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Records relating to the Debord Circus and other circuses
Title: Records relating to the Debord Circus and other circuses
Dates of Material:
1955-1985, predominant 1964-1968
Extent:
66.5 cm of textual records
138 photographs
1 album
1 poster
1 compact disc.
138 photographs
1 album
1 poster
1 compact disc.
Administrative history
The Debord Circus was incorporated in Ontario in October of 1964 and its objective was to prepare and present high quality animal circus acts in a single ring to the Canadian public. Paul Bouissac was president and the main stockholder, with other stock in the corporation held by academics at the University of Toronto and Trent University. The animal trainer, Girard Debord, was brought from France to act as ringmaster. In August 1965 some of the animals in the circus were seized by the Humane Society; the circus folded shortly thereafter.
Series consists of correspondence, minutes, newspaper clippings, posters, photographs, a compact disc, tickets and printed material, and financial records relating to the incorporation and operation of the Debord Circus, 1964-1968. There are also clippings, notes and drafts of writings, published material and photographs, [ca. 1955]–1985, relating to circuses in general; and correspondence, project descriptions, notes and other records relating to an attempt to stage a circus performance at the 1978 Berlin Festival, 1977–1979.
NOTE(S)
Language of material
Some material in Berlin Festival file is in German
One article is in French
Access points
Subject: Circuses
| BOX | FILE | TITLE | YEAR | ADDITIONAL INFORMATION |
| Box 7 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 1 | Binder of records, containing: Copy of charter/By-laws/Minutes of Directors/Minutes of Shareholders | September 10, 1960, 1964-1965 | Includes newspaper article on the circus from 1960. Newspaper article very fragile, handle with care. |
| 7 | 2 | Stock certificates and other records relating to shareholders | 1964-1965 | |
| 7 | 3 | Tax records | 1966-1968 | |
| 7 | 4 | Insurance records | 1964-1966 | |
| 7 | 5 | Correspondence re. Debord Circus | 1958-1966 | Includes 1 b&w photograph. |
| 7 | 6 | Correspondence re. organization and administration of Debord Circus | 1963-1965 | Includes 11 b&w photographs of various circus performers |
| 7 | 7 RR | Employee records | 1964-1965 | Includes personal information regarding former employees of the circus. |
| 7 | 8 | Financial records re performances | 1965 | |
| 7 /OS | 8A | O/S Poster announcing circus | [1965?] | |
| 7 | 9 | Notes and other records re performances, circus materials and other entertainments | 1964-1965 | |
| 7 | 10 | Tickets and other printed material | 1965 | |
| 7 | 11 | Maps, professional publications, and other records | 1961-1966 | |
| 7 | 12 | Newspaper clippings relating primarily to seized animals | 1964-1972 | Newspaper clippings fragile, handle with care. |
| 7 | 13 | Issue of Maclean's with article on circus | June 5, 1965 | Rasky, Frank. "The Professors' Wonderful Circus." Maclean's, June 5, 1965, pp. 19, 35, 37-40; includes additional loose pages from the article and possible an O/S Poster announcing circus. |
| 7 | 14 | Photo album of Girard Debord | [ca. 1961] | Includes 43 b&w photographs and 1 postcard; originally held in accompanying brown photograph album. |
| 7 | 15 | Photographs and publicity material | [1965?] | Includes 5 b&w photographs, one (1) col. photograph, one (1) 11.5 cm x 15 cm negative, and one (1) 12.5 cm x 10 cm negative. |
| 7 | 16 | Photographs of Dubord Circus | [between 1955 and 1965] | Includes 33 b&w photographs, 2 col. photographs, 1 col. 35 mm slide, and 3 postcards or various circus animals, performers, and circus buildings. |
| 7 | 17 | Photographs of the Baglione Circus and other subjects | [between 1955 and 1965] | Includes 8 b&w photographs and 1 postcard of circus animals, performers, and animal handlers. |
| 7 | 21 | Contract agreement between King Shows and Debord Circus | January 12, 1965 | Three (3) copies of contract agreement. |
| 7 /OS | 22 | 'Cirque Medrano' Paris | 1966 | I print : lithograph By Maxwell Bates, numbered 47/50 |
| Box 8 | ||||
| 8 | 1 | Appointment books | 1964-1965 | Appointment books contain loose papers. |
| 8 | 2 | Martin Down’s Ring Notes | 1965 | |
| 8 | 3 | Drawings and plans | 1963-1964 | |
| 8 | 4 | Music written by Dimitri Maximov for circus | [1964?] | |
| 8 | 5–7 | Financial correspondence and records | 1964-1967 | |
| 8 | 8 | Monthly expenses | [1965?] | |
| 8 | 9 | Financial records | 1964, 1978, 1986 | Includes newspaper clipping from 1978 and postcard from 1986. |
| 8 | 10–13 | Financial records | 1965 | |
| 8 | 14 | Pending bills | 1965-1966 | Contains one unopened envelope. |
| 8 | 15 | Clippings, published material re circuses | 1965-1968 | Newspaper clippings fragile. |
| 8 | 16 | Photographs of Girard Debord and circus animals | [between 1964 and 1965] | Includes 20 b&w photographs, 3 col. photographs, and 1 postcard. |
| 8 | 17 | Photographs, clippings and published material re circuses | 1961-1975 | Includes: 8 negative photographs, one (1) 35 mm col. slide, 54 b&w photographs, and 2 col. photographs. Some newspaper clippings are fragile, handle with care. |
| 8 | 18 | Bouissac/circus music - [Sousa] and piano | [2005] | One (1) audio CD, dated 2005, of music played at circus and Sousa and piano. |
| Box 9 | ||||
| 9 | 7 | Debord Circus financial record book | 1965 | |
| 9 | 8 | Proposed circus performance for Berlin Festival | 1977-1979 | |
| 2012.07 | ||||
| 2012.07, Box 1 | ||||
| 1 | 15 | Circus time - Notes/drafts/research material | 1982 | |
| 1 | 16 | "Pyramide et la roue: jeux formels et effets de sens dans les sectacles de cirqe" - Article published Anthropologica | 1985 | |
| 2015.03 | ||||
| 2015.03, Box 1 | ||||
| 1 | 10 | Correspondence/tax records/clippings/notes | 1965-1966 |
|
| 2020.11 | ||||
| 2020.11, Box 1 | ||||
| 1 | 11 | Animaux: Debord Circus | 1964-1965 | Financial records and correspondence related to the purchase and sale of animals for the Debord Circus. |
| 1 | 12 | Cirque: Debord Circus notebook | [n.d.] | Notebook of Bouissac's circus partner Gerard Debord, a lion tamer. |
