Henry Ringling North; Helped Run Circus

Henry Ringling North, 83, circus scion who managed “The Greatest Show on Earth.” A native of Chicago and educated at Yale University, North helped his older brother, John, run the historic Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus from 1936 until 1967, when they sold it and moved to Europe. While John, who died in 1985, served as president, the younger North held the titles of vice president, treasurer, director and operations chief. The Ringling Bros. Circus was started in the late 1800s by the Norths’ eight uncles, who took over P.T. Barnum’s Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1907. The Norths kept the circus financially afloat by doing away with the labor-intensive Big Top tent in 1956 and booking the shows into stadiums. Henry North told the story of his colorful family in his 1960 book, “The Circus Kings: Our Ringling Family Story.” On Saturday in Switzerland.