[NOTE: The following text is taken from the “Superstar Of The Circus” chapter of “Lord Of The Rings,” a coffee table book about Gunther Gebel-Williams published in 1988.]
Kenny the leopard draped casually over his shoulders, a ruggedly handsome man peers intently into the camera. In a clipped German accent, he demands of the viewer: “Do you know me?”
By the time this tongue-in-cheek American Express commercial was filmed in 1977, Gunther Gebel-Williams’ place in the American consciousness was firmly established. The resounding success of his Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey debut had catapulted him into the realm of entertainment superstardom. Newspaper and magazine profiles touted him as “The Great Gunther,” “Noah of the Big Top,” “Caesar of the Circus,” “Lord of the Ring.” With a Bengal tiger in tow, he appeared on the “Tonight Show,” starring Johnny Carson. In 1977, he starred in his own CBS-TV special with Tony Curtis. In 1980, he was invited by the Smithsonian Institution to present to the museum several priced items of his Circus memorabilia. And in 1986, as a new American citizen, he filmed a “Liberty Minute” to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Statue of Liberty.
But it was in the Circus arena itself that his star shone most brightly, as he won further national acclaim with a brilliant new act combining leopards, panthers and pumas and for his masterly control of three rings of elephants responding to his spoken command alone.
In the national media he was now being referred to time and again as The Greatest Animal Trainer of All Time.
Yet, the view of his fellow Circus performers was of a Gunther unchanged by success. Commented a Circus worker: “He works right along with us. There’s nobody like him.” Renowned clown Lou Jacobs, the only Circus performer to have his likeness appear on a postage stamp, pronounced that “Gunther, he’s the next stamp.” Veteran clown Peggy Williams stated simply, “It’s difficult to look on Gunther as a ‘star’ because he’s so human. He never pulls rank. He never lets anybody down. his eyes see further than most people’s eyes. Gunther could do any job here; he’s just the supercitizen of the Circus. It’s an honor to know him.” But it is Gunther Gebel-Williams himself who has the last word on his superstardom and the trappings of success his fame has brought him.
“I perform for only one reason: To be able to train animals.”
