CWM Audio 9-4
May Wirth Interview, March 8, 1972
97 minutes, 11 seconds
Interview with May Wirth conducted by Richard Flint on March 8, 1972, in Sarasota, Florida.
May Wirth (1874-1978) was a noted circus performer with the Wirth Brothers Circus, Barnum & Bailey Circus, Walter L. Main Circus, and the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Born May Zinga in Queensland, Australia, she was adopted by Mary Elizabeth Victoria ('Marizles') Wirth and began training in tumbling and contortionist acts. Wirth was later known for her equestrian and bareback riding, and was the star equestrienne attraction following the merging of Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey in 1919 and up until the time she left the company in the late 1920s. Wirth was inducted into the circus hall of fame in 1964.
Rights Statement:
Copyright to this audio belongs to the Wisconsin Historical Society or, in certain cases, either to the individuals who created them or the organizations for which they worked. We share them here strictly for non-profit educational purposes. If you have questions related to the copyright status of material included here, please contact us at [email protected]
May Wirth (1874-1978) was a noted circus performer with the Wirth Brothers Circus, Barnum & Bailey Circus, Walter L. Main Circus, and the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Born May Zinga in Queensland, Australia, she was adopted by Mary Elizabeth Victoria ('Marizles') Wirth and began training in tumbling and contortionist acts. Wirth was later known for her equestrian and bareback riding, and was the star equestrienne attraction following the merging of Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey in 1919 and up until the time she left the company in the late 1920s. Wirth was inducted into the circus hall of fame in 1964.
Rights Statement:
Copyright to this audio belongs to the Wisconsin Historical Society or, in certain cases, either to the individuals who created them or the organizations for which they worked. We share them here strictly for non-profit educational purposes. If you have questions related to the copyright status of material included here, please contact us at [email protected]
NOTE: While transcripts have been reviewed and corrected for noticeable errors, inconsistencies or misspellings may still exist in the document.
SOUND RECORDING - PART 1
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SOUND RECORDING - PART 2
TRANSCRIPT - PART 1 AND 2
Note: The date on the transcript does not match the date of the interview and may have been created later. 
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May Martin (later May Wirth), circa 1905, performing as a contortionist.
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May Wirth with the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey, 1926
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