Shrine Circus History
(1906-2005...)
Moslem Shrine Circus
On February 26, 1996 the Shrine Circus was ninety years old. It is still a vital institution bringing quality entertainment to over 120 cities each year.
The Shrine Circus began life at the Light Guard Armory in Detroit, Michigan for the Moslem Shrine Center. The Armory was demolished several years ago, but the State historical marker at the former site proudly proclaims its contribution to circus history.
The circus was originally a one-ring affair, but by 1925 it had grown to three rings. That year it transferred to a larger building at the State Fair Grounds. There it continued to grow and prosper. In 1996, it ran for 17 days with 40 performances making it not only the oldest Shrine Circus, but also the biggest.
By the 1920s Shrine Circuses were being conducted throughout the country, and each year additional Shrine Centers introduced circuses to their communities. The first Shrine Circus each year is usually in Flint, Michigan in January. Then there is at least one Shrine Circus each week until late November. The last ones usually being held Thanksgivings week in Evansville, Indiana and New Orleans, Louisiana.
Over the years just about every circus star has appeared in the Shrine Circus: Clyde Beatty, the Wallendas, Emmett Kelly, the Flying Concellos, the Hannefords and the Zacchinis.
The Flying Wallendas Today
There are several distinct branches of the Wallendas performing today. Of the grandchildren, Tino and Delilah, brother and sister, perform with their respective families. Rick and Rietta, also brother and sister, have performed as a team. All have performed together in the past and were involved in the 7-Person Pyramid.
In 1998, the current era of the Wallendas reunited the performing family members from three separate groups the Flying Wallendas, the Fabulous Wallendas, and the Great Wallendas to recreate their crowning achievement, the 7-person pyramid, reestablishing their legacy in circus history. To debut the intricate maneuver the Wallendas premiered their feat for the Hamid Circus Royale during the 1998 Moslem Temple Shrine Circus in Detroit, the sight of the Wallendas greatest tragedy 36 years before. Several attempts have been made by others to perform this intricate pyramid, but none, as of yet, has succeeded in accomplishing the feat the way it was performed by the Wallendas, incorporating the chair and without the use of nets or safety devices of any kind. And now the Wallendas fring the 7-Person Pyramid to Circus Flora audiences. The original members of the 1998 pyramid included Delilah Wallenda, Tino Wallenda, Alida Wallenda, Nikolas Wallenda, Sacha Paviata, Tony Hernandez, and Terry Troffer.
Going a step further, the Wallendas have also recreated the 3-level, 4-person pyramid that originally brought the Wallendas to the United States in 1928. It was put on the shelf when they began performing The Seven. This feature trick has the same intricacy as The Seven and has not been performed in over 50 years. It was the standard for excellence in pyramids on the high wire and was performed in the United States by the Wallenda family between 1928 and 1947. Both of these feats are performed currently, but only by special request at selected venues.
On February 20, 2001, the Wallendas once again accomplished a trick never even attempted. For the cameras of Fox TV's Guinness Records Primetime, the Wallendas assembled an 8-Person, 3-Level Pyramid. To secure their record, they added 2 more family members to form the first and only 10-Person Pyramid.
The very first Shrine Circus was held in Detroit in February,
1906. Not long after, Milwaukee’s Tripoli Temple, which was established over 125
years ago, staged its first circus. Today, the Tripoli Shrine Circus is one of
the longest running Shrine Circus’ in the country.
In the 1930’s, the Tripoli Shrine Circus was held in the Milwaukee Auditorium.
When the Arena was built the Circus moved there.
Hamid Morton Circus
George Hamid Sr. established this circus dynasty in the 1930's when he joined forces with Robert Morton to create the Hamid-Morton Circus. Hamid-Morton Circus was one of the first circuses to specialize in producing shows for Shrine Temples and other sponsors through out the United States.
Aladdin Shrine Circus (Columbus Ohio)
Ararat Shrine Circus (Kansas City Missouri)
Hamid Morton Circus 1935-1956
Khartum Shrine Circus (Winnipeg Manitoba Canada)
Midian Shrine Circus (Wichita Kansas)
Tripoli Shrine Circus (Milwaukee Wisconsin)
Yaarab Shrine Circus (Atlanta Georgia) 1942-2005...
Shrine Circuses Harry Haag Sr. and Ruby
Haag:
(confirmed by Circus World Museum)
1944 - Zuhrah Shrine Circus
Minneapolis, MN
1944, 1947 -
Al Sirat Grotto Shrine Circus
Cleveland, Ohio
1945 - Frank Wirth's Circus
1945 - Damascus Shrine Circus
Rochester New York
1945 - Bud E Anderson
1946 - Midian Shrine Circus
Wichita, Kansas
1947, 1949 - Osman Shrine Circus St Paul MN
1948 - Ward Bros Circus
1949, 1950, 1951, 1954? - Moslem Shrine Circus
Detroit Michigan
1951 - Aladdin Shrine Circus
Columbus Ohio
1952 - Ararat Shrine Circus
Kansas City Missouri
1952 -
Al Sirat Grotto Shrine Circus
Cleveland, Ohio
1952 - Damascus Shrine Circus
Rochester New York
1954, 1956 - Osman Shrine Circus St Paul MN
1954, 1955 - Aladdin Shrine Circus
Columbus Ohio
1955 - Moslem Shrine Circus
Detroit Michigan
1956 - Midian Shrine Circus
Wichita, Kansas
1956 - Ararat Shrine Circus
Kansas City Missouri
1957 - Anr... Shrine Circus
Shrine Circuses Ruby
Haag Remembers Performing
for not listed above:
(circus names verified by Ruby Haag)
St. Louis Police Circus
Tangier Shrine, Omaha NE
Osiris Shrine, Wheeling W. Vir
Hadi Shrine, Evansville, IN
Al Shamal Shrine Circus Edmonton
Canada
Arabia Shrine, Houston Texas
Super Circus, Chicago
Antioch Shine, Dayton OH
Helen Haag's Chimpanzees (...1950-1966...)
shrine shows (...1950-1966...)
Indoor Shows and Ed Sullivan (...?...)
7-1962 - Olympic Park
Shrine Circus shows (...1950-1966...)
1950 - Yaarab Shrine Circus (Atlanta Georgia)
1950, 1951 - Hamid Morton Circus
1951, 1952 - Tripoli Shrine Circus (Milwaukee Wisconsin)
1952 - Ararat Shrine Circus (Kansas City Missouri)
1952 - Kar? Karnak Shrine Circus (Quebec Canada)
1952 - Hamid Morton Circus
1953 - Aladdin Shrine Circus (Columbus Ohio)
1953 - Khartum Shrine Circus (Winnipeg Manitoba Canada)
1953 - Midian Shrine Circus (Wichita Kansas)
6-5-1954 - Tom Packs Circus
1954 - Osman Shrine Circus (St. Paul Minnesota)
1954, 1955 - Aladdin Shrine Circus (Columbus Ohio)
1955 - Moslem Shrine Circus (Detroit Michigan)
1956 - Antioch Shrine Circus (Dayton Ohio)
1956 - Ziyara Shrine Circus (Utica New York)
1956 - Midian Shrine Circus (Wichita Kansas)
1956 - Ararat Shrine Circus (Kansas City Missouri)
1956, 1957 - Al Sirat Shrine Circus (Cleveland, Ohio)
1957 - Osman Shrine Circus (St. Paul Minnesota)
1957 - Arabia Shrine Circus (Houston Texas)
1957 - Khartum Shrine Circus (Winnipeg Manitoba Canada)
1957 - Edmonton Shrine Circus Club (Edmonton Canada)
1957 - Elf Khurafeh Shrine Circus (Saginaw Michigan)
1958 - Antioch Shrine Circus (Dayton Ohio)
1958 - Al Shamal Shrine Circus (Edmonton Canada)
1958 - Rudy Bros
1958 - Damascus Shrine Circus (Webster New York)
1960 - Ararat Shrine Circus (Kansas City Missouri)
1961 - Moslem Shrine Circus (Detroit Michigan)
1961 - Al Shamal Shrine Circus (Edmonton Canada)
1961 - Osman Shrine Circus (St. Paul Minnesota)
1961 - Antioch Shrine Circus (Dayton Ohio)
1961 - Kora Shrine Circus - (Lewiston Maine)
1963 - Al Shamal Shrine Circus (Edmonton Canada)
1966 - Tripoli Shrine Circus (Milwaukee Wisconsin)
Shrine Circuses Harry
Haag Jr. Remembers Performing for:
(circus names verified, dates from Jack Joyce's schedule)
1951,54 - Al Sirat Grotto, Cleveland OH
1951 - Kosair Shrine, Louisville KY
1951-54 - Polack Bros
1952 - Medinah Shrine, Chicago
1953 - Mohammed Shrine, Peoria IL
1954 - Tom Packs Circus
1954, 55 - Aladdin Shrine, Columbus OH
1954 - St. Louis Police Circus
1954 - Tangier Shrine, Omaha NE
1954 - Osiris Shrine, Wheeling W. Vir
1954 - Hadi Shrine, Evansville, IN
1954 - Ararat Shrine, Kansas City Missouri
1955 - Moslem Shrine, Detroit
1955 - Edmonton Shrine
1955 - Houston Shrine
1955 - Ft. Worth Shrine
1955 - Super Circus, Chicago
1956 - Minneapolis Shrine Circus
Zuhrah Shrine Show
1956 - Camels, llamas, zebra, pony
Tom Packs Circus, St. Louis Police Circus
1957 - Tripoli Shrine Circus, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Karnak Shrine, Montreal Albert Vidbel
Topeka Shrine Circus
Kansas City Shrine Circus
1958 - Tripoli Shrine Circus, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1959 - Antioch Shine, Dayton OH
1959 - Zuhrah Shrine, Minneapolis
1960 - Ararat Shrine, Kansas City Missouri
1960 - St. Louis Police Circus
1960 - Moslem Shrine, Detroit
1960 - Damascus Shrine, Rochester NY