Created in England in 1854 by brothers George and William Pinder, specialists in the equestrian arts, the Pinder circus first set foot on French soil in 1868 for a series of performances. Very quickly, the number of trips back and forth between the two countries increased before the circus finally settled in France in 1904 under the direction of Arthur Pinder, William's son.
When he died in 1928, the circus was bought by Charles Spiessert, a descendant of Hungarian showmen, who modernized it and increased its media reputation by hosting television and radio programs in association with the ORTF.
The Jean Richard years
After his death in 1971, the actor Jean Richard became the owner. If the public success is there, it is not the same for the finances and the circus files for bankruptcy in 1983.
The arrival of Gilbert Edelstein
Gilbert Edelstein, a former collaborator of Jean Richard, could not bring himself to see Pinder disappear and bought the company, convinced that it could be revived. He modernized the management and quickly revived the company's popular and financial success, making it one of the jewels in the crown of the French and European circus in just a few years. Gilbert Edelstein shares this wonderful adventure with his family and creates a new circus dynasty. His wife, Andrée, actively participated in the reorganization of the company as General Manager, and his children, Sophie, a great illusionist, and Frédéric, a wild animal tamer, are recognized artists.
