From the moment Gunther Gebel-Williams stepped into the giant steel cage of The Greatest Show On Earth®,
he was destined to change the face of the American circus forever. His
totally unique style and uncanny rapport with his animal charges placed
Gunther as a circus performer in a category all to himself. One of the
few performers in any entertainment industry to become a legend in his
own time, Gunther Gebel-Williams is universally known as The Greatest
Wild Animal Trainer of All Time!
From the age of 12 in World War II Germany, learning the
ins and outs of circus life at The Circus Williams, Gunther knew that
the circus would be his life. As a young animal trainer and performer,
he became the rage of the European circus world, and in 1968, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®
Circus owner Irvin Feld purchased the entire Circus Williams just to
acquire the extraordinary talents and performing arts of Gunther. He
made his American debut on January 6, 1969, in the world premiere of the
99th Edition of The Greatest Show On Earth at the circus' winter quarters in Venice, Florida.
In 1973 he was named "Outstanding Circus Performer of the
Year" by the American Guild of Variety Artists. He was featured in a
CBS-TV network special, Lord of the Rings, with Tony Curtis in 1977,
plus a second nationally televised special in the 1981 NBC-TV
production, My Father, the Circus King, a behind-the-scenes look at
Gunther through the eyes of his son, Mark Oliver, now a featured
performer with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. He has
been a guest on numerous national television shows, including his
memorable visit with Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show, where Gunther
brought along a tiger for the show. But perhaps the most recognizable
television appearance Gunther made was as a featured star of the noted
American Express commercial, which pictured Gunther with his favorite
leopard, Kenny, draped across his shoulders.
Gunther Gebel-Williams performed for more than a quarter century with The Greatest Show On Earth,
where he presented horses, elephants, tigers, leopards, lions,
cheetahs, pumas, panthers, mountain lions, a giraffe, dogs, goats,
zebras and a rare white tiger. He entertained an estimated 200 million
people live and in person, a record that will never be broken by any
circus performer. In fact, during his entire American performing career,
Gunther never missed a show in more than 12,000 performances, an
achievement honored by his induction into the Madison Square Garden's
Walk of Fame in 1995.
Throughout his illustrious career, Gunther not only
earned the respect and applause of circus fans and audiences everywhere,
he captured the imagination of the American public with his dashing
style and daring performances. But perhaps more importantly, Gunther
demonstrated to all that humans and animals should work, live and thrive
together in harmony, banishing the outdated notion of "man versus
beast." Since Gunther Gebel-Williams, the American circus has forever
changed, and because of Gunther, we have all learned more about the
beauty, majesty and sheer splendor of the world's most exotic creatures.
Gunther Gebel-Williams was honored in grand circus
tradition as the 1999 inductee into the International Circus Hall of
Fame in Peru, Indiana. As an additional honor, Gunther served as grand
marshal of the 40th annual Circus City Festival Circus Parade. "Contrary
to years past, we made sure that he was the only person being inducted
this year, the last of the millennium," said Tom Dunwoody, board
president of the Hall of Fame. "It wouldn't be appropriate for him to
share the spotlight."
Gunther Tribute:
http://www.ringling.com/ggw/
Career Highlights:
http://www.ringling.com/ggw/career.htm
Photo Gallery:
http://www.ringling.com/ggw/photo.htm
Gunther In Depth:
http://www.ringling.com/ggw/articles.htm
Remembrances:
http://www.ringling.com/ggw/remembrances.htm
Fan Remembrances:
http://www.ringling.com/ggw/remembrancesfans.aspx