Karl Wallenda

Britannica Concise Encyclopedia

(born 1905, Magdeburg, Ger.—died March 22, 1978, San Juan, P.R.) German-born U.S. circus acrobat. He founded the Great Wallendas acrobatic troupe, which achieved fame in Europe for its four-man pyramid and cycling on the high wire without a safety net. His wife, Helen Kreis (1910–96), joined the troupe in 1926 and later was balanced at the peak of the seven-person pyramid, the most famous of the Wallendas' acts. The troupe traveled with the U.S. Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus (1928–46), then performed as freelancers. Karl's nephew Gunther (1927–96) trained on the wire from age five; when a pyramid collapsed in 1962, Gunther was the only member left standing and rescued three who were clinging to the wire; two others were killed and one was paralyzed. Two troupe members died in accidents in 1963 and 1972. Karl died in a fall from a wind-whipped wire 123 ft (37 m) above a street in San Juan.


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CORRECTION
; ...uncle and family patriarch, Karl Wallenda. Also, it was erroneously reported...Wallenda and his 9-year-old son are Karl Wallenda's last direct descendants. One...daughter and four grandchildren of Karl Wallenda still perform in separate acts... Read more
FOR THE RECORD.(NEWS)(Correction Notice)
; ...uncle and family patriarch, Karl Wallenda. Also, it was erroneously reported...Wallenda and his 9-year-old son are Karl Wallenda's last direct descendants. One...daughter and four grandchildren of Karl Wallenda still perform in separate acts... Read more
Up in the air: ; Wallenda comes to Hurricane with Circus Hope
; ...granddaughter of the legendary aerialist Karl Wallenda, takes it all in stride. "They're very...and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Led by Karl Wallenda, the act dazzled audiences with its...continued in the wake of the tragedy. Karl Wallenda, in fact, performed up to his death... Read more
Circus Comes to Hurricane, W.Va., Raises Money for Nonprofit Ministry for Kids.(Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News)
; ...granddaughter of the legendary aerialist Karl Wallenda, takes it all in stride. They're very...Barnum & Bailey Circus. Led by Karl Wallenda, the act dazzled audiences with its...continued in the wake of the tragedy. Karl Wallenda, in fact, performed up to his death... Read more
Collapsed lung puts Wallenda in hospital
; ...have died in high-wire accidents. Steven Wallenda's uncle, Karl Wallenda, was killed in 1978 when he fell 150 feet while performing...Juan, Puerto Rico, at the age of 73. Sixteen years earlier, Karl Wallenda's nephew and son-in-law fell to their deaths while performing... Read more
HEIRS OF THE AIR; IT'S WET 'N WILD AT EMERALD POINTE WATER PARK WHERE THE ROYAL FAMILY OF THE AERIAL WORLD IS SPENDING THE SUMMER.(LIFE)
; ...television. But in 1978, the family patriarch, Karl Wallenda, died after he fell from a high wire suspended...thought that the family business died with Karl Wallenda. Now, Karl Wallenda's great-grandson, Nikolas, and his family are... Read more
Lost in the lights.(Book Review)(Young Adult Review)(Brief Article)
; ...and a passion for driving racecars. There is a profile of Karl Wallenda, of the world-famous Flying Wallendas high-wire act. who...fulfill his dream of playing major league baseball and that Karl Wallenda died while attempting to walk a wire between two skyscrapers... Read more
HELEN WALLENDA, LAST OF THE ORIGINAL HIGH-WIRE FAMILY.(News/National/International)
; ...Sarasota, Fla. She was 85. She was just 17 when she climbed Karl Wallenda's shoulders in the debut performance of the Wallenda pyramid...a fall from the wire. In 1978, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Karl Wallenda - her husband of 43 years - fell to his death while walking... Read more
STARING DOWN THE REAPER LIFE - AND DEATH - WITH THE GREAT WALLENDAS
; ...in 1977 when the duo got a call from Karl Wallenda, patriarch of the Great Wallendas...Ironically, it was the then 73-year-old Karl Wallenda, who would later fall to his death...said. It was several days later that Karl Wallenda, in addition to the troupe's regular... Read more
Flying Wallenda attempts comeback after 43 years; He was 21 when he tumbled from a tightrope in an accident that left him a paraplegic
; ...him a paraplegic. The adopted son of Karl Wallenda, patriarch of the famous Flying Wallenda...circus troupe never used a net because Karl Wallenda said it provided a false sense of security...fourth anchorman remained standing, as Karl Wallenda and his brother, Herman, fell to the... Read more

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acrobatics
...as poles, tightropes, and flying trapezes made acrobatics a major attraction in circus performances. Its popularity increased in the 20th century with such performers as the Flying Wallendas ( Karl Wallenda ). acrobatics acrobatics acrobatics Read more

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