Circus History Live! A Tribute to Bill Taggart: In His Own Words

Bill Taggart, who witnessed the end of the under-canvas railroad circus era, passed away on December 24, 2024, at the age of ninety-four. Bill joined Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey as a horse groom after graduating from college in 1953 and was soon assigned to the “Yellow Wagon” where he sold thousands of tickets, including the last ticket to the final Ringling under-canvas circus performance on July 16, 1956. Days later he joined the Clyde Beatty railroad circus and was with it when it gave its final performance in Sarasota a brief time later. As a tribute to Bill, this program includes a video of Bill being interviewed a couple of years ago. This session was hosted by CHS vice president Chris Berry.
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Disclaimer: The Circus Historical Society is a tax exempt not for profit educational organization dedicated to preserving the rich history of circus. The views and opinions expressed in Circus History Live! and Circus History Spotlight are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the Circus Historical Society.