In the Spotlight
ARTURO CASTILLA
Arturo Castilla Rodriguez was born in Bilbao, Spain, on October 22, 1916. His father, Raimundo, was a journalist. Arturo was thirteen years old, in 1929, when Raimundo took him to see the colossal German circus Krone, which was visiting Bilbao. This visit led to Arturo’s fascination with the circus world. Arturo Castilla eventually studied art at the Escuela de Artes y Oficios de Atxuri, in Bilbao, and joined at the same time an amateur circus
clubA juggling pin.. Circus eventually took precedence over painting, and Arturo formed a clown act with three old friends of his: Carlos Izquierdo, Pedro Talavera, and Esteban Galdós. Together, as the Hermanos Cape, they went on to perform for various Spanish circuses. In 1940, Arturo and the Hermanos Cape were working at Circo Feijóo, a medium-size traveling circus created in 1885, which had been known for decades as a "clown heaven," and whose ring had been graced by such illustrious funny men as Rico & Alex, Thédy & Pompoff, the Andreu-Rivels, and even, in the nineteenth century, Tony Grice—the clown who tutored the legendary
augusteIn a classic European clown team, the comic, red-nosed character, as opposed to the elegant, whiteface Clown. Chocolat... (
more...)
New Biographies
New Videos
Featured Oral Histories
- Alberto Zoppé, Equestrian - Interview (McCutcheon & Distasio, 2003)
- Olivier Taquin, Mime - Interview (Jando, 2008)
- Barry Lubin, Clown (Grandma) - Interview (Jando, 2008)
- Fumagalli, Clown - Interview (Jando, 2008)
- Kris Kremo, Juggler - Interview (Jando, 2007)
A Message from the Editor
- CIRCOPEDIA is a constantly evolving and expanding encyclopedia of the international circus. New videos, biographies, essays, and documents are added to the site on a weekly—and sometimes daily—basis. Keep visiting us: even if today you don't find what you're looking for, it may well be here tomorrow!
- Dominique Jando
- Editor/Curator
