Bobby May: The Classy Juggler

mayposesWe all have influences in our craft. One of mine is a fellow named Bobby May. He died in 1981 and started performing in 1922 (alongside Bob Hope). He is considered one of the greatest jugglers, particularly of American jugglers. He worked the Vaudeville circuit and performed flawless routines with ease. He also had tons of class, dressing like Fred Astaire and performing in the style of “gentleman juggler.”

I love Bobby May’s style – that of a classy tie-wearing juggler who can entertain any type of crowd. He doesn’t have to paint his face and become a clown. He doesn’t have to twist balloons for all the kids. He just shows off his superior juggling skills and everybody loves it.

Here’s a short excerpt of a film made about Bobby May. I especially enjoy his ball routine towards the end of this video:

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Jesse

Dr. Jesse Joyner travels nationwide as a speaker and entertainer. His primary role is that of a performing juggler spreading joy and the love of learning to family and kids events. H earned his PhD in Educational Studies at Trinity International University (Deerfield, IL). He enjoys playing the piano, bird watching, and old houses. He lives in Richmond, VA with his wife, Sarah, and their three kids - the perfect number for juggling children.

2 thoughts on “Bobby May: The Classy Juggler”

  1. I like your comment on Bobby May . No juggler can match him today ( I find jugglers that do numbers boring . He was known for his acrobatic juggling feats ( which I could perform in my time ) . He was also known for his unique trick ” scooping balls with a top hat from a shower ” . Juggler I like today are K . Kremo ( still in demand ) and Jr . Picaso ( who plays the best places in the world and gets the best contracts ) . I was surprised to hear that Gatto was payed only 50 000 a year by Cirque Soleil ! ! ( this is a true fact ) / no wonder he quit as a juggler . Now he is a construction worker . By the way , I like your videos / your comedy is outstanding . Yes , Bobby May was a great entertainer . Gran Picaso told me that Bobby was the greatest juggler he had ever seen / this is coming from another great one ( he worked for 30 years with only one month off ! ! Take care and keep juggling , Marko

    1. Thanks for stopping by, Marko. Glad you enjoyed the videos. Kremo and Gatto are great too. Need to see some video of Jr. Picaso. Probably have seen his stuff but haven’t put the face with the name yet. Have a great day!

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