Baker writes the book on juggling during seventy performing years

by Dennis Soldati, IJA Historian, Rego Park, NY

 

What is past is prologue

                              Shakespeare

 

To renew ties with the past need not always be daydreaming; it may be tapping old sources or strength for new tasks.

                                 Simeon Strunsky

 

If Harry Baker was still alive, what a biz resume he could write. Back in 1905 when his career began, James J. Jeffries was the heavy­weight boxing champion of the world and Theodore Roosevelt was President of the United States.

 

Harry performed for more than seven decades. He knew and worked for P.T. Bamum and the Ringling Brothers.

That Harry was a juggler was not surprising in 1905; there were many around. But Harry never dropped out of show business, remaining active in his chosen field even when it was no longer so green.

 

In this age, when people strive for quick and easy records, what would Guinness have to say about Harry Baker's 67 years of performing? In 1972 when Harry was with the Happytime Circus in Califomia, a local reporter wondered if Harry might hold a world record. The reporter's story noted, "Harry's remarkable career has seen him outlast 19 heavyweight boxing champions and 11 presidents --- and it's also seen him survive from the days of the horse and buggy to the present space age.

"During the past 67 years Harry has probably given more command performances than any man alive; these performances took place in such places as London, Berlin, Paris and most of the major cities in the United States,"

Of course, the numbers grew even larger after that was written in 1972 until he died February 23, 1980.

 

IN THE BEGINNING: Harry was bom in New York in 1893 and started juggling at age 12. In 1905 he went to work for Ringling Brothers circus as a juggling clown. From Ringling he went into vaudeville. He worked the Orpheum Circuit and Pantages Circuit, and was a good friend of Alex Pantages.

 

OFF TO EUROPE: By 1928 vaudeville no longer caught the public fancy; movies were taking over the entertainment circuit. Harry moved on to Europe and didn't retum for 22 years. In 1939 he met and married Peggy Bould in Manchester, England. She was a dancer, but learned to juggle and joined the act. Together they entertained the troops during World War II while bombs fell on England.

 

With a sparkle in his eye, Harry made soldiers laugh while statesmen declared, "This is the darkeest era in the history of mankind."

 

HOMECOMING: In 1950 Harry and Peggy returned to the United States to join the Ringling Brothers circus again. Since then, they worked for many circuses, fairs and vaudeville shows nationwide with their juggling and plate spinning acts. Even though the romance of the old traveling days may have disappeared, Harry's spirit for performing always remained. Every spring and summer found Harry and Peggy on the sawdust trail. During winters they performed in night clubs, on television and casual dates while waiting for spring and the open road with the circus.

 

THE ACT: Performing as The Bakers - "'International Hatters," they juggled and passed clubs and straw hats. Harry was famous for his cigar box and boomerang hats act. He sold his act to agents as a "Good Comedy Opener - 15 Minutes of Laughs'"

 

As an apprentice to The Juggling Barrets, Harry learned to juggle straw hats, and said 'old man' Barret may have been the first to use boomerang hats. When Peggy joined the act she preferred the hats to clubs because they didn't hurt as much. However, Harry was a good club passer and was able to pass solid shoulder throws.