Barbette

Vander Clyde "Barbette" Broadway was born on December 19, 1899, in Round Rock, Texas to Jeffrey and Hattie Wilson Broadway.

At a very early age, Barbette's mother took him to Austin, TX to see his first circus. The young Vander instantly became fascinated with the spectacle, and glamour of the circus. He began practicing the acts he had witnessed at the circus in his mother's back yard. He worked in the fields of Texas to obtain money so that he could go to every circus that came near.

At age fourteen Barbette graduated from high school. Soon after the youth read an ad in the Billboard Magazine. The ad was placed by one of the Alfaretta Sisters who had performed an aerial act. It seems that one of the sisters had suddenly died and a replacement was needed. Young Vandere left home and went to San Antonio to audition for the act. Barbette's performing skills were acceptable, however since this had been a sister act and was billed as the "World Famous Aerial Queens", he was asked if he would he consider performing as a female. Eager to get the job he agreed. This was the beginning of Barbette's long circus career.

Barbette worked in the Alfaretta Sisters act for several years before developing his own solo act. He traveled with many circuses performing trapeze, tight and slack wire, Roman rings, iron jaw and Spanish web. He would perform his routine in "drag" and at the end of the act remove his wig to reveal his true gender to the surprise of the audience.

In 1923 Barbette began an European tour, where he worked in largest clubs and casinos in England, France, Germany and Belgium. In Paris, he became a huge success and he would returned there many times, performing at the Moulin Rouge, Cirque Medrano, and the Casino de Paris.

By 1938 Barbette had suffered a severe bout of pneumonia, the disease weakened his bones and joints and left him semi-crippled ending his aerial performing. This however was not the end of Barbette's circus career.

He began working with large circuses training aerial performers and producing the largest and most spectacular production numbers in the industry. He would stand at the performer entrance at each show ensuring that each performer's makeup and wardrobe was perfect before entering the circus arena.

The name Barbette has become legendary in the world of the circus.

Vander Clyde "Barbette" Broadway died on Aug 5, 1973 in Austin, Texas of a self-inflicted drug overdose, at age 73.