Gunther Gebel-Williams
| Gunther Gebel-Williams | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 12, 1934 Schweidnitz |
| Died | July 19, 2001 (aged 66) Venice, Florida |
| Cause of death | Brain tumor |
| Occupation | Animal trainer |
| Children | Mark Oliver Gebel |
Gunther Gebel-Williams (September 12, 1934 - July 19, 2001) was an animal trainer for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus from 1968-1990.
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[edit] Early life
Gebel was born in Schweidnitz, Lower Silesia, Germany. As a child he and his mother became refugees when the communists took over Silesia. His father was still missing in the Soviet Union when he and his mother started working for Circus Williams in Germany in 1947. When the circus owner suddenly died, his widow asked the then 18-year-old Gunther to train and take over which began his career as an animal trainer. Gunther Gebel took on the additional family name of Williams.
[edit] Career
Gebel-Williams was a well-known circus animal trainer. He came to prominence during the early days of television when the circus was still a popular form of entertainment. His appearances on television shows like the Ed Sullivan Show and The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, in addition to his work with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, accelerated his renown as a tamer primarily of elephants and tigers. Gunther Gebel-Williams has a son, Mark Oliver Gebel, and a daughter, Tina Gebel-DelMoral. Their mother is Sigrid Gebel.
[edit] Death
He died on July 19, 2001 in Venice, Florida under the name "Gunther Gebel".[1]
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ "Animal trainer Gebel-Williams dies". CNN. July 20, 2001. http://archives.cnn.com/2001/US/07/20/gebelwilliams.obit/index.html. Retrieved 2008-07-20. "Gunther Gebel-Williams, the world-renowned circus animal trainer, died of cancer Thursday at his home in Venice, Florida. He was 66 years old and had been undergoing treatment for a brain tumor, a spokeswoman for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus said."
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- 1934 births
- 2001 deaths
- People from Świdnica
- Animal trainers
- Circus performers
- American people of German descent
- Silesian emigrants to the United States
- Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
- People from the Province of Lower Silesia
- Circus Hall of Fame inductees
- Cancer deaths in Florida
- German people stubs
- Entertainer stubs
