Jean Francis Grander was perhaps the most daring man who ever lived and perhaps the craziest.
Jean
Francis
Grander
was
perhaps
the
most
daring
man
who
ever
lived
and
perhaps
the
craziest
.
His greatest desire was to entertain and amaze people.
His
greatest
desire
was
to
entertain
and
amaze
people
.
He measured his success by the number of people who fainted dead away after witnessing his death-defying feats.
He
measured
his
success
by
the
number
of
people
who
fainted
dead
away
after
witnessing
his
death-defying
feats
.
Grander, a blond Frenchman, toured North America in 1850, billing himself as "Blondin".
Grander
,
a
blond
Frenchman
,
toured
North
America
in
1850
,
billing
himself
as
``
Blondin
''
.
Blondin's gift was excellent balance.
Blondin
's
gift
was
excellent
balance
.
This talent.
This
talent
.
coupled with a great desire to surprise and shock his audiences, made Blondin an incomparable performer.
coupled
with
a
great
desire
to
surprise
and
shock
his
audiences
,
made
Blondin
an
incomparable
performer
.
His most famous feat was walking acrossprefix = st1 /Niagara Fallson a tightrope.
His
most
famous
feat
was
walking
acrossprefix
=
st1
/Niagara
Fallson
a
tightrope
.
Blondin's "stage" consisted of a rope tied 1,100 feet across the falls.
Blondin
's
``
stage
''
consisted
of
a
rope
tied
1,100
feet
across
the
falls
.
The rope hung some 160 feet above the rocks and boiling water below the falls.
The
rope
hung
some
160
feet
above
the
rocks
and
boiling
water
below
the
falls
.
Simply walking across the falls was not exciting enough for Blondin; he later had to ride across on a bicycle.
Simply
walking
across
the
falls
was
not
exciting
enough
for
Blondin
;
he
later
had
to
ride
across
on
a
bicycle
.
Then, in another performance, he calmly walked across blindfolded.
Then
,
in
another
performance
,
he
calmly
walked
across
blindfolded
.
At still another time, he carried his terrified manager on his back and walked over the falls before thousands of breathless audience.
At
still
another
time
,
he
carried
his
terrified
manager
on
his
back
and
walked
over
the
falls
before
thousands
of
breathless
audience
.
But Blondin was undoubtedly his own worst critic.
But
Blondin
was
undoubtedly
his
own
worst
critic
.
He was never satisfied with hfs act and always tried to attract his audience with his balancing feat.
He
was
never
satisfied
with
hfs
act
and
always
tried
to
attract
his
audience
with
his
balancing
feat
.
One of his most daring walks was made in the darkness of night.
One
of
his
most
daring
walks
was
made
in
the
darkness
of
night
.
Blondin became so famous on his tour through North America that his last performance was attended by an admiring Prince of Wales.
Blondin
became
so
famous
on
his
tour
through
North
America
that
his
last
performance
was
attended
by
an
admiring
Prince
of
Wales
.
Jean Francis Grander was perhaps the most daring man who ever lived and perhaps the craziest. His greatest desire was to entertain and amaze people. He measured his success by the number of people who fainted dead away after witnessing his death-defying feats.  Grander, a blond Frenchman, toured North America in 1850, billing himself as "Blondin". Blondin's gift was excellent balance. This talent. coupled with a great desire to surprise and shock his audiences, made Blondin an incomparable performer.  His most famous feat was walking acrossprefix = st1 /Niagara Fallson a tightrope. Blondin's "stage" consisted of a rope tied 1,100 feet across the falls. The rope hung some 160 feet above the rocks and boiling water below the falls.  Simply walking across the falls was not exciting enough for Blondin; he later had to ride across on a bicycle. Then, in another performance, he calmly walked across blindfolded. At still another time, he carried his terrified manager on his back and walked over the falls before thousands of breathless audience.  But Blondin was undoubtedly his own worst critic. He was never satisfied with hfs act and always tried to attract his audience with his balancing feat. One of his most daring walks was made in the darkness of night. Blondin became so famous on his tour through North America that his last performance was attended by an admiring Prince of Wales.