Back in the days of Variety, some of the most important performers on the theatre bills were not the star names but the so-called speciality acts.
These were acts that you might expect to see in a circus, like lion-tamers, as well as any number of jugglers, diminutive contortionists, strongwomen, and magicians. These one-act wonders made a good living out of their strange talents, but with the advent of television, their popularity waned. Comic and writer Paul Harris presents. Producer Libby Cross