Victoria Codona Adolph (1891–1983) was a fourth generation circus performer from the Codonas family.[1]

She was born in Vera Cruz, Mexico, to French and English parents. She performed in Mexican circuses as a slackwire artist.[1] In 1909, agents of the Barnum & Bailey Circus recruited her and her younger brothers, Alfredo[2] and Abelardo Codona, to perform with them.[3] She worked for Barnum & Bailey until 1918 and also performed in Australia with the Brothers Circus. She was known as Princess Victoria and was a wire-walker.[4]

She retired from performing when she was pregnant with her first child with William K. Adolph, a race car driver, and they retired to Palm Springs where she died in 1983 at the age of 92.[5] In 2014, the U.S. Postal Service created a stamp of her as part of an eight stamp collection paying tribute to circus legends of the past.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 Smothers, Ronald (14 August 1983). "Victoria Codona Adolph Dies; Former Star in Circus Was 92". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  2. ↑ "Portrait of Victoria and Alfred Codona". Texas History. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  3. ↑ Jensen, Dean N. Queen of the Air: A True Story of Love and Tragedy at the Circus. Crown/Archetype.
  4. 1 2 Manna, Marcia (7 August 2014). "The big top is back, with stamps!". The San Diego Union Tribune. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  5. ↑ "Grave Spotlight". Cemetery Guide. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
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