Claire Heliot (9 February 1866, in Halle (Saale) – 9 June 1953, in Stuttgart) was a German lion tamer. [1]
She was born Klara Haumann (Huth). [2] Her father was a government postal official.
In April 1897, she caused a sensation when she first performed at a zoo in Leipzig. She toured extensively. Accompanied by ten lions, she performed at the London Hippodrome in 1901. [2] In America, Heriot's act was part of A Yankee Circus on Mars, appearing at the New York Hippodrome [2] [3] for 20 weeks in 1905 and 1906 [4] and in Chicago in 1906. [2] The high point of her act was carrying her ten-year-old, 159-kilogram (351 lb) lion Sicchi on her back and shoulders. [2] In 1907, a nervous Heliot was attacked by her lions and severely injured while performing at the Circus Orlando in Copenhagen; she was rescued by three attendants. [4] After she retired, she was reported working as a hairdresser in 1930. [2]
The Heliot restaurant at the Hippodrome Casino in London is named after her. [5]
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