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Friday, July 20th, 2001
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2:22p - Gunther Gebel-Williams: Circus Animal Trainer
VENICE, Fla. -- Gunther Gebel-Williams, 66, a circus animal trainer who delighted ladies and gentlemen and children of all ages during his three decades with the Greatest Show on Earth, died of cancer July 19 at his home here.
He never missed a performance during his career with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. He made his American debut Jan. 6, 1969, and went on to appear in 12,000 shows before an estimated 200 million people.
In 1974, he was featured in a CBS-TV special, "Lord of the Rings," with Tony Curtis. He was in a 1981 NBC-TV network special, "My Father, the Circus King," narrated by his son, Mark Oliver. Mr. Gebel-Williams also appeared on Johnny Carson's "Tonight Show," on NBC, along with a tiger, and in an American Express TV commercial with a leopard.
In 1973, he was named "outstanding circus performer of the year" by the American Guild of Variety Artists. He was inducted into Madison Square Garden's Walk of Fame in 1995 and into the International Circus Hall of Fame in Peru, Ind., in 1999.
"Whether he was working with tigers, leopards, elephants, horses or a giraffe, you immediately knew that he was special because his incredible rapport with animals was unsurpassed," said Kenneth Feld, chairman of Feld Entertainment and a friend.
Mr. Gebel-Williams performed with elephants, tigers, leopards, lions, panthers, mountain lions, horses, goats, camels, zebras and a giraffe.
He performed in the giant steel cage for the last time in Grand Rapids, Mich., on Sept. 27, 1998, when he filled in for his son.
Mr. Gebel-Williams, who was born in Schweidnitz, Germany, was introduced to circus life at age 12 when his mother joined the Circus Williams as a wardrobe assistant.
He learned how to work with animals from circus owner Harry Williams. He took over management of the popular German circus upon Williams's death.
In 1968, Ringling Bros. owner Irvin Feld acquired Circus Williams to get the talented Mr. Gebel-Williams, who became a quick hit with American audiences.
Mr. Gebel-Williams underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor last July. Sigrid Gebel-Williams said her husband realized something was wrong when he lost his peripheral vision during a training session with two tigers. He felt dizzy and weak and walked into one of them.
Mr. Gebel-Williams had been with Ringling Bros. since 1969 and was vice president of animal welfare for the circus, overseeing about 400 animals.
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