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198:. He was intimately involved in all aspects of the circus business. He would regularly seat himself at the main entrance into the circus, a vantage point that ensured that his face was seen by all and from which, it was rumored, he could estimate the night's receipts to hold his employees accountable. Through the 1870s and into the 1880s, Forepaugh and P. T. Barnum had the two largest circuses in the nation. Forepaugh had more animals than Barnum and generally paid higher salaries to the much-favored European talent. The two men constantly fought each other over rights to perform in the most-favored venues.
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Barnum. He whitewashed a regular gray elephant, called it the "Light of Asia", and marketed it as the real thing. To further illustrate the spirit of the business dealings between the two, a reporter who managed to sneak up and remove some of the whitewash from the "Light of Asia" to prove
Forepaugh's fraud was able to sell this information to Barnum, instead of writing a story about it for his newspaper.
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165:, and then sold the horses at a higher price to a different streetcar company. Forepaugh’s horse selling enterprise during the American Civil War became his most lucrative business venture. The war made horses scarce and therefore very valuable. He became wealthy selling horses to the U.S. government.
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Circus. Forepaugh sold the Great
National Circus and renamed the Dan Rice Circus as his own name. In November of 1865 Forepaugh opened the Philadelphia Circus and Menagerie at 10th and Callowhill Streets. This was the first permanent home of his touring circus show. His circus toured 250 or more days
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They signed truces in 1882, 1884, and 1887, dividing the country into exclusive territories to avoid disputes. But at least twice, they decided to pool their resources and perform together. In 1880, Forepaugh and Barnum combined their shows for a
Philadelphia engagement. In 1887, Forepaugh obtained
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An article at the end of 1907 observed that the
Ringling brothers intended to close the remains of their property, the former Forepaugh show, eighteen years after its original owner's death, and stop using the name and likeness which had "been seen oftener than that of any other American, dead or
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Some of
Forepaugh's methods were truly innovative, however. He was the first circus operator to separate the menagerie from the big ring in order to attract church goers who might be leery of the "sinful" attractions of circus acts, yet still desirous to see the exotic animals in the menagerie.
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An example of
Forepaugh's unscrupulous methods was his rivalry with Barnum over Barnum's white elephant. Barnum had purchased, at great cost, an ostensibly white elephant, only to discover upon delivery that it was pink, with great spots. Forepaugh heard of this and saw an opportunity to one-up
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The
American circus business in this period was known for its unscrupulous business practices—practices of which Forepaugh was a willing participant. Forepaugh was also noted for his business acumen and marketing prowess, which made his circus profitable every year except one.
236:"Fine specimens were purchased from Forepaugh's collections and other sources, and a standing order placed with importers of rare and unusual creatures. P.T. Barnum was a frequent visitor during this summer and took a personal pride in this feature."
206:, a venue that Barnum considered to be exclusively his but had forfeited by his neglect to renew his contract. A compromise was negotiated, and once again the two circuses presented a combined performance in the largest circus performance to date.
181:. O'Brien could not repay the loan and Forepaugh assumed partial ownership of the circus. The next year, he and O'Brien purchased the Jerry Mabie Menagerie and created two circuses with their combined assets: The Great National Circus and the
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owner. From 1865 through 1890 his circus operated under various names including
Forepaugh's Circus, Forepaugh's Gigantic Circus and Menagerie, The Forepaugh Show, 4-PAW Show, The Adam Forepaugh Circus, and Forepaugh & The Wild West.
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had the two largest circuses in the United States and competed fiercely. His innovations included commission of the first railroad cars for a traveling circus in 1877, the first three-ring presentation and the first
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Forepaugh was different from most of his fellow circus operators. Already independently wealthy when he entered the circus business, he was much less a showman and much more a businessman—a stark contrast to
292:, a 21-year-old New York City actress blessed with a "charming blue eye" and "... magnificent teeth, which she shows to advantage in conversation". Many believe this was the first
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and formed a livestock and horse trading business. He became the largest purveyor of horses in New York state and earned a reputation as an expert judge of horses.
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He ran a successful horse trading business which provided horses to street railway companies. He became wealthy selling horses to the U.S. government during the
221:. The Ringlings used the equipment to transform their circus from a small animal-powered production to a huge rail-powered behemoth, which later purchased the
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interview in an attempt to discredit him. However, Barnum never denied making the quote. It is said that he thanked
Forepaugh for the free
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In search of new talent, he sponsored a $ 10,000 beauty contest in 1881, looking for the "most beautiful woman in
America". The winner was
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Adam Forepaugh, the veteran circus manager, died late last night at his residence in this city. He had been ailing for some time past. ...
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Milner Library Illinois State University Digital Collections - Official Route 26th Annual Tour Adam Forepaugh Great All-Feature Show 1889
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Advertisement for Adam Forepaugh’s Circus in Athletic Park, Washington, DC, published in The National Republican, April 11, 1885
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118:. He entered the circus business by taking part ownership in a circus due to an unpaid debt for the purchase of 44 horses.
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323:, but none of them ever die" is often attributed to P. T. Barnum. The source of the quote is most likely famous con-man
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companies. He purchased old "nags" from one streetcar company, allowed the horses to rejuvenate on an island in the
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Albrecht, Ernest. American National Biography Online. Oxford University Press, 2000. s.v. "Forepaugh, Adam."
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Forepaugh was responsible for many innovations in circus history, which influenced circuses for many years.
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by Joanne Dahme takes place in Laurel Hill Cemetery and Forepaugh is one of the characters in the book.
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each year and employed over 400 performers and workmen. His annual average profit exceeded $ 300,000.
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to Cincinnati, where he worked in cattle appraising and managing stagecoach lines. He moved to
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The combined Adam Forepaugh-Sells Brothers' Circus will be in Hartford next week Tuesday. ...
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Traber, J Milton "Adam Forepaugh's Life" Billboard (Cincinnati, OH) 8, October 1910: 13–24.
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Ringlingville USA: The Stupendous Story of Seven Siblings and Their Stunning Circus Success
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Ringlingville USA: The Stupendous Story of Seven Siblings and Their Stunning Circus Success
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501:"Death Of Adam Forepaugh. The Veteran Showman Falls a Victim to Influenza And Pneumonia"
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948:. York (Pennsylvania) Dispatch (via newspapers.com, sub req'd). 16 December 1907
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463:. Philadelphia Times (via newspapers.com, subscription req'd). 24 January 1890
130:. After Forepaugh's death in 1890, his circus operations were merged with the
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Forepaugh entered the circus business in 1864, when he sold 44 horses to
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at the same time, one for the circus performance and the other for the
751:. Madison, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Historical Society Press. p. 41.
735:(New York: Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge, 1996): 158.
704:. Madison, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Historical Society Press. p. 66.
591:"Rewind: July 15, 2021 – "Thrilling Attractions & Weird Wonders""
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857:. Vol. V. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. 1946. p. 522.
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He was the first to incorporate a "Wild West Show" into his circus.
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A Pair of Shootists: The Wild West Story of S.F. Cody and Maud Lee
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A Pair of Shootists: The Wild West Story of S.F. Cody and Maud Lee
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A Pair of Shootists: The Wild West Story of S.F. Cody and Maud Lee
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https://archive.org/stream/billboard22-1910-10#page/n92/mode/1up/
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After Forepaugh's death, his circus operations merged with the
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883:. Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press. p. 32.
810:. Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press. p. 25.
536:. Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press. p. 26.
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New York Public Library Digital Collections - Adam Forepaugh
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in a time when blacks rarely had positions of such stature.
278:
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The Fabulous Showman: The Life and Times of P. T. Barnum.
670:. San Bernardino, CA: The Borgo Press. pp. 99–100.
102:; February 28, 1831 – January 22, 1890) was an American
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In 1869, he was the first to use two separate "bigtop"
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to form the Forepaugh-Sells Brothers' Circus in 1900.
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Forepaugh ran a successful business selling horses to
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to form the Forepaugh-Sells Brothers' Circus in 1900.
565:"Running Away With The Circus At 10th And Callowhill"
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731:Wilmeth, Don B and Tice L Miller "Adam Forepaugh"
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327:. Forepaugh attributed the quote to Barnum in a
622:. New York: Broadway Publishing Co. p. 125
1054:Burials at Laurel Hill Cemetery (Philadelphia)
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209:In 1889, Forepaugh sold his circus acts to
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1074:Infectious disease deaths in Pennsylvania
782:The lady of the Gardens: Mary Elitch Long
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597:. Warren County N.Y. Historical Society
1064:Deaths from the 1889–1890 flu pandemic
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785:. Saturday Night Pub. Co. p. 24.
121:In the 1870s and 1880s, Forepaugh and
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841:New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1959: 297.
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362:and is buried in the family vault at
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1039:19th-century American businesspeople
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619:Fifty Years in Theatrical Management
381:alive" by that writer's estimation.
354:Forepaugh died January 20, 1890, in
325:Joseph ("Paper Collar" Joe) Bessimer
733:Cambridge Guide to American Theatre
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142:Forepaugh was born into poverty in
138:Early life and horse trading career
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1079:Wild West show founders and owners
912:"Forepaugh-Sells Brothers' Circus"
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321:There's a sucker born every minute
217:and sold his railroad cars to the
148:Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad
81:, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
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616:Leavitt, Michael Bennett (1912).
35:Publicity photo of Adam Forepaugh
16:American circus owner (1831–1890)
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854:Dictionary of American Biography
779:Lawrence, Caroline Dier (1932).
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920:. May 9, 1900. Archived from
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967:Tombstone Tea Amazon listing
589:Waite, Dave (15 July 2021).
391:In 2010, a young adult book
347:Adam Forepaugh tombstone in
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974:. Retrieved 5 October 2009.
384:Forepaugh gave his name to
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664:Slout, William L. (1998).
249:Light of Asia poster, 1884
223:Barnum & Bailey Circus
177:for $ 9,000 to use in the
144:Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
89:Horse trader, Circus owner
55:Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
315:The famous "sucker" quote
202:permission to perform in
179:Tom King Excelsior Circus
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946:"Old Circus Name to Go"
228:In her 1932 biography,
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1049:American circus owners
461:"A Great Showman Dead"
360:1889–1890 flu pandemic
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877:Kuntz, Jerry (2010).
804:Kuntz, Jerry (2010).
651:registration required
530:Kuntz, Jerry (2010).
375:Sells Brothers Circus
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204:Madison Square Garden
132:Sells Brothers Circus
917:The Hartford Courant
745:Apps, Jerry (2005).
698:Apps, Jerry (2005).
364:Laurel Hill Cemetery
349:Laurel Hill Cemetery
211:James Anthony Bailey
79:Laurel Hill Cemetery
924:on December 3, 2012
851:"Forepaugh, Adam".
96:Adam John Forepaugh
509:. January 24, 1890
506:The New York Times
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335:he had given him.
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241:Business practices
116:American Civil War
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890:978-0-8061-4149-7
837:Wallace, Irving.
817:978-0-8061-4149-7
543:978-0-8061-4149-7
368:Temple University
219:Ringling Brothers
196:Ringling Brothers
100:Adam John Forbach
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319:The quote "
296:in America.
266:Innovations
1023:Categories
971:Amazon.com
952:20 October
928:2009-12-04
575:2023-11-29
513:2011-09-12
444:References
47:1831-02-28
896:7 October
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601:6 October
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333:publicity
329:newspaper
283:menagerie
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304:elephant
194:and the
183:Dan Rice
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