During the late 1930s and throughout the 1940s, Katherine “Kitty” Clark (1920-1993) was one of the most recognizable circus majorettes and baton twirlers in the United States. Associated with both the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus and Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, her image appeared on posters, advertisements, and promotional materials seen by millions of Americans.

Background

Clark was born in Benton Harbor, Michigan in 1920, and spent her formative years in Elkhart, Indiana. According to contemporary newspaper accounts, she attended Elkhart High School where she gained significant attention as an accomplished drum major and baton twirler. 

Drilled and coached by her father, Edward L. Clark, in 1936, she won a baton twirling national co-championship in Madison, Wisconsin. Her baton twirling reportedly led the Elkhart High marching band to their national championship win that same year in Chicago. (Journal and Courier, June 11, 1937)

Circus Contracts

In March 1937, Billboard, a trade publication, reported that Clark, 16, would leave Indiana to join the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus, one of the nation’s major traveling circuses. The Indianapolis Star reported that she quit school to do so; however, The Elkhart Truth reported she planned to return to Elhkart High to complete her studies in the fall of 1937. It is unclear if she ever graduated.

For a young woman in the 1930s, a circus contract was an extraordinary opportunity. Circuses were among the largest entertainment enterprises in United States. They traveled by railroad, performed before thousands of spectators, and employed performers from around the world. Joining a circus offered adventure, visibility, and a career unlike anything available in Elkhart.

Edward Frye, a circus fan from Minnesota and Kitty Clark, August 1941, Madison, Wisconsin (Source: Milner Library, ISU) 

Pancho Villa’s Daughter

Shortly after joining the circus, Clark’s picture appeared in a newspaper photo alongside Doña Alicia Villa (c. 1916-c.1988), daughter of the Mexican Revolutionary Pancho Villa. (See below.) Alicia, as she was identified in the cutline, was a daring equestrian who toured with American circuses throughout the 1930s. (St. Louis Globe Democrat, June 18, 1937)

Clark’s success with Hagenbeck-Wallace opened the door to even bigger opportunities. By 1938, she had joined the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, then promoted as “The Greatest Show on Earth.” There she served as a circus majorette throughout much of the 1940s.

Multiple Acts

Unlike many circus performers, Clark mastered multiple acts. In addition to twirling baton and serving as the circus majorette, she was a bareback rider, elephant girl and aerial artiste. In 1942, the Winston-Salem Journal reported that Clark would appear on the cover of Parade magazine while training a stunt horse.

One of the most famous images associated with Ringling during the 1940s featured a chestnut-haired Clark in her majorette uniform. It was featured in posters by the circus for years and contributed to Clark’s fame and notoriety. Eventually, she bleached her hair blonde and was celebrated in the media for her flowing golden mane.

Injuries

Prior to joining the circus in 1937, Clark suffered a serious ice-skating injury that led to ongoing infections in her shin bone. The injury was not completely resolved by surgery and plagued her throughout her circus career. In addition, throughout her career with the circus she sustained serious injuries including a skull fracture. Accidents included having a horse fall on her and falling off an elephant. One news report stated she came within a breath of being crushed to death by the elephant. The crowd of 7,000 had nary a clue.  

Hartford Circus Fire

On July 6, 1944, Clark was among the performers persent the day of the historic Hartford Circus Fire. More than 6,000 circus-goers were in attendance when the fire started and consumed the tent in less than 10 minutes. Nearly 170 people were killed, two-thirds of whom were children. Another 700 were injured. The cause of the fire was never deteremined. 

Finally, in 1947, physicians warned Clark that another injury to her weakened leg could result in amputation. As a result, she retired from the circus the following year in 1948.

Marriage

That same year, she married Harold Van Orman (1884-1958) who was 36 years her senior and twice divorced. (Elkhart Truth, December 23, 1948). Van Orman, who owned a string of hotels, was a popular Indiana politician. Although the marriage was subject to heartbreaking news scandals, Clark remained married to Van Orman until his death in 1954.

In 1960, she married Kentucky native horseman Loyd Gentry with whom she had a son. Clark died in 1993 at the age of 72.

1938, Lacrosse, Wisconsin (Source: Milner Library, ISU)

Milwaukee State Fair Park, September 1944 (Source: Milner Library, ISU)

August 1945, Milwaukee (Source: Milner Library, ISU)

The Ultimate Twirl Dad: Edward L. Clark, Fire Chief and Baton Twirler Who Helped Launch Circus Star Kitty Clark

Long before Katherine “Kitty” Clark became one of America’s most celebrated baton twirlers, her father, Edward L. Clark, was helping shape her future as a famous baton twirler and circus majorette. 

Born in Indiana around 1893, Clark served overseas with the United States Marine Corps during World War I as a member of the famed Second Division. After the war, he worked as a lineman for the Indiana & Michigan Electric Company.

In 1928, he joined the Elkhart Fire Department. A respected leader, he rose through the ranks to become assistant fire chief in 1935. In 1942, he was appointed fire chief. 

A few months after assuming command of the department, Clark took a leave of absence to support the nation’s wartime efforts. During World War II, he accepted a civilian position with the U.S. Navy Department at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, where he worked as an electrical specialist from 1943-1945. Following the war, he returned to Elkhart and resumed his duties with the fire department. 

Author: Twirl-a-Flag Manual

Beyond firefighting, Clark was a gifted baton twirling instructor, inventor, and promoter. In fact, he became one of the Midwest’s early advocates for baton and flag twirling. He authored the Twirl-a-Flag Manual, held several patents related to baton design, and was largely responsible for encouraging baton and flag twirling competitions in connection with the Chicagoland Music Festival.

Clark also served as drill master for the Elkhart High School Band and the Thomas McCoy Post of the American Legion. He designed the Legion’s annual Fourth of July exhibitions and played an active role in Flag Day observances and other civic celebrations throughout the Elkhart community.

Most importantly, he personally coached and drilled his daughter, Katherine. Under his instruction, Kitty developed the precision, discipline, and showmanship that would later make her a famous circus performer as well as one of the most recognizable baton twirlers in America. 

Life, Death & Legacy

Sadly, the same year Kitty Clark retired from the circus, 1948, Edward L. Clark died from injuries sustained while fighting Elkhart’s devastating Brown Warehouse fire.

Although remembered locally as a decorated veteran, respected fire chief, and civic leader, his legacy still reaches far beyond Indiana. Through his inventions, instruction, and tireless promotion of baton and flag twirling, he helped shape an emerging activity and played a pivotal role in launching the remarkable career of his daughter, Katherine “Kitty” Clark.

Research and AI Disclosure

This article is the product of original historical research conducted by the author. Primary source material was drawn from newspapers published in Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, and Florida, as well as other contemporary records. The research itself was not performed by artificial intelligence.

Artificial intelligence was used as a supplementary tool to quickly organize information, identify possible leads, improve readability, and proofread drafts. All source selection, fact verification, historical interpretation, and final editorial decisions were made by the author.