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:
The Mammoth Circus Handbill, 4 October 1948
Inside fold out: information about the animal acts and circus performers, black and white photograph of a tiger roaring. Outside fold out: two Black and white photographs of an elephant and a horse, title, dates and times. 1 page.
The Nutcrackers Promotional Material, May 1969
Typescript note about the comedy music act The Nutcrackers. 1 page.
The Playas del Duque Club Magazine, c1990 - 2005
Club magazine with address of flat where Ronald and Kay Smart stayed in Marbella.
The Royal Windsor Big Top Show Part One Film, 1977
VHS PAL. BBC Enterprises. Tape number 97088.
The Royal Windsor Big Top Show Part One Film, 1977
VHS PAL. BBC Enterprises. Tape number 913803.
The Royal Windsor Big Top Show Part Two Film, 1977
VHS PAL. BBC Enterprises. Tape number 32759.
The Sensational Cherokees, c1970 - 1979
Royal Gala Performance of Billy Smart's Circus. Colour
The World of a Child: Gary Smart Film, c1960 - 1969
DVD-R. Black and white tape with sound. Narrated by Gary Smart as a child. Everyday circus life seen through the eyes of Gary Smart as a child introducing acts and artistes as well as family members .
Theatre Show Programmes, 1959 - 1993
Programmes for the following theatre productions: Blitz!, These Foolish Kings, Aladdin, Mother Goose, Swinging down the Lane, Crazy for You (with hand written notes), The Pajama Game.
This is Me Book and Drafts, 2024
Autobiographical book written by Gary Smart about his life in circus.
Ticket for Royal Gala Performance at Queens Hall, Leeds, 19 December
Smart Circus tickets for the Royal Gala Performance.
Tickets for Various Circuses, c1900 - 2000
One ticket for Circus Domino, one ticket for Billy Smart’s Circus, one ticket for Circus Renz, and two tickets for Circus Gerd Siemoneit Barum.
Times of Shows and Artist Salaries, 1997
Business records related to the Smart family and Smart circus.
Tom Hopkins for New World Circus Presents Billy Smart's Circus Programme, 2004
Front cover: a large moon in the background, three clowns in the foreground, the middle clown has face paint and a colourful clown suite. Inside: programme is in the centre, description of acts with photos, commercial advertising. Back cover: night time photo of the circus tent. 8 pages.
Tom Hopkins for New World Circus Presents Billy Smarts Circus Programme, 2004
Front cover: a large moon in the background, three clowns in the foreground, the middle clown has face paint and a colourful clown suite. Inside: programme is in the centre, description of acts with photos, commercial advertising. Back cover: night time photo of the circus tent. 10 pages.
Tony Hopkins Entertainment Souvenir Programme, c1990 - 2005
Front cover features illustration of a clown in green sitting on an umbrella which is held up by the leg of a feamle performer in a pink costume. Programme contains photographs and information about the performers.
Tony Hopkins Presents Chipperfields The Classic Circus Programme, c1900 - 2000
Front cover: red background with stars and title. Inside: brief history of the Chipperfield circus, programme in the centre, photos of acts with a brief description, commercial advertisement. Back cover: red background with stars. 6 pages.
Tower Circus Centenary Souvenir Brochure Programme, 1994
Front cover: clown climbing Circus Tower with a cake that reads 1894 - 1994 in one hand and a glass of champagne in the other hand. Inside: programme in the centre, description of acts with photos. Back cover: animated Christmas tree with clowns, Santa in a rocket ship and a dinosaur. 6 pages.
Tower Circus Centenary Souvenir Brochure Programme, 1994
Front cover: clown climbing Circus Tower with a cake that reads 1894 - 1994 in one hand and a glass of champagne in the other hand. Inside: brief programme in the centre, description of acts with photos. Back cover: animated Christmas tree with clowns, Santa in a rocket ship and a dinosaur. 6 pages.
Tower World Circus Souvenir Brochure Programme, 1993
Front cover: three clowns (2 adult and 1 child) imposed on to the front of Tower World. Inside: programme in the centre, foreword, introduction by Laci Endresz, photos of acts with brief description. Back cover: Winter Fun at Tower World advertisement. 8 pages.