Claire Heliot

Klara Haumann (née Pleßke; 3 December 1866 – 9 June 1953), known professionally as Claire Heliot, was a German lion tamer.^[1]

Claire Heliot

Biography

Klara Pleßke was born in Halle on 3 December 1866.^[2] Her father was a government postal official.

In April 1897, she caused a sensation when she first performed at a zoo in Leipzig. She toured extensively. Accompanied by ten lions, she performed at the London Hippodrome in 1901.^[3] In America, Heriot's act was part of A Yankee Circus on Mars, appearing at the New York Hippodrome^[3][4] for 20 weeks in 1905 and 1906,^[5] and in Chicago in 1906.^[3] The high point of her act was carrying her ten-year-old, 159-kilogram (351 lb) lion Sicchi on her back and shoulders.^[3] In 1907, a nervous Heliot was attacked by her lions and severely injured while performing at the Circus Orlando in Copenhagen; she was rescued by three attendants.^[5] After she retired, she was reported working as a hairdresser in 1930.^[3]

She died in Stuttgart on 9 June 1953.^[2]

The Heliot restaurant at the Hippodrome Casino in London is named after her.^[6]