, Marilyn Monroe, riding atop a pink elephant, appeared on opening night at Madison Square Garden.
Uncle Sam, familiar symbol of American patriotism, was modeled after famous circus clown Dan Rice.
Lou Jacobs, a Ringling Bros. clown for 60 years, in 1966 became the only living person on a U.S. postage stamp.
The following are among the food stores purchased weekly for performing animals: 18 tons of hay; three tons of oats; five tons of apples, carrots, and lettuce; 425 loaves of bread; and more than one ton of fresh meat.
