Billy Smart's Circus (c1946 - 2006)
Biography
Billly Smart's Circus was established by William 'Billy' Smart (1894-1966). Billy came from a fairground family from London with an interest in horses and circuses. In 1946 Billy came across Cody's Circus and bought the big top.
Billy Smart's New World Circus made its debut at Southall Park, Middlesex, on 5 April 1946, for the first full season after the end of the war. Initially, Billy run his circus in conjunction with his fun fair, which was being run by his children, but by 1952 the fun fair, which was overshadowed by the circus, disappeared. The success of the circus side of the business however continued to increase and in 1955, Billy Smart's Circus grew from its two-pole tentto a 6,000 seat, four-pole round big top with a hippodrome track around the ring, and a vast entrance tent, thus enabling the staging of spectacular parades, which became a Billy Smart's Circus trademark.
Billy's greatest innovation, however, was his relationship with the newly established television networks when he agreed to broadcast his circus live on the BBC in 1947. Over the years, Billy Smart's Christmas Spectacular became a BBC holiday tradition, which ITV took over in 1979 and carried on until 1982. The BBC's first-ever colour broadcast was a 'Tribute to Billy Smart', while Royal Performances took place in London, raising thousands of pounds for charity.
A large part of the success of the circus was the showmanship that Billy brought to the operation of the circus, the large family he could draw upon to run the shows and his ability as a showman to market and capture opportunities to advertise. Whilst other circus proprietors were threatened by the rise in popularity of television and shunned the cameras, Billy Smart embraced them. Smart's Circus grew to be one of the largest in the world, touring every part of the British Isles, and with permanent quarters and an associated zoo at Winkfield, Berkshire, not far from where Smart began his fairground career. His success took the circus through twenty-six tenting tours, winter seasons, frequent TV appearances and the provision of animal acts to other circuses.
Billy died in his caravan on 25 September 1966 and the circus passed onto his sons Ronnie, David and Billy Jr. who continued travelling Billy Smart's New World Circus until around 1971.
In the 1990s Ronnie and his sons Gary and Lord revived the Smart Circus and started to tour a smaller scale version of the original circus. However, the Smart Circus was never the same after the dead of Billy and soon after, the Smart name was rented out to other circus operators until it stopped operating in the early 2000s.
Found in 1058 Collections and/or Records:
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, c1900 - 2019
Richmond, Old Deer Park, now open until Sunday 11 October. Colour illustration of harlequin on a multicolour background with circles and lines, multicolour type for title and black type on white background on bottom section.
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, 1998
Richmond, Old Deer Park, Friday 25 September - Sunday 11 October. Colour photograph of clown's torso on a starry blue background and a photograph of London at night and Billy Smart's portait on top left in a circle.
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, c1900 - 2019
Guildford, Stoke Park, Friday 27 June - Wednesday 2 July. Colour illustration of harlequin on a multicolour background with circles and lines, multicolour type for title and black type on white background on bottom section.
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, c1900 - 2019
Pype Hayes, Park Chester Road, Friday 10 - Sunday 26 July. Colour illustration of harlequin on a multicolour background with circles and lines, multicolour type for title and black type on white background on bottom section.
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, c1900 - 2019
Margate, Tivoli Recreation Ground. Tuesday 10 - Saturday 21 August. Colour illustration of three clowns, the one in the middle is throwing a bucket of water at the viewer on a blue background, yellow type on the title and black and red type on white background on bottom section. Printed by W. E. Berry Ltd, Bradford.
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, c1900 - 2019
Richmond Old Deep Park from Friday 15 October. Colour illustration of clown's head on bottom right corner and yellow and red combined type on a blue background.
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, c1900 - 2019
Flourescent orange and yellow type on blue background.
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, 1964
High Wycombe, 22 - 27 July 1964. Printed: W.E. Berry, ltd., Bradford.
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, c2000 - 2009
Sheffield Endcliffe Park, 14 - 26 September. Colour clown photograph. Printed: Technoprint PLC, Leeds.
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, c2000 - 2009
Sheffield Endcliffe Park, 14 - 26 September. Colour trapeze artist photograph. Printed: Technoprint PLC, Leeds.
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, 1993
Richmond Old Deer Park, Friday 15 October. Colour jester illustration.
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, c1990 - 1999
Blackheath, London, Friday 11 October - Sunday 27 October. Colour illustration of Harlequin clown. Poster reads ‘First Visit for 25 years’.
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, c1990 - 1999
Derby, Thursday 13 - Sunday 23 August. Colour illustration of harlequin Clown. Poster reads ‘First Visit for 28 years’.
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, c1900 - 2019
Colour illustration of harlequin clown. Poster Left blank for overprinting of dates. Printed by: Harbour Park Ltd
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, c1900 - 2019
Colour illustration of harlequin clown. Poster Left blank for overprinting of dates. Printed by: Harbour Park Ltd
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, c1900 - 2019
Blackpool 20 July - 8 August. Wild West Show and the Arabian Nights Review. Colour lithograph showing scenes from the Arabian nights. Printed by: W.E. Berry Ltd., Bradford.
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, 1970 - 1971
Poster left Blank for overprinting 1970/71. Colour illustration of tigers and acts.
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, c1959
Framed. Peterborough Agricultural Show Ground, 1 - 6 October. Colour illustration of tigers and acts. Red, yellow and green border. Printed: W.E. Berry, Ltd., Bradford.
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, 1966 - 1967
Walton Hall Park, Liverpool 20 July - 1 August. Colour illustration of cartoon elephant in a tutu wearing a party hat. Printed by: W.E. Berry, ltd., Bradford.
Billy Smart's Circus Poster, c1950 - 1959
Bristol, 2 - 14 June. Colour illustration of a pink elephant and grey mouse. Printed: W.E. Berry, ltd., Bradford.