Billy Smart's Circus (c1946 - 2006)
Biography
Billly Smart's Circus was established by William 'Billy' Smart (1894-1966). Billy came from a fairground family from London with an interest in horses and circuses. In 1946 Billy came across Cody's Circus and bought the big top.
Billy Smart's New World Circus made its debut at Southall Park, Middlesex, on 5 April 1946, for the first full season after the end of the war. Initially, Billy run his circus in conjunction with his fun fair, which was being run by his children, but by 1952 the fun fair, which was overshadowed by the circus, disappeared. The success of the circus side of the business however continued to increase and in 1955, Billy Smart's Circus grew from its two-pole tentto a 6,000 seat, four-pole round big top with a hippodrome track around the ring, and a vast entrance tent, thus enabling the staging of spectacular parades, which became a Billy Smart's Circus trademark.
Billy's greatest innovation, however, was his relationship with the newly established television networks when he agreed to broadcast his circus live on the BBC in 1947. Over the years, Billy Smart's Christmas Spectacular became a BBC holiday tradition, which ITV took over in 1979 and carried on until 1982. The BBC's first-ever colour broadcast was a 'Tribute to Billy Smart', while Royal Performances took place in London, raising thousands of pounds for charity.
A large part of the success of the circus was the showmanship that Billy brought to the operation of the circus, the large family he could draw upon to run the shows and his ability as a showman to market and capture opportunities to advertise. Whilst other circus proprietors were threatened by the rise in popularity of television and shunned the cameras, Billy Smart embraced them. Smart's Circus grew to be one of the largest in the world, touring every part of the British Isles, and with permanent quarters and an associated zoo at Winkfield, Berkshire, not far from where Smart began his fairground career. His success took the circus through twenty-six tenting tours, winter seasons, frequent TV appearances and the provision of animal acts to other circuses.
Billy died in his caravan on 25 September 1966 and the circus passed onto his sons Ronnie, David and Billy Jr. who continued travelling Billy Smart's New World Circus until around 1971.
In the 1990s Ronnie and his sons Gary and Lord revived the Smart Circus and started to tour a smaller scale version of the original circus. However, the Smart Circus was never the same after the dead of Billy and soon after, the Smart name was rented out to other circus operators until it stopped operating in the early 2000s.
Found in 1051 Collections and/or Records:
Cirkus Merano Souvenir Programme, 1994
Front cover, drawing of a clown and circus elephant. Inside: programme in the centre, photos of the circus, photos of the acts with a brief description. Back cover: aerial view of the circus tent and city. 8 pages.
Cirkus Merano Souvenir Programme, 1994
Front cover, drawing of a clown and circus elephant. Inside: programme in the centre, photos of the circus, photos of the acts with a brief description. Back cover: aerial view of the circus tent and city. 8 pages.
Cirkus Merano Souvenir Programme, 1993
Front cover: drawing of an elephant dressed up in a band suit and a clown playing a trumpet. Inside: programme in the centre (not all of it as the other page is missing), introduction by director Knut Dahl, photographs of acts with a description, photographs of the circus setting up. Back cover: photograph of the circus grounds. 7 pages.
Cirkus Merano Souvenir Programme, 1993
Front cover: drawing of an elephant dressed up in a band suit and a clown playing a trumpet. Inside: programme in the centre (not all of it as the other page is missing), introduction by director Knut Dahl, photographs of acts with a description, photographs of the circus setting up. Back cover: photograph of the circus grounds. 7 pages.
Cirkus Scott Programme, 1994
Front cover: two men in suits with black bowties. Inside: programme in the centre, photos of the acts, commercial advertisement, information about the circus. 12 pages.
Cirkus Scott Programme, 1954
Front cover: Roman charriot with four horses. Inside: programme in the centre, commercial advertisements, information on the circus, photos of the circus. Back cover: advertisement for Esso oil. 4 pages.
Cirkuszok CSILLAGAI Programme, c1900 - 2000
Front cover: color drawing of a seal, two monkeys, and two penguins all balancing on balls. Inside: programme in the centre, commercial advertisement, photo and name of acts. Back cover: two monkeys holding each other while balancing on balls. 11 pages.
Cirque Arlette Gruss Programme, 1992
Front cover: drawing of a roaring lion on a white background. Inside: programme in the centre, commercial advertisements, photographs of the acts with a sentence description. Back cover: black and white artistic photo of a clown walking off stage. 14 pages.
Cirque Menagerie Demuynck Programme, c1900 - 2000
Front cover: drawing of an elephant standing on its hind legs. Inside: programme runs through out the booklet, commercial advertisements. Back cover: blank white page. 4 pages.
Clown Cavalcade Programme, 1975
Front cover: drawing of a clown. Inside: photos and descriptions of the various shows put on by the Clown Cavalcade. Back cover: Clown Cavalcade contact information and background information. 6 pages.
Clowns' International First Convention Film, 1985
VHS. Filmed in Bognor Regis. Note on tape reads 'Gala show featuring Tommy and Elaine Fossett and Arthur Vercoe Pedlar. Street Parade opens, Ron Mordy, Silners model circus??? Smoke on accordion, clown parade Tgignmouth'.
Code of Conduct For the Welfare and Management of Horses and Dogs Transparencies, c1900 - 2000
Transparencies for printing a pamphlet entitled Code of Conduct For the Welfare and Management of Horses and Dogs.
Collage of Billy Smart's Quality Show Circus, c1900 - 2000
Black and white collage for printing.
Collection of Complimentary Tickets and Concession Vouchers for the Billy Smart's Circus, c1900 - 2000
Various examples of Press passes, Coach Driver’s tickets, etc.
Collection of Movie Posters, c1960 - 1979
Various items of ephemera.
Collection of Ticket Application Forms for Various Charity Performances of Billy Smart’s Circus, c1960 - 1969
Various items of ephemera.
Colour Proof Print and Colour Gouache Paintings of Circus Performers and Circus Animals, 2002
Works of art collected by the Smart family.
Colour Proof Print of Car Racing, Black and Blue Pen and Ink Poster of a Race Car, Colour Gouache Painting of Stunt Cars and Circus Performers, 2002
Works of art collected by the Smart family.
Colour Proof Prints of Billy Smart's Circus at Battersea Park, c1900 - 2000
Works of art collected by the Smart family.
Commemorative Dish with picture of Steam Engine 'Her Majesty' by Burrel 1897, c1900 - 2000
Features stamp of Social Guild of Manny & Margaret, Yorkshire Showmen 1968-1969. Dish accompanied by a postcard to Harry, from Harry Wigfield 18th February 1995.