Singing Ringling

To Robert Edward Ringling, when he was a small boy in Baraboo. Wis., the fact that his father Charles was one of the seven brothers who owned the biggest circus in the world meant nothing at all. At seven he took up the study of the violin, followed, when he was ten, by the piano. When a football accident made him an invalid for four years he improved his voice. At 19 he began five years of study under Tanara. After a season of concert work, he had William Brady develop his voice for three years more. He made his debut in 1929 as Tonio. the clown in Pagliacci. His fine full baritone made him a favorite in Chicago where he sang with Samuel Insull's Civic Opera Company for five seasons. As his operatic fame increased, Robert Ringling began to show an interest in his family's affairs. Before the Chicago Civic Opera ceased to operate, he became president of the Ringling Trust & Savings Bank at Sarasota, Fla., where the Ringling circuses have their winter quarters. Recently that bank liquidated, paying off all depositors in full. Last week Robert Ringling decided to give up his operatic career. The announcement was by Samuel W. Gumpertz, Ringling general manager, in Sarasota, as the Ringling Circus prepared to open its season in New York in April. When the circus starts north Robert Ringling will travel with it, to learn more of the family business. It is a Ringling tradition for some member of the family to accompany the show. Old John Ringling, last of the founding brothers, has been too ill to do so for the past two years. As a circusman, Robert Ringling will spend his first season helping the publicity department. In his spare moments he hopes to do some work with the Ringling musical clowns.

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