Circus clown of George M. Cohan. He was also one of the main models for "Uncle Sam". With changes in circus and popular culture after the Civil War, his legendary talents under the big top have gradually slipped into almost total historical obscurity; biographer David Carlyon (2001) called him "the most famous man you've never heard of". While Dan Rice's talking and singing clown was taking America by storm, a new type of clown was emerging on the British pantomime stage, one that would have a more lasting influence on contemporary American circus clowning. George Lafayette Fox was America's first great "whiteface"
Big Apple Circus and in Atlanta by bringing the "Circus of the Senses" to those cities. In 1999, co-founder Michael Christensen was inducted into Miami's Ambassador David A. Walters pediatric Hall of Fame, for his "contributions to pediatrics" by way of the circus and its different programs. Once again in 1999, "Circus of the Senses" attracted a large number of special children, with 9,000 kids participating. The circus dropped plans for a second unit that was to play in theaters after less than successful financial results during a trial run. Additionally, the Big Apple Circus became a 501(c)3 non-profit organization in March 2000.