The Hanlon Brothers

As young men, the Hanlons--six brothers from Manchester, England--stunned audiences around the world with their daring acrobatic feats. After a tragic accident severely injured one brother (and directly led to his suicide in a manner achievable only by someone with considerable acrobatic talents), they moved into the safer arena of spectacle pantomime, where their uproariously funny and technically astonishing productions proved hugely successful. Their shows, Le Voyage en Suisse, Fatasma, and Superba, toured for more than thirty years, a testament to their popularity and to the Hanlons' impressive business acumen. In this carefully researched and lavishly illustrated book, Mark Cosdon documents the careers of this talented family and enumerates their many contributions to modern popular entertainment.