R.I.P. Capt Don Leslie





Christiani Bros Circus
Clyde Beatty Cole Brothers
Ringling Brothers Circus
Tommy Hart Show
Kyle Taylor
Dick Best
Norman Brooks
Slim Kelly/
Whitey Sutton
Jeff Murray
Bill English
Ward Hall
Charlie Cox
O.C. Buck Shows
Coleman Bros. Amusements
Fiesta Shows
Murphy Bros. Shows
Conklin Shows
Orig Boston, MA
now Chico, CA
(USA) 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 when Linton was in his late 40's or early 50's. 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.