Tommy Hanneford on Hollywood Palace (1967)

Tommy Hanneford was known as "The Riding Fool" and "The Funniest Man on Horseback" and with his sister, mother and father presented what was considered one of the greatest and most entertaining bareback act in circus history.

From his birth, September 27, 1927, until his death, Tommy was the consumate performer and circus producer. He once said; “As many times as I have heard the announcement (“And now the Riding Hannefords featuring Tommy Hanneford”) in my lifetime, I have never gotten over the thrill associated with them. The smells, sights and sounds of the circus, the applause, the thrill of a standing ovation -- circus is my life, not a way of life. Struppi says I truly have sawdust in my veins”

Tommy is recorded as a circus performer as early as April of 1933 with the Downie Brothers Circus. At the time, he was a clown and only 5 years old.

Born into the circus, from the famous Hanneford family who have been associated with the circus for close to three centuries, Tommy was the son of George Hanneford, Sr. and Catherine Breen, and was the nephew of the famous “Poodles” Hanneford. Tommy learned to ride as soon as he could walk and for years was the:”Riding Fool” of the family act, the King of the comedy riding act.

Upon Tommy's retirement from performing the "Riding Fool act was performed by Mark Karoly, trained by Tommy to continue in the Hanneford clowning tradition of expert horsemanship. The son of Evy Karoly, another bareback and dressage rider, Mark had a daring routine, including a horse-to-horse somersault with a full twist, which gives a good indication of the demands made on the great riding clowns of the past. In one hilarious routine that always brings roars of laughter, he is energetically propelled by a companion head-first into the south end of a very tolerant and large horse. Mark himself retired from performing in 2005.

When his performing career was over, Tommy became the producer of “The Royal Hanneford Circus”, one of the outstanding circuses in the United States, at times having as many as five shows going at the same time. For many years he produced the circus for the Great Circus Parade in Milwaukee, and for the major shrine and fair dates, including the “Big E,” the gigantic Eastern States Exposition.

He also was a technical advisor for many tv productions, as well as the motion picture “Barnum” starring Burt Lancaster.

He once said: “ For me there is no life without the circus, circus is my life! As long as I have a breath of life, I will do my utmost to bring to you only the best of the circus. for alas, in my heart, I am just like the rest of you, a circus fan to the end.”