Dan Rice

For the racehorse owner and breeder, see Dan and Ada Rice. For the musician, see Daniel Rice.
Dan Rice
Dan Rice sitting in formalwear
Dan Rice, circa 1840s. A daguerreotype portrait by Thomas M. Easterly.
Born
Daniel McLaren

(1823-01-23)January 23, 1823
New York City
DiedFebruary 22, 1900(1900-02-22) (aged 77)
Burial placeWest Long Branch, New Jersey

Dan Rice (January 23, 1823 – February 22, 1900) was an American entertainer of many talents, most famously as a clown, who was active before the American Civil War. At the height of his career, Rice was a household name. Dan Rice also coined the terms "One Horse Show" and "Greatest Show" while popularizing the barrel-style "French" cuff. He was a figure in the new American mass culture brought on by the technological changes of the Industrial Revolution.[1] Rice ran for President of the United States in 1868.[1] With changes in circus venues and popular culture after the Civil War, his fame has gradually slipped into such historical obscurity that in 2001 biographer David Carlyon called him "the most famous man you've never heard of".[1]

  1. ^ a b c Carlyon, David (2001). Dan Rice: The Most Famous Man You've Never Heard Of. Persus Books Group. ISBN 1-891620-57-6.