Showman

This article is about travelling entertainers. For other uses, see Showman (disambiguation).

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Showman can have a variety of meanings, usually by context and depending on the country.

Australia

Travelling showmen are people who run amusement and side show equipment at regional shows, state capital shows, events and festivals throughout Australia. Carney is a term coined for American amusement operators and is in no way a politically correct term to refer to Australian showpeople, as most find the term offensive. In the past, it has also been used for the people who organized freak shows, sideshows, circuses, travelling theatre troupes and boxing tents.

In Australia, there are around 500 travelling show families. The Australian travelling show familys in the Eastern states have a travelling School that has approx 90 children.

Norway

"Showman" is a humoristic talkshow hosted by the Norwegian comedian and actor Håvard Lilleheie. The show currently runs on TV2 Zebra, and is produced by Monster Entertainment.

Turkey

"Showman" ("şovmen" in Turkish) word refers to a talk show host in Turkey. This show can be performed individually (talking with public by telephone) in Turkish TV's.

United Kingdom

Robert Edwards, a seventh generation British showman, running his Ring and Blocks stall.

In the United Kingdom, show-people are involved with funfairs and traditional Steam fairs that preceded them. The Showmen's Guild of Great Britain is their trade association, with a membership of around 4,700. For example, the Guild co-organizes St Giles' Fair in Oxford with Oxford City Council each September.

Current operators

A few operators still run a number of the old time rides e.g Carters Steam Fair & the Howard Brothers and others like Coles Fun Fairs & Taylors Fun Fairs now operate with mainly modern Fairground rides.

Collectors of Fairground equipment

Several collectors of old time Fairground rides and Steam engines are "showmen" as they put on displays of the old rides at modern Steam fairs and other events. The best known is the Saunders collection that tours the country during the summer. Other collections such as The Hollycombe Collection and Thursford Steam Museum are static with the occasional visit by a few engines or rides to steam shows and fairs.

United States

Showmen in the United States are also male dancers or performers in shows, usually alongside showgirls; an example would be Gene Kelly in the film Singin' in the Rain.

The term showman or show people, can also be meant as a superlative or complimentary term, sometimes as an accolade or quasi-title, such as in the documentary name Harry Saltzman: Showman.

Showman or show people may also refer to a line of guitar amplifiers manufactured by Fender.

See also

• Fairground rides
• List of Showmen
• Showman's road locomotives - The customised Steam engines used to power & haul the rides.
• Scammell Showtrac - A Ballast tractor designed for showmen 7 fitted with a generator.