BELMONTE CRISTIANI (12/4/1917-17/2/2009)

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23/02/2009 - Ha muerto Belmonte CRISTIANI
Belmonte CRISTIANI falleció a la edad de 91 años en Sarasota (U.S.A.)Mi más sentido pésame a su familia y amigos.“Enrico”
La noticia completa en:
http://www.circusfans.net/news/?view=6115
Noticia relacionada en:http://bucklesw.blogspot.com/2009/02/belmonte-cristiani.html
En memoria de Belmonte Cristiani (vídeo)http://dick-dykes.blogspot.com/2009/02/in-memory-of-belmonte-cristiani.html

WWW.CIRCUSFANS.IT DEL 23-2-2008
E' MORTO BELMONTE CRISTIANI

Raffaele De Ritis ci segnala un interessante articolo apparso sull'Herald Tribune a ricordo di Belmonte Cristiani, scomparso il 7 febbraio scorso a Sarasota, negli Stati Uniti, all'età di 91 anni.
Di origine italiana, era partito alla volta degli Usa per raggiungere il Ringling dove con la famiglia era scritturato con il celebre numero equestre che lo ha reso immortale. Dopo otto anni di tournée nel colosso americano, aveva aperto negli Usa il Cristiani Bros. Circus. Nel 1954 era stato il primo circo ad effettuare una tournée in Alaska.
Nel 1936 il giornalista Pete Smith ha dedicato un breve ed interessante documentario a questa famiglia prodotto dalla MGM (e oggi disponibile su YouTube inserendo nel motore di ricerca "Cristiani Family") della durata di 9 minuti.
L'articolo mostra una foto e riporta la carriera di Belmonte Cristiani. L'articolo è in lingua inglese, ma un traduttore on line aiuterà a tradurre agevolmente il testo.

Family's feats brought equestrian acrobat fame
By Mark Zaloudek
Published: Saturday, February 21, 2009 at 1:00 a.m.
Last Modified: Saturday, February 21, 2009 at 7:06 a.m.

SARASOTA - As a member of one of the most celebrated circus families in the United States, Belmonte Cristiani dazzled audiences worldwide with his acrobatic feats on horseback.
Even though he performed with his nine siblings as The Cristiani Troupe, Belmonte Cristiani, who died Feb. 6 in Sarasota at 91, frequently stood out for his athleticism.
In one act, known as the "Triple Backward Suicide Somersault," Cristiani and one of his brothers, each standing on separate horses circling an arena, simultaneously somersaulted backward through a hoop and landed on their feet on a moving horse behind them as a third brother dismounted his horse with the same flourish.
The fourth-generation circus performers had entertained European royalty in the 1930s before being hired by the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus to tour the United States in 1934.
They toured with Ringling for eight years before starting the Cristiani Bros. Circus.
"Belmonte Cristiani was a member of probably the foremost circus family in America outside of the Ringlings," said circus enthusiast Floyd Kruger, president of Sarasota's Circus Ring of Fame Foundation.
The Cristianis were honored with a bronze plaque on the Circus Ring of Fame on St. Armands Circle in 1989 alongside such circus luminaries as the flying Wallenda Troupe and clown Emmett Kelly. In 1994, the Cristianis were inducted into the International Circus Hall of Fame in Indiana.
"They became what is considered one of the top equestrian acts in circus history," Kruger said.
During World War II, Cristiani was drafted into the Army during the height of his career. Being selected to perform in a traveling USO show led to appearances on Broadway in "This Is the Army," a patriotic play with songs written by Irving Berlin. Cristiani also had an uncredited role as a soldier who sang and performed acrobatics in a 1943 movie by the same name that included singer Kate Smith, boxer Joe Louis and future president Ronald Reagan.
Born April 12, 1917, in Italy, Cristiani learned ballet as a child, like his five brothers and four sisters, to carry on a family circus tradition that dates back to 1840.
Although he later manufactured carnival rides and set them up nationwide for Royal American Shows from 1971 to 1984, Cristiani considered performing with his siblings from their childhood until 1962 to be the highlight of his career, said his daughter, Mia Cristiani-Alvis of Sarasota.
After retiring in 1985, he and his wife helped raise two young nephews and a niece.
A Sarasota resident since 1937, he suffered from lung disease in recent years.
In addition to Cristiani-Alvis, Cristiani is survived by two other daughters: Tina Veder of Ocala and Cheryl Ann Turk of Nyack, N.Y.; two nephews, Jason and Justin Zacchini of Sarasota; a niece, Julie Zacchini of Sarasota; a brother, Pete, of Sarasota; a sister, Corky Cristiani-Bowes of Sarasota; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
A celebration of his life is planned for 12:30 p.m. March 7 at St. Martha Catholic Church in Sarasota.
Memorial donations may be made to the American Lung Association Gulfcoast Area, 12734 Kenwood Lane, Ste. 25, Fort Myers, FL 33907.
Da heraldtribune.com del 21/02/2009
23/02/2009 10.19.42


SEE THEM IN ACTION
A short feature film on the Cristianis can be viewed at www.youtube.com. Type "Cristiani family" in the search box. The 10-minute MGM film, made in 1936, was shown in theaters between feature films.
http://bucklesw.blogspot.com/2009/02/belmonte-cristiani.html

Saturday, February 07, 2009
Belmonte Cristiani
Scan11295, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.
Posted by Buckles at 2/07/2009 07:02:00 AM
3 comments:
Jimmy Cole said...
While I did not know Belmonte very well, I recall going to his home about 10 years ago with Armando Cristiani, who introduced him to me. We had quite a nice visit and talked quite a bit about the Cristiani Bros. Circus which I saw as a boy.I recall Belmonte saying "You circus fans remember more about things like that than we do!"Another circus great gone but never to be forgotten.
07 February, 2009 10:10
Hal Guyon said...
Jimmy,Funny you should say that. I was at the Shrine Circus here in Columbia SC today, and Struppi Hanneford told me the same thing. By the way, the show was very good, Tim Frisco with the bulls, The Zoppe riders, Zoppe monkeys and Afganhounds. Really enjoyed it.
07 February, 2009 16:58
dpowhitetiger said...
"SPANGLES, Elephants, Violets and Me" by Victoria Cristiani Rossi daughter of the late Oscar & Marion Cristiani will be doing a SPANGLES book signing on St. Armands Circle, Sarasota today from 1:00PM - 3:00 PM. Visit the RING of FAME greats while on the Circle. With the passing of Belmonte SPANGLES becomes very important historically to the circus world. If you are in the Sarasota area join us today on St. Armands. OABA BOOK SIGNING: Fri.Feb.,13th Victoria will be signing at the Tampa Crowne Plaza 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM with all profits going to the OABA CIRCUS ANIMAL FUND. OABA Circus Unit Meeting schedule: 10:00 AM-12 NOON at the Crowne Plaza. With the passing of Belmonte we have lost another big name in the circus world. Thank you Buckles for your posting of the fantastic group of Cristiani Family pictures. Our hearts and prayers go out to the remaining originial Cristianis Corky and Pete. God Bless..
08 February, 2009 09:27