Pugh, Digger, c1902 - 1985

Person

Dates

Existence: c1902 - 1985

Biography

Digger Pugh was born in England in 1902, although the family emigrated to Australia in 1912, where Digger grew up. From a young age Digger trained in tumbling and trampolining and soon started performing in variety and music hall theatres. Eventually his career evolved from performer to Producer and Supplier of acts for the variety and circus sectors.

Digger returned to England and set up what became world famous dance tumbling acts including ‘The Wallabies, Digger Pugh Ariel Ballet’ and ‘The Digger Pugh Troupe of dancers and acrobatic Circusettes’. The shows introduced elaborate and lavish aerial acts for circus and variety, which toured the UK, Europe and USA. His troupes became most popular in leading circuses across the globe during the 1950s and the 1960s.

Between the middle of the twentieth century and the beginning of the twenty first the Pugh family had an international impact in the popular entertainment sector led by innovation, branching out into the most successful forms of entertainment of the day.

Digger was married to Sheila Smale Pugh and had a son, John Wallace Pugh and a daughter Janice Bell nee Pugh.

Found in 8 Collections and/or Records:

Circus Films, c1950 - 1959

Item

Reference code: 178D24.1

Scope and Contents

Copy of film on DVD showing performers at Harringay and with Bertram Mills, Polack Bros. Cole Bros Circus and Rosaires among other circuses. Also showing Digger Pugh on the trampoline and roller skates, other acts include female aerial acts, acrobatics, clowning, wild animal acts, equestrian acts, fakir acts, clowning and circus parades. Also scenes of performers behind the scenes and outdoor performances. Black and white and colour with narration and background music.

Dates: c1950 - 1959

Found in: National Fairground and Circus Archive / Digger Pugh Collection / Films

Circus Films, c1950 - 1959

Item

Reference code: 178D24.4

Scope and Contents This film contains scenes of animal cruelty and human casualties that may be upseting to some viewers. Copy of films on DVD showing circus parade, city scenes, the set of the film Cleopatra starring Elizabeth Taylor for which Digger Pugh was animal director, training scene of tampolin act on an elephant outdoors with the elephant collapsing and struggling against the chains on his legs (this scene can be upseting), actors in costume, a religious pageant possibly in Spain and scene of a bull...

Dates: c1950 - 1959

Found in: National Fairground and Circus Archive / Digger Pugh Collection / Films

Circus Films, c1950 - 1959

Item

Reference code: 178D24.6

Scope and Contents

Copy of film on DVD showing circus scenes outside the tent, circus parade, trampoline acts, female aerial acts, acrobatics, clowning, wild animal acts, equestrian acts, dancing, tumbling, slack rope act, animal performance, city views and tents and buildings for Circus Krone, Pinders and Billy Smart Circus. Colour, silent.

Dates: c1950 - 1959

Found in: National Fairground and Circus Archive / Digger Pugh Collection / Films

Digger Pugh Collection

Fonds

Reference code: NFA0179

Scope and Contents

Archive of the Digger Pugh family including newspaper cuttings, photographs, negatives, business records, programmes, research material, posters and films.

Dates: c1930 - 2010

Found in: National Fairground and Circus Archive

Films, c1950 - 1959

Series

Reference code: 178D24

Scope and Contents

Please notice that 178D24.4 contains scenes of animal cruelty and human fatalities. Copies of films on DVD format showing performers at various circus around the world, travelling scenes, scenic views, performers behind the scenes, film sets. Black and white and colour, sound.

Dates: c1950 - 1959

Found in: National Fairground and Circus Archive / Digger Pugh Collection