Death of a Strongman, Khalil Oghab, Father of the Iranian Circus

When Gerry Cottle passed away in 2021, I naturally called his long time associate 'Doktor' John Haze, founder of the Circus of Horrors, for some insights into Cottle's career.

Haze attributed Cottle's success to some of the unique acts that featured in Gerry Cottle's Circus. In particular, he singled out strongman Khalil Oghaby, who would stand on a platform and lift a baby elephant - a feat for which he is still in the Guinness World of Records today.

Ironically, just a week after Haze left this world (more info here), Oghaby has passed away at the age of 98.

Known as the Hercules of Persia, Oghab (whose name was spelt Oghaby in the UK) came to fame by staging Iran's first strongman shows. As many as 50,000 people would pay to watch him toss weights over his head with his teeth and allow buses and trucks to drive over him.

In the 1970s, Oghab starred in Duffy's Circus in Ireland and then Gerry Cottle's Circus in the UK, where he also appeared in the Saturday evening TV show Seaside Special, broadcast from Cottle's big top.

Cottle called him, "Probably the best act I ever had."

In 1991, Oghab returned to his homeland where he founded the country's first circus and became known as the Father of the Iranian Circus.

For more on this story, read the Gerry Cottle Story, here.

 

RIP Doktor John Haze of the Circus of Horrors

The late Doktor John Haze (right) with Gerry Cottle (left)

and Circus Mania author Douglas McPherson

I received the sad news this morning of the death of Doktor John Haze, founder of the Circus of Horrors and director of Britain's biggest big top show, Circus Extreme.

Haze had a storybook life. Abandoned on a circus as a baby, he was brought up as a fire-eater in the big top. He later left the sawdust circle to form a band, then combined rock music and circus tricks to create the Circus of Horrors in partnership with Gerry Cottle.

As well as performing as singing ringmaster in the Horrors, Haze handled publicity for the Chinese State Circus and Moscow State Circus. Following the retirement of circus mogul Brian Austen, Haze became director of Circus Extreme and Continental Circus Berlin.

Like Cottle, Haze was a master of the publicity stunt and frequently got the Horrors into the national news or on the front page of the Sun with far-fetched stories. He achieved several Guinness World Records and took the Horrors onto TV on Britain's Got Talent.

On stage in white face makeup, he played a demonic character, but off stage he was a gentle person. 

An example of his generosity was attending the launch party of my book Circus Mania at the then Circus Space (Now National Centre for Circus Arts) where he and Cottle signed books for circus fans. 

Read my review of Circus Extreme here.

Read my exclusive interview with Brian Austen, the 'secret showman' here.

And read the story of the Circus Mania launch party here.