A biography of William "Doc" Key, a former slave and self-trained veterinarian who taught his horse, Jim, to read, write, and do math, and who helped teach the world to treat animals kindly

Nostalgia vies with rollicking good fun in these anecdote-studded memoirs of legendary horror director William Castle. Remember the Lloyds of London life insurance policy that protected moviegoers if they were frightened to death by "Macabre"? Or the theatre seats that buzzed when "The Tingler" came on screen...and refunds for cowards who could not face the last terrifying minutes of "Homicidal"?

Describes all aspects of the circus and the evolution of every act from its beginnings to today's performances. With more than 300 photographs.

Explore the naive art of late 19th and early 20th century shooting gallery targets, whole galleries, and arcade forms. Commonly seen on early midways and carnivals, as well as in saloons and other public places of amusement, here, in a presentation of compelling color photographs, are the rarest and most aesthetically pleasing decorative targets and arcade forms known. The progression from the world of shooting gallery and arcade forms, as well as painted American fixtures and accessories, to contemporary art and sculpture has been a natural evolution. Also featured are examples of other amusement attractions to which the visitor to the carnival, circus, or midway would have been exposed. A few European forms are included to illustrate the difference between them and American forms.

Here is the fascinating though ofttimes shady history of the medicine show, an American show-business institution that dispensed hoopla and nostrums to a credulous clientele. When medicine shows died out, the nation lost one of its most rollicking entertainments.

A thorough survey of the origins and development of the major distinct American commercial entertainments that emerged between over the course of the 19th century and into the 20th, including P.T. Barnum_s American Museum, freak show, and circus, as well as blackface minstrelry, Buffalo Bill_s Wild West Show, and vaudeville.