Gunther Gebel-Williams
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Gunther Gebel-Williams | |
---|---|
Born | Gunther Gebel September 12, 1934 Schweidnitz |
Died | July 19, 2001 Venice, Florida, United States | (aged 66)
Resting place | Venice Memorial Gardens, Florida |
Occupation | Animal trainer |
Spouse(s) | Jeanette Williams
(m. 1960; div. 1967)Sigrid Neubauer (m. 1968) |
Children | 2 |
Gunther Gebel-Williams (September 12, 1934 – July 19, 2001) was an animal trainer for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus from 1968-1990.
Early life[]
Gebel was born in Schweidnitz, Lower Silesia (now Świdnica, Poland). As a child, he and his mother emigrated to Germany when Silesia was ceded to Poland after World War II. His father was missing in the Soviet Union.
Career[]
Gebel and his mother started working for Circus Williams in Germany in 1947. When its owner suddenly died, the owner's widow asked the 18-year-old Gebel to become the animal trainer which began his career. He then took on the additional surname Williams.
Gebel-Williams came to prominence during the early days of television when the circus was still a popular form of entertainment. His appearances on television shows like The Ed Sullivan Show and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, in addition to his work with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, accelerated his renown as a tamer primarily of elephants and tigers.[3][2]
After retiring from the ring, he took a management position as Vice President of Animal Care for the circus. He passed down his skills as an animal trainer and performer to his son, Mark.[1]
Personal life and demise[]
Gebel-Williams died of a brain tumor on July 19, 2001 in Venice, Florida.[4]
External links[]
- Lord of the Rings: Gunther Gebel-Williams at Ringling.com (archived)
- Gunther Gebel-Williams at Find a Grave
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b Vegas, Dee (August 2, 2001). "Obituary: Gunther Gebel-Williams". The Guardian. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Severo, Richard (July 20, 2001). "Gunther Gebel-Williams, Circus Animal Trainer, Dies at 66". The New York Times. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
- ^ Reinmuth, Gary (November 20, 1995). "A Tough Act To Follow: Gebel-williams Turns The Family Business Over To His Son". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
- ^ "Animal trainer Gebel-Williams dies". CNN.com. July 20, 2001. Archived from the original on March 7, 2008. Retrieved July 20, 2008.
Gunther Gebel-Williams, the world-renowned circus animal trainer, died of cancer Thursday at his home in Venice, Florida. He was 66 years old and had been undergoing treatment for a brain tumor, a spokeswoman for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus said.
- 1934 births
- 2001 deaths
- People from Świdnica
- German emigrants to the United States
- Animal trainers
- Elephant trainers
- Lion tamers
- People from the Province of Lower Silesia
- Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus people
- Deaths from cancer in Florida
- 20th-century circus performers
- German people stubs
- Entertainer stubs