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:
Fairfield Christmas Circus Handbill, 26 December 1970 - 23 January 1971
Front side: title, drawing of a clown and an elephant, dates and times. Back side: location - Fairfield Hall Croydon, title, dates, and a list of the circus acts. 1 page.
Fairfield Christmas Circus Poster, 26 December 1970 - 23 January 1971
Fairfield Christmas Circus Programme, c1900 - 1999
26 December to 23 January. Black and white illustration of clown and elephant on a red background on front cover, inside black and white photographs of acts and performed, programme in the centre, brief history of Fairfield and commercial advertising, 10p.p.
Fairground and Circus Catalogue Printing Blocks, c1880 - 1960
Film, c1900 - 2000
Films of Billy Smart's Circus performances including Christmas circuses, Easter circuses, Big Top Variety Shows and Children's circuses as well as films of other circus performances and circus life. The film are on a mixture of formats including VHS, DVD, BETACAM, reel to reel.
Films, 1979 - 1983
Circus films on VHS by Thames Television, including Billy Smart's Christmas and Easter circus and Big Top Variety Show.
Films, c1950 - 1959
Please notice that 178D24.4 contains scenes of animal cruelty and human fatalities. Copies of films on DVD format showing performers at various circus around the world, travelling scenes, scenic views, performers behind the scenes, film sets. Black and white and colour, sound.
Flag with Lion Patterns, c1900 - 2000
Made from Hessian fabric.
Flic Flac Programme, 1994
Includes handwritten notes on circus acts on a separate document. Front cover is black with yellow, white and pink text.
Flic Flac Promotional Material, 1993
Contains colour and black and white photographs of the performers; art work relating to the circus; brief information about the circus. 22 pages.
Folies Bergere '80 Programme, c1900 - 2000
Front page: photo of a dancer. Inside: programme. Back page: blank blue page with casino and resort name. 2 pages.
Fovarosi Nagycirkusz Programme, 1976
Front cover: drawing of a clown in full costume in the spotlight. Inside: programme in the centre, introduction greetings, photos of the acts, commercial advertisement. Back cover: red curtain. 10 pages.
Fragments from Gary Smart's Videos Film, 1966
VHS. Filmed in Bournemouth. Features Billy Smart Circus, Transport, Indians, Princess Margaret, Christmas Gala, Winter Quarters, Acts.
Gandey's 50th Circus Anniversary Tour Promotional Material, 1992
Promotion for Grandey's 50th anniversary. Contains a a brief history, colour photographs and information about the acts. 4 pages.
Gandey's Circus 1993 UK Tour Promotional Material, 1993
Promotion for Gandey's 1993 UK tour. Contains a brief history, colour photographs and information about the acts. 4 pages.
Gandey's Circus Daring to be Different Tour Programme, 1989
Front cover features blue and white illustration with gold text. Programme contains photographs and information about the Gandey family, circus and performers.
George A. Hamid, Inc. Promotional Material, 1949
Promotion for George A. Hamid, Inc; a talent agency that represented various performers. Includes information about the various performers. Black and white photographs of the performers. 40 pages.
George A. Hamid & Son Promotional Material, 1951
Promotion for George A. Hamid & Son; a talent agency that represented various performers. Information about the various performers. Black and white photographs of the performers. 38 pages.
Gerry Cottle Interview Film, c1990 - 1999
DVD. Colour with Black and White footage. Sound. Produced by ITV News. ITV News segment with Gerry Cottle and an Animal Aid representative talking about animal rights in the circus and the new direction the Gerry Cottle circus was taking. Interview Time: 18:00 - 23:52. Total Running Time: 2:59:55. Rest of the DVD consists of ITV news program and parts of movies recorded from TV.
Gerry Cottle Interview Film, c1990 - 1999
VHS.