Pugh, Digger, c1902 - 1985
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 28 Collections and/or Records:
Photographs of Digger Pugh Circus Acts, c1930 - 1969
Black and white and some colour photographs of mainly female aerilist and acrobatic acts, also some images of acts in circus rings.
Posters, 1937 - 1964
Circus and variety posters featuring the Digger Pugh Girls. In various languages.
Programmes, 1949 - 1970
Programmes from British, European and American circuses and some variety venues in the United Kingdom, in various languages. Also includes a Boswell-Wilkie Circus programme from South Africa.
Research Material, 1951 - 2010
Photocopies and print outs of articles on Digger Pugh and a photocopy of Digger's International Circus Clown Club memberhip.
Taishōkan Theatre Poster, c1943 - 1948
Red and black type and black and white photograph of open air trampoline act with three performers.
Teatro Apollo Poster, c1950 - 1959
Plaza del Angel y Calle Consuelo. Perezoff presenta un espectaculo totalmente nuevo. Antoñita Andalucia, Ballet Ingles Digger Pugh, Trio Egea, Chelo, Loanceli Ordovas, Toy Garsan, Pepin, Marisa Rubio, Roci de Aragon, Jose Calvo, Pilar Lopez, Lita Duran, Dinamic Bros, Dionisio Garcia, Carmen Cuadrado, Lina Valle, Los Diomni , Isabel Puertas. Blue type on light yellow background with blue and white photograps of acts.
Teatro Apollo Poster, c1950 - 1959
Plaza del Angel y Calle Consuelo. Perezoff presenta un espectaculo totalmente nuevo. Antoñita Andalucia, Ballet Ingles Digger Pugh, Trio Egea, Chelo, Loanceli Ordovas, Toy Garsan, Pepin, Marisa Rubio, Roci de Aragon, Jose Calvo, Pilar Lopez, Lita Duran, Dinamic Bros, Dionisio Garcia, Carmen Cuadrado, Lina Valle, Los Diomni, Isabel Puertas. Blue type on green background with blue and green photograps of acts.
The Sunderland Empire Theatre Poster, 26 October 1964
International Circus, stars of Billy Smarts, Bertram Mills T.V. Ringling-Barnum & Bailey, Noe-Noe, Trio Bedini, Gwyn, The Digger Pugh Girls, Rodeo Regans, The Ascotts, Clarinda, Billy Dash's Chimps, The Four Rodriguez, Jo, Jac & Joni, Rudi Milanes, Bouncing Rosaires, David's Pekinese Troupe, The Young Samson, elephant and horses, Maximum & Minimum. Black and red type on white background and black and white photographs of the acts.