COLLEANO, CON, Australian tightwire wizard (USA, c.1939)
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- Опубліковано 18 жов 2024
- CON COLLEANO (born Cornelius Sullivan) was one of Australia's greatest contributions to the annals of international circus. Born at Lismore NSW of an Irish father and an Aboriginal mother from Narrabri in 1899, he patiently developed his unique act on the tightwire in the family circus - known as Colleano's All-Star Circus - as it travelled the eastern states of Australia in the early 1900s.
It took Con several years of arduous practice to bring off his most fabulous trick, the forward somersault, and then several more years to refine that most difficult feat for public exhibition.
Con's sister, 'Little' Winnie, specialised in a solo trapeze act, while their eight Colleano siblings developed a combined acrobatic act. The family circus closed up in 1922 and the Colleano family worked the Australian vaudeville circuits before heading off to the more lucrative world of European and American show business. In London, an admiring journalist dubbed Con 'The Wizard of the Wire' and the appelation stuck.
In 1925, Con Colleano joined Ringling Bros Barnum & Bailey's Circus as one of its star 'center ring' attractions as 'the Australian Wizard of the Wire'. He regularly performed before audiences of many thousands under the huge Ringling big top. In the winter off-seasons he played the indoor circuses and vaudeville halls of North America, England and Continental Europe. One of his ardent fans was Adolf Hitler, before whom he performed several times.
Between tours, Colleano spent time at his home at Allentown, Pennsylvania. In this footage, taken in the backyard, Colleano goes through his routines, beginning with the cape dance, the dancing on the tightwire, the first somersault to enable him to remove his outer layer of clothing, leading onto the backward and then the forward somersault. As is apparent, it is late autumn or early winter, and it is about 1939.
The forward somersault is regarded as the most difficult trick on the tightwire as the performer, in turning his somersault, loses sight of the wire and the performer's feet must find the wire unaided and he has to regain his balance.
Colleano was a keen home movie buff but, in this case, the camera was probably held by his wife, Winnie ('Big Winnie').
Colleano made return visits to Australia in 1937 and 1951. He finally retired from active performing in 1960. He died in Miami, Florida, of a heart attack in 1973.
I have posted footage on You Tube of Winnie Colleano's solo trapeze act and of the Colleano acrobats in action.
For more information on Con Colleano, you can consult the full biography I wrote entitled The Wizard of the Wire: The Story of Con Colleano (Aboriginal Studies Press, 1993) or see the biographical entry I wrote for the Australian Dictionary of Biography. - MARK ST LEON, PhD
![Australia's greatest circus performer, Wizard of the Wire, Con Colleano [AH001]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/hMSomsJ4HB0/mqdefault.jpg)
![Australia's greatest circus performer, Wizard of the Wire, Con Colleano [AH001]](/img/tr.png)
My son Ashley Brophy is also a wire walker and has performed both the front & back somersault and holds 3 world records so it is with great pleasure I can honestly say that I enjoyed watching this amazing video of the great master Con Colleano.
It doesn't get a better than being part of the Brophy family wether its the circus or carnivals
So fantastic. Never seen anyone dance on the tightrope, so lyrical.
im in love with this man..
beautiful.. magnificent.let my latin pass dear sir .. god bless you!!
He was actually part aboriginal but was told not to tell anybody that
This is my Great Uncle. His sister is my Grandad's mother.
This gentleman makes the "Flying Wallendas" look like second rate stuff. What a daredevil!!! Thank you so much for sharing this video.
The original footage was shot on 16mm colour footage and was cleaned up and transferred onto new 16mm footage in the 1970s. Colleano was born in 1899 and you are looking at man performing here who looks about 40 years of age, so that dates the original footage from about 1939. You will see a brief scene at about 5:36 with a motor vehicle in the background. The automobile dates from the same era. Hope this clarifies things for you.
Wow!! Respect! How the hell can he trick on the wire in this way without any damage in his parts?? Impressive
Mark - THANK YOU for posting this!!!! So many of us DREAM of being able to perform like Con!
What a stunning man. Formidable!
Truly a wonderful artist!
The BEST of the BEST......Thank you for posting!!!!!!!
The only reason I can see that this man's story has never been made into a film is that no one has yet to be found that could come close even with CGI. I had heard and read that he was exceptional but had never seen him live, albeit it a practice, the extra glitz that would have been his performance, difficult to quantify how much you would pay to see an act of that caliber today. Good find Mark !
3:40-4:05 was Epic
Magnificent!
he is my great great great uncle :D his sister was my grandmother's grandmother
Hey Trey, we would be interested in getting in touch as we would like to mount a show, with permission from his family
I’m guessing this was filmed at his Pennsylvania home?
Yes, in or near Allentown, Pennsylvania
Oh wow, thank you! I was searching where he lived in Miami, and the address I found, 8282 SW 124th St
Miami, FL 33156, is today a public park, no home at that address. He was hands down the best!!
this is my great grandfather :)
Hi Gracie, please get in touch - we are looking to mount a show in his honour and are looking for members of his family
Formidable...une leçon pour les jeunes fildeferistes du monde entier
a true legend on the wire!
Aboriginal Australia
that looks really painful
3:22
hes aboriginal..
He is my fourth cousin.
Hi Sachin, please get in touch - we are looking to mount a show in his honour and are looking for members of his family
No similar nowadays.
bull fiighting with a wire,,
Trey beard & sachin mudaliar guess we are somewhat related
It would seem that way.
eta poha!