Johnny Peers
From Circopedia
Dog Trainer
Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, Johnny Peers learned the ropes of traveling show business at an early age, while working for his father who was a concessionaire at Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. His skills as a natural comedian let him to join Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey's Clown College, where he graduated in 1969. He became a member of The Greatest Show On Earth's Clown Alley, where he worked alongside one of its star clowns, Lou Jacobs, who became his mentor.
Some of Jacobs' most memorable routines were performed with dogs, prompting Johnny to develop a comedy dog act. In 1972, he he adopted his first dog, Freckles from the Human Society. Freckles was the first of a collection of fifteen mutts rescued from animal shelters all over the country. This group of talented and playful canines would form Johnny Peers' original Muttville Comix troupe. In time, some of its four-legged artists would retire, other would join, while The Muttville Comix performed all over North and South America, and in Europe with such circuses as Circus Krone in Germany, Circus Maximum in Sweden, and Circus Conelly in Switzerland.
In the U.S., The Muttville Comix were featured with Ringling Bros, and Barnum & Bailey, with the Big Apple Circus on three occasions (1992, 1996, 2006), and with every leading circus and variety shows in the country. In 2003, The Muttville Comix were named Animal Planet Pet Stars Champions by the popular TV channel Animal Planet.
See Also
- Video: Johnny Peers, Comedy Dog Act, in the Big Apple Circus production of Goin' Places (1992)
- Video: Johnny Peers, Comedy Dog Act, in the Big Apple Circus production of The Medicine Show (1996)
- Video: Johnny Peers, Comedy Dog Act, in the Big Apple Circus production of Step Right Up! (2006)
