Association

Jack Teller's Carnival of Edwardian Delights

 

Jack Teller

The job of the ‘Teller’, ‘Talker’, ‘Barker’ or ‘Blower’, was that of a salesman. It was the Tellers job to draw in the crowd and convince them to part with their money in exchange for the show. They were slick talkers and master salesmen, who would make the price of the ticket appear to be trifling insignificance, in return for wondrous entertainment.

“Their job was to attract the crowd, to grab attention with their modulating voices and slick talk. Using exaggeration and misrepresentation they told passers by (sic) of the wonders that awaited them for the price of one thin dime.” (Bogdan, R. Freak Show; 1988)

 

The Bearded Lady

“They were typically pictured striking feminine poses in elegant surroundings, wearing fashionable dresses and with hair done in the latest style….For those who had husbands, and most did, a favourite photographic prop was their spouse. After all, being married was the epitome of womanhood-which is what bearded presentations proclaimed them to be.” (Bogdan, R. Freak Show; 1988)

 

The Strongman

The amazing feats of The Strongman were seen in Circus’s, Freak Shows, Sideshows and Carnivals. Often young men from the crowd would be invited to wrestle the strongman in order to win money-which of course they rarely won.

 

Sideshow Girls and Dancing Girls

At the turn of the century ‘Girly Shows’ became popular in traveling sideshows. These were often curtained off shows inside a tent and the Teller would talk up the act as a ‘muscle dance’ (similar to what is currently known as Belly Dance) and charge an extra ticket price to enter.

 

Wondrous freaks and Marvels

A Side Show would often tour acts that were referred to as ‘freaks’. These would include things like; people that were unusually tall, who would be billed as ‘Giants’, Dwarfs who would be billed as ‘The smallest man/woman alive!’ and medical ‘oddities’, people with scales, extra limbs and conjoined twins were very popular.

The inspiration for the character ‘Dragon boy!’ came from such acts.

 

 

History Behind The Teddy Bear Story.

In the year 1902 President Theodore Roosevelt took part in a hunt. One of his hunters captured an injured bear and chained to a tree, and it was decided that Roosevelt should have the honour of killing the bear. Upon seeing the condition of the bear Roosevelt declared it would be un-sportsman like to kill it, and that it should instead be put out of its misery with dignity. This was then depicted in the press as a cartoon and given the title ‘Teddy’s Bear’.

Inspired by the cartoon, Toy manufacturer Morris Michtom created ‘Teddy’s Bear’ and displayed the toy in his shop window after seeking permission from Roosavelt to use his name.

 

Simultaneously to this, toy manufacturer Richard Steiff had drawn up the idea of a cuddly and friendlier version of the dancing bear after seeing performing bears in the circus, during a trip to America.

 

Music

All music is authentic period music or later composed for film in reference to the period.