Don leslie

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CAPT. DON LESLIE "MR. SIDE SHOW" Captain Don Leslie, known as Mr. Sideshow, is a sword swallower, fire-eater, human blockhead and tattooed circus man. He is a generous contributor to the Triangle Tatoo and Museum in Fort Bragg, CA. His display gives the public valuable insight into the history of the circus sideshow and tattooing. One wing of the museum features his personal memorabilia collection from over 42 years of circus life. Photographs, drawings and costumes cover the walls from floor to ceiling enshrining his beloved family, Tattooed People of the circus sideshow.

In his lifetime, he has swallowed a staggering number of swords. In the circus sideshow, he would do 18-22 performances a day. During each performance, he would swallow fifteen times; either a bayonet, knife, sword, a saber, oil dipstick, a screwdriver, or a lit florescent tube (which one could see glowing through his chest!). During his street performance days in San Francisco, Boston and New Orleans, he sometimes swallowed a bayonet ten times an hour, fifty times a day for six days in a row...count that during a forty-two year period of time!

Originally from Boston, MA, Capt. Don Leslie ran away from home in 1952-53 to run a pony ride with the King Brothers Circus. The pony ride was right across the midway from the bally stage for the sideshow. In 1953, Capt. Don got one of his first tattoos from Carol Nightingale in Washington D.C. In about 1954 at about the age of 16, Capt. Don learned fire eating first, and then sword swallowing from the Argentinian fire eater Carlos Leal. In 1955, when Don's family spent the winter in Los Angeles, Capt. Don wandered into a tattoo parlor on Main Street where he got his "Rock of Ages" tattoo done on his back by Leroy Minugh. After many jobs in concessions, animal care and general labor, he eventually became a circus sideshow performer. Around 1956-57, at about the age of 19, Don learned additional sword swallowing tips from Alex Linton, AKA "The Young Ajax", AKA "Prince of Swords" when Linton was in his late 40's or early 50's. Captain Don bought some swords from the sword swallower Leonard "Stoney" St. Clair. Capt. Don worked with Christiani Circus from 1956 to 1959. During the off-season, when circuses put up for the winter, he worked as a tattooist. In 1956-1957, while being tattooed by Lyle Tuttle in Californa, Capt. Don taught some of the basics of sword swallowing to Tuttle with a stove poker. Capt. Don was known for swallowing a sword sandwich of five 30 inch swords with the blades perpendicular to the tongue instead of flat on the tongue (1979-89). Capt. Don and Lady Diane Falk did a boat tour of the Micronesian Islands and Guam in the South Pacific from October 1988 into 1989. In 1989, while performing his sword sandwich of 5 vertical blades at a nightclub in Seattle, Don sustained a serious injury with internal bleeding. After his accident, Capt. Don gave most of his swords away to Lady Diane Falk. In the early 1990s, Capt. Don went to Canada and built a sideshow for the Conklin Shows for $60,000. Capt. Don managed the show and performed everything but sword swallowing, so he hired Lady Diane Falk as his sword swallower. Capt. Don was featured in the movie "Beloved" and his acts have included Sword Swallower, Fire-Eater, Human Pin Cushion, Human Blockhead, Escape Artist, Tattooed Attraction, Electric Chair, Bed of Machetes, Bed of Glass, Sideshow Manager, and Master of Ceremonies. Capt. Don is now semi-retired in Chico, California after having spent over 51 years with most of the major circuses and carnivals that trekked the US and Canada from the 1950's through the early 1990's. Capt. Don still makes appearances at tattoo conventions and other appearances, and occasionally performs with his favorite 1863 saber.

He has been in two feature films. "The Problem Child" with John Ritter, and "Beloved" with Oprah Wimfrey and Danny Glover.