Elvin Bale

Elvin Bale (born 1945 in London, England) is a former artist and daredevil with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, among many other international circuses. He is known especially for his single trapeze act, which finished with a heel catch, as well as his “wheel of death,” “human space shuttle,” “mechanical monster,” “motorcycle on the high wire”, and “human cannonball” acts. His career as a performer ended with a technical mishap on 08 Jan 1987, when, performing the human cannonball, he over-shot his landing cushion.

Early life

Elvin Trevor Bale was born to Irene and Edwin Trevor (Tommy) Bale. Elvin was among the fourth generation of Bales in the circus industry. [The Bale family of performers in fact constitutes a dynasty in the entertainment world. In addition to the circus, they performed in music hall (vaudeville) using various stage names (see www.TheRoyalZanettos.com).] After an early childhood touring with European circuses, Elvin and his family moved to the United States in the 1950s when his father took a job as a tiger trainer with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. As a youngster, Elvin worked as a clown, a dancing boy, a cage boy for his father's tiger act, and an acrobat in the family’s bicycle act. His twin sister, Dawnita; older sister, Gloria; and younger sister, Bonnie, also worked in a variety of family acts in various shows. In the 1960s Elvin began working on what would become his signature act, the single trapeze with a “heel catch” finish. Mr.Bale's Father appeared as a guest along with Ray Bolger on American Game Show "What's My Line".