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==In The Spotlight== | ==In The Spotlight== | ||
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| − | + | ===ÉMILIEN BOUGLIONE=== | |
| + | [[File:Emilien_Bouglione_Courier.jpg|right|350px]] | ||
| + | Émilien Bouglione (1934-2026) was the fourth of Joseph and Rosa Bouglione’s seven children (Odette, 1929-2025 – Josette, 1930-? – Firmin, 1933-2022 – Émilien – Sandrine, 1936-2012 – Sampion III, 1938-2019 – Joseph, b. 1942). Of the four brothers, he was by far the most artistically minded; he succeeded his uncle Sampion II at the helm of Cirque Bouglione’s equestrian department and presented with infinite taste and great gusto equestrian presentations that were often prepared with the help of his mentor, Master Equestrian André Vasserot (1911-1991). | ||
| − | + | He was born Jules Émilien Buffalo-Bill Bouglione on July 20th, 1934, in Coulommiers (a town famous for its cheese, east of Paris), where his family's circus was performing. His father, the legendary circus director Joseph Bouglione (1904-1987), and his Belgian mother, Rosalie Van Been (1910-2018), were both of Roma descent and came from the world of fairground menageries, which were, between the two world wars, restructuring into the modern traveling circus. | |
| − | + | The father and uncles of "Julot" (the diminutive by which Emilien was known by his close friends and family) had already paraded under a succession of picturesque banners—including one that helped them build their fortune: ''Stade Bufalo-Bill''—before settling on the proud ''Cirque des 4 Frères Bouglione''. It is said that the day after their newest family member, Jules Émilien, had arrived, they signed the contract making them tenants of the Cirque d'Hiver in Paris, the world's oldest circus building, which eventually became their property. | |
| − | The circus | + | The Bougliones were a large family whose school had been the circus ring. Émilien entered it at the age of two and was already in the saddle two years later. Like in every circus, the Bougliones' ring was a school of life, the curriculum of which was written in the pungent smell of horse manure, wild animals, leather, and sawdust. Their approach to equestrian art owed nothing to the classical academic style (already fading away): Theirs was fierce and more romantic; it was the world of mythical horses that gallop through folklore and dime novels, ridden by a family whose Roma blood gave it a stamp of dazzling wonder.... ([[Émilien Bouglione|more...]]) |
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==New Essays and Biographies== | ==New Essays and Biographies== | ||
| − | * [[ | + | * [[The Ziratron]], Israel's first Circus |
| − | * [[ | + | * [[Carlos Guity]], acrobat |
| − | * [[ | + | * [[James Clowney]], acrobat |
| − | * [[ | + | * [[Émilien Bouglione]], equestrian, circus director |
| − | * [[ | + | * [[Alexis Gruss, Jr/fr|Alexis Gruss, Jr]] (version française) |
==New Videos== | ==New Videos== | ||
| − | * [[ | + | * [[Lauenburger_Dog_Video_(2025)|Wolgang Lauenburger]], dog act (2025) |
| − | * [[ | + | * [[Balkanski_Trio_Video_(2025)|Trio Balkanski]], roller-skating act (2025) |
| − | * [[ | + | * [[Gino_Donati_Video_(1981)|Gino Donati]], comedy acrobatics (1981) |
| − | * [[ | + | * [[Statues_BAC_Video_(1994)|Melinda Merlier, Carlos Guity & James Clowney]], statue act (1994) |
| − | * [[ | + | * [[Castors_Video_(c.1960)|Les Castors]], foot-juggling & Risley act (c.1960) |
==New Oral Histories== | ==New Oral Histories== | ||
Latest revision as of 20:08, 15 April 2026
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In The Spotlight
ÉMILIEN BOUGLIONE
Émilien Bouglione (1934-2026) was the fourth of Joseph and Rosa Bouglione’s seven children (Odette, 1929-2025 – Josette, 1930-? – Firmin, 1933-2022 – Émilien – Sandrine, 1936-2012 – Sampion III, 1938-2019 – Joseph, b. 1942). Of the four brothers, he was by far the most artistically minded; he succeeded his uncle Sampion II at the helm of Cirque Bouglione’s equestrian department and presented with infinite taste and great gusto equestrian presentations that were often prepared with the help of his mentor, Master Equestrian André Vasserot (1911-1991).
He was born Jules Émilien Buffalo-Bill Bouglione on July 20th, 1934, in Coulommiers (a town famous for its cheese, east of Paris), where his family's circus was performing. His father, the legendary circus director Joseph Bouglione (1904-1987), and his Belgian mother, Rosalie Van Been (1910-2018), were both of Roma descent and came from the world of fairground menageries, which were, between the two world wars, restructuring into the modern traveling circus.
The father and uncles of "Julot" (the diminutive by which Emilien was known by his close friends and family) had already paraded under a succession of picturesque banners—including one that helped them build their fortune: Stade Bufalo-Bill—before settling on the proud Cirque des 4 Frères Bouglione. It is said that the day after their newest family member, Jules Émilien, had arrived, they signed the contract making them tenants of the Cirque d'Hiver in Paris, the world's oldest circus building, which eventually became their property.
The Bougliones were a large family whose school had been the circus ring. Émilien entered it at the age of two and was already in the saddle two years later. Like in every circus, the Bougliones' ring was a school of life, the curriculum of which was written in the pungent smell of horse manure, wild animals, leather, and sawdust. Their approach to equestrian art owed nothing to the classical academic style (already fading away): Theirs was fierce and more romantic; it was the world of mythical horses that gallop through folklore and dime novels, ridden by a family whose Roma blood gave it a stamp of dazzling wonder.... (more...)
New Essays and Biographies
- The Ziratron, Israel's first Circus
- Carlos Guity, acrobat
- James Clowney, acrobat
- Émilien Bouglione, equestrian, circus director
- Alexis Gruss, Jr (version française)
New Videos
- Wolgang Lauenburger, dog act (2025)
- Trio Balkanski, roller-skating act (2025)
- Gino Donati, comedy acrobatics (1981)
- Melinda Merlier, Carlos Guity & James Clowney, statue act (1994)
- Les Castors, foot-juggling & Risley actAct performed by Icarists, in which one acrobat, lying on his back, juggles another acrobat with his feet. (Named after Richard Risley Carlisle, who developed this type of act.) (c.1960)
New Oral Histories
- Dominique Jando interview by the Circus Historical Society (2025)
- Evelyn & André Interview on Blikk TV (2015)
- For A Moment You Fly, The First Season of The Big Apple Circus (1977)
- Vladimir Durov Documentary on Russian Television (c.2000)
- Dolly Jacobs Interview at The Ringling (2018)
Circopedia Books
- Philip Astley & The Horsemen who invented the Circus, by Dominique Jando (2018)
A Message from the Founder
CIRCOPEDIA is a constantly evolving and expanding archive of the international circus, maintained by reliable circus historians and specialists. 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! And if you are a serious circus scholar and spot a factual or historical inaccuracy, do not hesitate to contact us: we will definitely consider your remarks and suggestions.
- Dominique Jando
- Founder and Curator
