Claire Heliot (9 February 1866, in

Halle (Saale) Halle (Saale), or simply Halle (; from the 15th to the 17th century: ''Hall in Sachsen''; until the beginning of the 20th century: ''Halle an der Saale'' ; from 1965 to 1995: ''Halle/Saale'') is the largest city of the Germany, German States of ...

– 9 June 1953, in Stuttgart) was a German

lion tamer Lion taming is the taming and training of lions, either for protection or for use in entertainment, such as the circus. The term often applies to the taming and display of lions and other big cats such as tigers, leopards, jaguars, black pa ...

. She was born Klara Haumann (Huth). Her father was a government postal official. In April 1897, she caused a sensation when she first performed at a zoo in Leipzig. She toured extensively. Accompanied by ten lions, she performed at the London Hippodrome in 1901. In America, Heriot's act was part of A Yankee Circus on Mars, appearing at the

New York Hippodrome The Hippodrome Theatre, also called the New York Hippodrome, was a theater in New York City from 1905 to 1939, located on Sixth Avenue between West 43rd and West 44th Streets in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan. It was called the worl ...

for 20 weeks in 1905 and 1906 and in Chicago in 1906. The high point of her act was carrying her ten-year-old, lion Sicchi on her back and shoulders. In 1907, a nervous Heliot was attacked by her lions and severely injured while performing at the Circus Orlando in Copenhagen; she was rescued by three attendants. After she retired, she was reported working as a hairdresser in 1930. The Heliot restaurant at the Hippodrome Casino in London is named after her.

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Image of "Claire Heliot with Lion"
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heliot, Claire 1866 births 1953 deaths German women Lion tamers People from Halle (Saale)