Dan Rice – the most famous man you've never heard of

 With a level of detail that surprised me, Dan Rice – the most famous man you’ve never heard of is a wonderful biography of Dan Rice, a man who was (likely) the inspiration for the look of Uncle Sam, but was much more than that.  A former strongman, animal trainer extraordinaire, a man who made and lost several fortunes, a man who was not unafraid to lampoon both politics and society at large, Dan Rice was a man who became the first mass-media figure by virtue of performing across the country, lampooning what he thought needed to be lampooned — until the American Civil War made it impossible for him to keep being himself.

Book Description of Dan Rice – the most famous man you’€™ve never heard of

Now in paperback: Carlyon’s €”masterful work of cultural and theater criticism” –Publishers Weekly, (starred review)
Dan Rice had many lives. He was a pig presenter, a strongman, a lecturer, and a comic singer, all before joining the dazzling world of the circus. In 1855, he created Dan Rice’s Great Show. Labeling himself the Great American Humorist,€ he toured the country and spoke out on issues of the day before large crowds. Swept up in a new cult of celebrity, he rose to become one of the most famous – and infamous – men in America. He even ran for president. So why have so few people ever heard of Dan Rice? Propelled by an urge toward refinement,€ American amusements began to stratify in the mid-19th century.
The raucous antebellum jumble of performers, audiences, and forms split along a new performance hierarchy of high and low. Circus, though still vastly popular, became seen as lowbrow. In that changed world, Rice’s aggressive humor and robust connection with a noisy, participatory audience became seen as crude – and worse -a civic threat. David Carlyon weaves a remarkably rich portrait of turbulent times that raised one ambitious, creative man to glorious heights and then, embarrassed by its enthusiasm, buried him in sentimentality and finally oblivion.

About the Author of Dan Rice – the most famous man you’€™ve never heard of

David Carlyon has worked as a clown, actor, director, playwright and university professor. He lives in Larchmont, NY with his wife and two sons.

Part 1 – A Perfect Rush: 1823—1847

1. Home, Sweet Home
2. Go West, Young Man
3. Learned Pig, Learning Dan
4. “Circus”
5. Clown to the Ring

Part 2 – One-Horse Show: 1848—1852

6. Spalding and Spicy Rice
7. Reading, Not Acting Clown
8. Foreclosure
9. One-horse Story
10. Like a Phoenix
11. Alternating Ringmasters
12. Curses, Foiled Again!

Part 3 – The Great American Humorist: 1853—1856

13. The Barnum of New Orleans
14. See the Elephant
15. People’s Choice
16. $100,000
17. Bearded in His Den
18. Dan Rice’s Great Show
19. Servis Renderd
20. Hey, Rube!

Part 4 – Something Higher: 1856—1860

21. Cabinet of Curiosities
22. Genius for Fun
23. Excelsior!
24. Daniel McLaren
25. Grammatical Assassin?
26. The End?
27. Ring Cycle

Part 5 – The People’s Candidate: 1860—1867

28. House Divided
29. Southern Sympathy
30. Union, Alias Peace
31. A Muted Voice
32. “Colonel” Rice
33. Rice for President

Part 6 – Reverse of Success: 1868—1883

34. Folly to Fight
35. Paris Pavilion
36. Is Life Worth Living?

Part 7 – Old Uncle Dan: 1884—1900

37. More Fun Than You Can Count
38. Snake Oil
39. Honest Abe’s Uncle Sam

Notes
Bibliography
Permissions
Index