Following the July 16, 1956, performance of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, The Greatest Show On Earth® under the direction of John Ringling North ceased operation.

Media around the world mourned, but one man believed in The Greatest Show On Earth and was clever enough to know exactly how to preserve this beloved institution.

Irvin Feld and his brother, Israel, had made their mark as pioneers in the burgeoning rock 'n' roll concert tour business. They were familiar with the new arenas that were springing up like mushrooms in cities all across America. Feld suggested The Greatest Show On Earth become an exclusively indoor presentation. On April 3, 1957, the new tour was put into effect with Feld in charge of booking and promotion.

Irvin Feld had always wanted to own Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey and thus have control over all aspects of the show, including production. On November 11, 1967, his dream became reality as the Feld family purchased Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey from John Ringling North. As befits The Greatest Show On Earth the contract was signed during a ceremony at the Colosseum in Rome, Italy!

Irvin Feld effected change quickly, and ushered in the modern-day era of circus in America. Within two years, he created a second unit of Ringling Bros. equal in size, scope, and quality to the first. Through an unprecedented circus purchase of $2-million, Feld secured the talents of German animal trainer Gunther Gebel-Williams, who quickly became a world-renowned circus legend. In 1968, Feld also created Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College to preserve the ancient and honorable art of clowning.

Ever the astute promoter, Irvin Feld designed a new two-year tour system for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. He also utilized with great effect national advertising campaigns, national television specials, and creative public relations, thus bringing the once-declining Ringling Bros. back to its rightful place as a premier American art form, and inclining TIME magazine to refer to him as "The Greatest Showman On Earth."

In 1970, Feld's only son, Kenneth, joined Ringling Bros. and learned the craft of production from the master, his father. Confident in his son's abilities, Irvin Feld made Kenneth Feld a co-producer in 1973.
After a brief ownership by Mattel, the Feld family reacquired Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey on March 17, 1982. When Irvin Feld suddenly died on September 6, 1984, Kenneth Feld immediately stepped in to assume control and sustain, if not surpass, the level of entertainment excellence set forth by his father and other legendary showmen before him.

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