Tony Steele knew what he was meant to do at a young age. Be a trapeze artist. In 1951, at age 15, he ran away and joined the circus.
He is regarded as the best flying trapeze artist of his generation and one of the best in world. Ever. While performing in Durango, Mexico In 1962, with Lee Stath catching, Tony became the first trapeze artist to complete 3 1/2 back somersaults to a legs catch. This earned him a place in the Guinness Book of Worlds Records, pushing past the triple somersault barrier, the Salto Mortale, set by Ernest and Charles Clarke in 1909. Tonys record remained unsurpassed until the completion of the quadruple somersault by Miguel and Juan Vazquez in 1982.
Now in his seventies, Tony is still flying, performing, and teaching on the flying trapeze. He will always be an entertainer, to be anything else would be against his nature. This documentary will focus on Tony Steeles life long love affair with the circus and those inspired/influenced by his living out a childhood dream.
Norma Fox - Arielist legend "La Norma", Tonys first circus idol.
Raymond "Slick" Valentine - First to catch Tonys triple sommersault.
Bob Christians - Founded Club Meds flying trapeze program. Most of todays recreational trapeze schools, clubs, and flyers can be traced back to him.
Lee and Mary Stath - The Marilee Flyers. Lee caught Tonys first 3 and 1/2 sommersault.
Betty Riley (stage name Betty Woods) - Performed with Tony in the 1960s and 1970s.
Trapeze artists from the following acts:
The Flying Caceres
The Flying Rodriguez
The Flying Vazquez
The Flying Pages
The Flying Eagles
The Flying Vargas
The Flying Tabares
The Flying Condors
The Flying Poemas
The Ponces
The Tunizianis
Students and Staff from:
Circus Juventus. St. Paul, Minnesota
Illinois State Universities Gamma Phi Circus. Normal, ILL
Peru Amateur Circus. Peru, Indiana
Sonoma Trapeze, Trapeze Arts, Trapeze-Experience, TrapezeHigh, and TrapezeU