Click on any photo to see an expanded version.



As the saying goes "there's no business like show business" and to Old Chicago a big part of the experience was plenty of live entertainment.  Down in the Fairgrounds the Old Chicago International Circus was the big act.



With Old Chicago's magnificent dome as the "big top" the Old Chicago International Circus was there to entertain.



Take a look at this schedule from September 1975 at how much Old Chicago had going on.  The Old Chicago International Circus had two separate shows with six to seven acts performing multiple times during the day. 

By the way in the Old Chicago Vaudeville Theater they had the famous fan dancer Miss Sally Rand.  Sally and her fans were the big hit of the 1933 Worlds Fair in Chicago.  Her fan dance consisted her dancing with only a pair of ostrich feather fans to cover her naked body.  The dance caused her to get arrested four times in a day at the Worlds fair for indecency.  She was quoted saying "I haven't been out of work since the day I took my pants off".



These photos of the Old Chicago International Circus were provided by Cody Denkins.  Looking at the park chances are these were from Old Chicgao's inaugural year and this might be the Antonucci's Chimps. 



This member of the Old Chicago International Circus is diving through a ring that has various swords sticking through making it a death defying stunt.




Next

Old Chicago Index

Home




Copyright 1999 - 2024

Paul B. Drabek