Timothy Holst
Encyclopedia
Timothy J. Holst was a ringmaster with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
.
The son of a postman and a nurse, Holst was born in Galesburg, IL. A lifelong Mormon
, he served as a missionary
in Sweden
. He attended Ricks College and Utah State University
, studying drama.
Holst joined Ringling Bros. as an entry-level clown, starting at their Clown College in 1971. He worked his way up to be a singing ringmaster
, and ultimately vice president for talent and production. He spent the last twenty years identifying and signing new hires for the circus, and was responsible for making deals with then-Communist countries to hire performers and enter into cultural exchanges.
Holst lived most of his adult life in Sarasota County, Florida. He died in Sao Paulo, Brazil while on a trip there to recruit circus performers.
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is an American circus company. The company was started when the circus created by James Anthony Bailey and P. T. Barnum was merged with the Ringling Brothers Circus. The Ringling brothers purchased the Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1907, but ran the circuses...
.
The son of a postman and a nurse, Holst was born in Galesburg, IL. A lifelong Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
, he served as a missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. He attended Ricks College and Utah State University
Utah State University
Utah State University is a public university located in Logan, Utah. It is a land-grant and space-grant institution and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities....
, studying drama.
Holst joined Ringling Bros. as an entry-level clown, starting at their Clown College in 1971. He worked his way up to be a singing ringmaster
Ringmaster
The term ringmaster may refer to numerous things:*Ringmaster , the leader of a circus* Ringmaster , the manager of a horse show ring*Ringmaster , a film starring Jerry Springer and Jaime Pressly...
, and ultimately vice president for talent and production. He spent the last twenty years identifying and signing new hires for the circus, and was responsible for making deals with then-Communist countries to hire performers and enter into cultural exchanges.
Holst lived most of his adult life in Sarasota County, Florida. He died in Sao Paulo, Brazil while on a trip there to recruit circus performers.