Some Useful and Fun Circus Terms (A-K)
October 12th, 2010
- Ace Note: A dollar bill
- Back Yard: “Off Limits” to the general public.
- Bally Broads, Bally Girls: Woman and girls who sang and danced in the circus spectacles.
- Boss Hostler: Perhaps the most picturesque figure on the circus grounds was this man who had charge of all the baggage (work) horses on the show.
- Candy Butchers: Concession salesman who sells concession items on the circus seats before and during a performance.
- Crier: A later term (1870-1880s) for the side show talkers.
- Dike (Klondike): Brass or copper sold as scrap.
- Dukey Run:This term became common usage for any unusually long distance.
- Educator: The Billboard Weekly
- Fireball, a Fireball Outfit: A show with a poor performance which allowed so many dishonest practices on its grounds that the towns played by it were literally “burned up” for any show that tried to follow it.
- Flea Bag: A disreputable, ragged and dirty show
- Gimick: A trick used to win. The mechanical device used to control crooked games.
- Grinder: A person who has a certain set speil, or sequence of words that he delivers on the front of a show or a midway attraction as long as the doors are open.
- Haul: The move between the circus train and the show lot.
- Herald: Type of advertising for individual reading. Many sizes and shapes printed on colored newsprint in one, two or four pages. These heralds were handed out to people on the streets, or put into the front doors of homes.
- Horse Opera: A Wild West exhibition.
- I.W.W.: International Workers of the World. This far left labor union issued red cards to its members. It’s stronghold was in the lumber camps from Minnesota to the Pacific Northwest.
- Joey: A clown. From the famous European clown, Joe Grimaldi.
- John Robinson: A much shortened circus performance.
- Kip: A sleeping place, a bed.
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