Circus performer, acrobat, clown - showman!
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BIO: CASTELLO, DAN. (1832 or 1834-July 27, 1909) Showman, clown, leaper and vaulter. Exact date of birth has never been established. The death certificate gave it as 1832; an 1873 Barnum show press release said it was 1827; Sturtevant's files list 1834; and Chindahl's notes give a choice of 1827 or 1834; Gordon Yadon's biography in Banner Line (March 15, 1968) includes an inclination to go with the 1832 date. Born in Kingston, Ontario, and raised near Syracuse, NY. Father was a quarryman who worked for a firm named Blood & Cady. Became acrobat, leaper, clown, and animal trainer. Trained the bull named Don Juan. At his best, vaulted over 16 horses from the low batteau. [As described: "In leaving the batteau he would shoot into the air to a height of about 20 feet as straight as an arrow, then by a very quick turn of the neck and bending of the knees he would turn a somersault in a twinkling and strike on his feet in an erect position."] Began circus career, 1849, but no reference to him occurs until 1854. That year, moved to Delavan, WI, and joined the Mabie Bros.' as an acrobat. May have served an apprenticeship in the previous 5 years with June & Turner. With Mabies', 1854-55. First announcement of his appearing as clown, 1856, John Robinson's. By 1857, was married to Frances Castello, who appeared with him as a rider on Harry Buckley's. This union was eventually blessed with a son and a daughter, neither of whom became performers. Mid-season, 1857, left the Buckley show to join Major Brown's. Spalding & Rogers, New Orleans, winter 1857-58; Satterlee & Bell, 1858; Nixon & Co, 1859 (advertised as Pedro Gonzalez). Went to England, October 1859; took the educated bull, Don Juan, and a trained buffalo with him. Connected with Hengler's, 1860. Charles Dickens saw him at the Alhambra, London, and wrote, "he did not jump, he flew." Latter part 1860, joined Howes & Cushing in Ireland. Injured in an attack by the buffalo, and later while performing a leap, returned to USA, October, 1860. Appeared with Spalding & Rogers, NYC, that winter, and aboard the Floating Palace, New Orleans, early 1861, but soon came north with Spalding & Rogers because of the peril of war. George W. DeHaven & Co., 1862; Castello & Van Vleck, 1863; Robinson & Howes, Chicago, winter 1863-64. Organized Dan Castello's Own Great Show, 1864, St. Paul, MN. Chartered the steamboat Jeannette Roberts and toured down the Mississippi and up and down the Ohio. In the fall, spent 2 weeks in Memphis, and then descended the Mississippi to take advantage of the presence of the Union Army on the lower river. The circus remained close to this audience until spring. 1865, the route was an up river journey to Nashville; there, combined with show owned by Seth B. Howes, and managed by Howes' son, Egbert. At the end of the Howes-Castello season, James M. Nixon became a partner, January 1866, buying the Howes' equipment and leasing some of its animals. When the circus emerged from Frederick, MD, April 1868, and opened its season in Wheeling, WV, it was called Castello, Howes & Nixon. The show went as far west as Kansas City, and ended the season in Mobile, Alabama, for the winter. 1869, season began with a route across the South to Savannah, then north to Virginia and west to Tennessee, and out to Kansas. Reached Omaha just as the Union Pacific Railroad was finishing its track to California. At Nixon's urging the show (10 cages, a bandwagon, 2 elephants and 2 camels) was loaded on the railroad to proceed across the plains, the first circus in history to go coast to coast in a single season. Castello later said they netted $1,000 a day for 31 straight days. Much of the circus was sold in California, with Castello's half of the profits amounting to $60,000. Joined W. C. Coup, 1870, in putting a company on a Great Lakes steamer, visiting towns where a circus was a great novelty. Castello, Coup and P. T. Barnum each put up $60,000 to take out the Barnum show, 1871-75. [P. T. Barnum: "Give me Dan Castello and money enough to reach the first stop and I'll come home with a fortune at the end of the season, I don't care if it rains every day."] Left circus business; went into a mining enterprise, putting up about $80,000, owning about all of Deadwood, ND, but went broke. Dan Castello's Centennial Circus, 1876; Hudson & Co., 1881; 1883-90, Harris' Nickel-Plate; Castello title used by J. E. Noble, 1890. Died of Bright's disease, Rochester, NY.
SOURCE: "Olympians of the Sawdust Circle - A biographical dictionary of the ninteenth century American circus.", Compiled and Edited by: William L. Slout.
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BIO: CASTELLO, DAN. (1832 or 1834-July 27, 1909) Showman, clown, leaper and vaulter. Exact date of birth has never been established. The death certificate gave it as 1832; an 1873 Barnum show press release said it was 1827; Sturtevant's files list 1834; and Chindahl's notes give a choice of 1827 or 1834; Gordon Yadon's biography in Banner Line (March 15, 1968) includes an inclination to go with the 1832 date. Born in Kingston, Ontario, and raised near Syracuse, NY. Father was a quarryman who worked for a firm named Blood & Cady. Became acrobat, leaper, clown, and animal trainer. Trained the bull named Don Juan. At his best, vaulted over 16 horses from the low batteau. [As described: "In leaving the batteau he would shoot into the air to a height of about 20 feet as straight as an arrow, then by a very quick turn of the neck and bending of the knees he would turn a somersault in a twinkling and strike on his feet in an erect position."] Began circus career, 1849, but no reference to him occurs until 1854. That year, moved to Delavan, WI, and joined the Mabie Bros.' as an acrobat. May have served an apprenticeship in the previous 5 years with June & Turner. With Mabies', 1854-55. First announcement of his appearing as clown, 1856, John Robinson's. By 1857, was married to Frances Castello, who appeared with him as a rider on Harry Buckley's. This union was eventually blessed with a son and a daughter, neither of whom became performers. Mid-season, 1857, left the Buckley show to join Major Brown's. Spalding & Rogers, New Orleans, winter 1857-58; Satterlee & Bell, 1858; Nixon & Co, 1859 (advertised as Pedro Gonzalez). Went to England, October 1859; took the educated bull, Don Juan, and a trained buffalo with him. Connected with Hengler's, 1860. Charles Dickens saw him at the Alhambra, London, and wrote, "he did not jump, he flew." Latter part 1860, joined Howes & Cushing in Ireland. Injured in an attack by the buffalo, and later while performing a leap, returned to USA, October, 1860. Appeared with Spalding & Rogers, NYC, that winter, and aboard the Floating Palace, New Orleans, early 1861, but soon came north with Spalding & Rogers because of the peril of war. George W. DeHaven & Co., 1862; Castello & Van Vleck, 1863; Robinson & Howes, Chicago, winter 1863-64. Organized Dan Castello's Own Great Show, 1864, St. Paul, MN. Chartered the steamboat Jeannette Roberts and toured down the Mississippi and up and down the Ohio. In the fall, spent 2 weeks in Memphis, and then descended the Mississippi to take advantage of the presence of the Union Army on the lower river. The circus remained close to this audience until spring. 1865, the route was an up river journey to Nashville; there, combined with show owned by Seth B. Howes, and managed by Howes' son, Egbert. At the end of the Howes-Castello season, James M. Nixon became a partner, January 1866, buying the Howes' equipment and leasing some of its animals. When the circus emerged from Frederick, MD, April 1868, and opened its season in Wheeling, WV, it was called Castello, Howes & Nixon. The show went as far west as Kansas City, and ended the season in Mobile, Alabama, for the winter. 1869, season began with a route across the South to Savannah, then north to Virginia and west to Tennessee, and out to Kansas. Reached Omaha just as the Union Pacific Railroad was finishing its track to California. At Nixon's urging the show (10 cages, a bandwagon, 2 elephants and 2 camels) was loaded on the railroad to proceed across the plains, the first circus in history to go coast to coast in a single season. Castello later said they netted $1,000 a day for 31 straight days. Much of the circus was sold in California, with Castello's half of the profits amounting to $60,000. Joined W. C. Coup, 1870, in putting a company on a Great Lakes steamer, visiting towns where a circus was a great novelty. Castello, Coup and P. T. Barnum each put up $60,000 to take out the Barnum show, 1871-75. [P. T. Barnum: "Give me Dan Castello and money enough to reach the first stop and I'll come home with a fortune at the end of the season, I don't care if it rains every day."] Left circus business; went into a mining enterprise, putting up about $80,000, owning about all of Deadwood, ND, but went broke. Dan Castello's Centennial Circus, 1876; Hudson & Co., 1881; 1883-90, Harris' Nickel-Plate; Castello title used by J. E. Noble, 1890. Died of Bright's disease, Rochester, NY.
SOURCE: "Olympians of the Sawdust Circle - A biographical dictionary of the ninteenth century American circus.", Compiled and Edited by: William L. Slout.
Circus performer, acrobat, clown - showman!
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BIO: CASTELLO, DAN. (1832 or 1834-July 27, 1909) Showman, clown, leaper and vaulter. Exact date of birth has never been established. The death certificate gave it as 1832; an 1873 Barnum show press release said it was 1827; Sturtevant's files list 1834; and Chindahl's notes give a choice of 1827 or 1834; Gordon Yadon's biography in Banner Line (March 15, 1968) includes an inclination to go with the 1832 date. Born in Kingston, Ontario, and raised near Syracuse, NY. Father was a quarryman who worked for a firm named Blood & Cady. Became acrobat, leaper, clown, and animal trainer. Trained the bull named Don Juan. At his best, vaulted over 16 horses from the low batteau. [As described: "In leaving the batteau he would shoot into the air to a height of about 20 feet as straight as an arrow, then by a very quick turn of the neck and bending of the knees he would turn a somersault in a twinkling and strike on his feet in an erect position."] Began circus career, 1849, but no reference to him occurs until 1854. That year, moved to Delavan, WI, and joined the Mabie Bros.' as an acrobat. May have served an apprenticeship in the previous 5 years with June & Turner. With Mabies', 1854-55. First announcement of his appearing as clown, 1856, John Robinson's. By 1857, was married to Frances Castello, who appeared with him as a rider on Harry Buckley's. This union was eventually blessed with a son and a daughter, neither of whom became performers. Mid-season, 1857, left the Buckley show to join Major Brown's. Spalding & Rogers, New Orleans, winter 1857-58; Satterlee & Bell, 1858; Nixon & Co, 1859 (advertised as Pedro Gonzalez). Went to England, October 1859; took the educated bull, Don Juan, and a trained buffalo with him. Connected with Hengler's, 1860. Charles Dickens saw him at the Alhambra, London, and wrote, "he did not jump, he flew." Latter part 1860, joined Howes & Cushing in Ireland. Injured in an attack by the buffalo, and later while performing a leap, returned to USA, October, 1860. Appeared with Spalding & Rogers, NYC, that winter, and aboard the Floating Palace, New Orleans, early 1861, but soon came north with Spalding & Rogers because of the peril of war. George W. DeHaven & Co., 1862; Castello & Van Vleck, 1863; Robinson & Howes, Chicago, winter 1863-64. Organized Dan Castello's Own Great Show, 1864, St. Paul, MN. Chartered the steamboat Jeannette Roberts and toured down the Mississippi and up and down the Ohio. In the fall, spent 2 weeks in Memphis, and then descended the Mississippi to take advantage of the presence of the Union Army on the lower river. The circus remained close to this audience until spring. 1865, the route was an up river journey to Nashville; there, combined with show owned by Seth B. Howes, and managed by Howes' son, Egbert. At the end of the Howes-Castello season, James M. Nixon became a partner, January 1866, buying the Howes' equipment and leasing some of its animals. When the circus emerged from Frederick, MD, April 1868, and opened its season in Wheeling, WV, it was called Castello, Howes & Nixon. The show went as far west as Kansas City, and ended the season in Mobile, Alabama, for the winter. 1869, season began with a route across the South to Savannah, then north to Virginia and west to Tennessee, and out to Kansas. Reached Omaha just as the Union Pacific Railroad was finishing its track to California. At Nixon's urging the show (10 cages, a bandwagon, 2 elephants and 2 camels) was loaded on the railroad to proceed across the plains, the first circus in history to go coast to coast in a single season. Castello later said they netted $1,000 a day for 31 straight days. Much of the circus was sold in California, with Castello's half of the profits amounting to $60,000. Joined W. C. Coup, 1870, in putting a company on a Great Lakes steamer, visiting towns where a circus was a great novelty. Castello, Coup and P. T. Barnum each put up $60,000 to take out the Barnum show, 1871-75. [P. T. Barnum: "Give me Dan Castello and money enough to reach the first stop and I'll come home with a fortune at the end of the season, I don't care if it rains every day."] Left circus business; went into a mining enterprise, putting up about $80,000, owning about all of Deadwood, ND, but went broke. Dan Castello's Centennial Circus, 1876; Hudson & Co., 1881; 1883-90, Harris' Nickel-Plate; Castello title used by J. E. Noble, 1890. Died of Bright's disease, Rochester, NY.
SOURCE: "Olympians of the Sawdust Circle - A biographical dictionary of the ninteenth century American circus.", Compiled and Edited by: William L. Slout.
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BIO: CASTELLO, DAN. (1832 or 1834-July 27, 1909) Showman, clown, leaper and vaulter. Exact date of birth has never been established. The death certificate gave it as 1832; an 1873 Barnum show press release said it was 1827; Sturtevant's files list 1834; and Chindahl's notes give a choice of 1827 or 1834; Gordon Yadon's biography in Banner Line (March 15, 1968) includes an inclination to go with the 1832 date. Born in Kingston, Ontario, and raised near Syracuse, NY. Father was a quarryman who worked for a firm named Blood & Cady. Became acrobat, leaper, clown, and animal trainer. Trained the bull named Don Juan. At his best, vaulted over 16 horses from the low batteau. [As described: "In leaving the batteau he would shoot into the air to a height of about 20 feet as straight as an arrow, then by a very quick turn of the neck and bending of the knees he would turn a somersault in a twinkling and strike on his feet in an erect position."] Began circus career, 1849, but no reference to him occurs until 1854. That year, moved to Delavan, WI, and joined the Mabie Bros.' as an acrobat. May have served an apprenticeship in the previous 5 years with June & Turner. With Mabies', 1854-55. First announcement of his appearing as clown, 1856, John Robinson's. By 1857, was married to Frances Castello, who appeared with him as a rider on Harry Buckley's. This union was eventually blessed with a son and a daughter, neither of whom became performers. Mid-season, 1857, left the Buckley show to join Major Brown's. Spalding & Rogers, New Orleans, winter 1857-58; Satterlee & Bell, 1858; Nixon & Co, 1859 (advertised as Pedro Gonzalez). Went to England, October 1859; took the educated bull, Don Juan, and a trained buffalo with him. Connected with Hengler's, 1860. Charles Dickens saw him at the Alhambra, London, and wrote, "he did not jump, he flew." Latter part 1860, joined Howes & Cushing in Ireland. Injured in an attack by the buffalo, and later while performing a leap, returned to USA, October, 1860. Appeared with Spalding & Rogers, NYC, that winter, and aboard the Floating Palace, New Orleans, early 1861, but soon came north with Spalding & Rogers because of the peril of war. George W. DeHaven & Co., 1862; Castello & Van Vleck, 1863; Robinson & Howes, Chicago, winter 1863-64. Organized Dan Castello's Own Great Show, 1864, St. Paul, MN. Chartered the steamboat Jeannette Roberts and toured down the Mississippi and up and down the Ohio. In the fall, spent 2 weeks in Memphis, and then descended the Mississippi to take advantage of the presence of the Union Army on the lower river. The circus remained close to this audience until spring. 1865, the route was an up river journey to Nashville; there, combined with show owned by Seth B. Howes, and managed by Howes' son, Egbert. At the end of the Howes-Castello season, James M. Nixon became a partner, January 1866, buying the Howes' equipment and leasing some of its animals. When the circus emerged from Frederick, MD, April 1868, and opened its season in Wheeling, WV, it was called Castello, Howes & Nixon. The show went as far west as Kansas City, and ended the season in Mobile, Alabama, for the winter. 1869, season began with a route across the South to Savannah, then north to Virginia and west to Tennessee, and out to Kansas. Reached Omaha just as the Union Pacific Railroad was finishing its track to California. At Nixon's urging the show (10 cages, a bandwagon, 2 elephants and 2 camels) was loaded on the railroad to proceed across the plains, the first circus in history to go coast to coast in a single season. Castello later said they netted $1,000 a day for 31 straight days. Much of the circus was sold in California, with Castello's half of the profits amounting to $60,000. Joined W. C. Coup, 1870, in putting a company on a Great Lakes steamer, visiting towns where a circus was a great novelty. Castello, Coup and P. T. Barnum each put up $60,000 to take out the Barnum show, 1871-75. [P. T. Barnum: "Give me Dan Castello and money enough to reach the first stop and I'll come home with a fortune at the end of the season, I don't care if it rains every day."] Left circus business; went into a mining enterprise, putting up about $80,000, owning about all of Deadwood, ND, but went broke. Dan Castello's Centennial Circus, 1876; Hudson & Co., 1881; 1883-90, Harris' Nickel-Plate; Castello title used by J. E. Noble, 1890. Died of Bright's disease, Rochester, NY.
SOURCE: "Olympians of the Sawdust Circle - A biographical dictionary of the ninteenth century American circus.", Compiled and Edited by: William L. Slout.
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