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 while the 2011-2012 season show was themed "Dream Big" and was the farewell tour for the clown character "Grandma", played by Barry Lublin. In 2014, the "Big Apple Circus Metamorphosis" was released to video. In July 2016, it was announced that for the first time since 1981 the circus would not run for the 2016 holiday season. The Circus set a fundraising goal for $2 million in 2016 in an effort to maintain operations, but only half of the funds needed were raised. The circus filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on November 11, 2016. It was announced on January