#10: The World of Circus Sideshows
Circus sideshows often featured people who looked or acted differently from the norm. This photo features two men who worked as sideshow acts in the Ringling Brothers Circus at the turn of the 20th century. The taller man in the photo is George Anger, who worked as a “giant.” The smaller man on his shoulder is Franz Taaibosch, who acted as a “bushman.”
Taaibosch was reportedly only around four feet tall and loved to dance. Like many of the sideshow acts of the day, Taaibosch had a fake, problematic backstory for his circus character. He went by “Clico” and was advertised as a “bushman” from South Africa. Taaibosch was indeed from South Africa, but he was most likely born on a farm. Both Taaibosch and Anger spent most of their adult lives touring the world with the circus.
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