Videos of Ringling Brothers Greatest Show on Earth and Final Performance

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We are pleased to provide you with a series of videos documenting the history of The Greatest Show on Earth as well as a full showing of the last performance of this exceptional piece of Americana history.  For full screen double click the video - then hit Escape key to return to menu.

Final Show Ending Speech

Last Arrival of Ringling Train

Last Train from Florida

We'll see you down the road

Final Staff Dance

Ringling Brothers History

History of Greatest Show on Earth

Fox Farewell to Ringling

CBS Farewell to Ringling

YouTube Full Broadcast last show

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CPT Twit - Another Piece of Americana Bites the Dust - Ringling Brothers Circus closes today after 146 years

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Leaving the life: The final days of the Ringling Bros. Circus

Performers hugging

Ringmaster Kristen Michelle Wilson, right, hugs a member of the crew after the red unit’s final performance, Sunday, May 7, 2017, in Providence, R.I. For the performers who travel with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, its demise means the end of a unique way of life for hundreds of performers and crew members. (Photo: Julie Jacobson/AP)

An elephant stretches its trunk through a window to soothe a sick child. A woman gives birth and three months later is back performing on the high wire. A handler of big cats weeps as the beasts lope out of the ring for the last time.

These stories could come only from circus performers, and in particular one famous circus, the one immortalized as “The Greatest Show on Earth”: the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, which is hanging its hat for the last time this weekend.

One of Ringling’s two traveling circuses is scheduled to perform its final show Sunday in New York. The other closed this month in Providence, and with it, the end to a way of life few others have experienced.

The final shows are May 7 at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence, R.I., and May 21 at the Nassau Veterans Memorial.

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