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- Carnie king : the story of Patty Conklin and Conklin Shows / by Thurston, John Harry,1955-author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."The story of the audacious carnie who built the greatest carnival dynasty in North America. Enter the realm of the Carnie King, Patty Conklin, the flamboyant founder of the world's largest carnival company. Starting as a small-time operator who was willing to try anything to promote his show, Conklin transformed himself into a carnie celebrity -- and he was the main attraction. Winning the midway contract for the Canadian National Exhibition in 1937, he made it his personal world's fair and laid the foundation for his son and grandson to expand Conklin Shows, playing the biggest fairs and exhibitions in North America. Not only a history of Conklin Shows, Carnie King explores the inner working of midways, providing a fascinating story based off scores of interviews with carnies and access to the Conklin archives. The resulting history is at once a startling, nostalgic look at a unique part of twentieth-century North American culture and a vivid account of three generations of showmen and their dominance of midways across the continent."--- Subjects: Biographies.; Personal narratives.; Conklin, Patty.; Conklin Shows; Carnivals;
- Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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- Carnie King The Story of Patty Conklin and Conklin Shows [electronic resource] : by Thurston, John.aut; cloudLibrary;
The story of the audacious showman who built the greatest carnival dynasty in North America. Enter the realm of the carnie king, Patty Conklin, the flamboyant founder of what would become the world’s largest carnival company. Patty started on the mean streets of New York selling peanuts before becoming a a small-time operator. Willing to try anything to promote his show, he established himself as a carnie celebrity. Winning the midway contract for the Canadian National Exhibition in 1937, he made it his personal world’s fair. It became the foundation for his son and grandson to expand Conklin Shows until they were playing the biggest fairs and exhibitions throughout North America. Carnie King begins with the birth of Joseph Renker to German immigrant parents, tells of his personal transformation into Patty Conklin, and follows his incredible life through to his death in 1970. It covers his company's history after Jim Conklin took over, expanded it beyond recognition, then handed it on to his own son. Not only a history of Conklin Shows, Carnie King explores how midways work and their commercial and popular presence in North America The story it tells is based on dozens of interviews with carnies and access to the Conklin archives. It includes anecdotes about a range of characters and insights about life on the midway. Carnie King is at once a revealing look at a unique part of twentieth-century culture and a vivid account of three generations of showmen and their dominance of midways across the continent.General adult.- Subjects: Electronic books.; 20th Century; Circus; Entertainment & Performing Arts;
- © 2024., Dundurn Press,
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Results 1 to 2 of 2