To The Hilt Deep Dive Podcast: A Sword Swallower’s History of Sword Swallowing Historical Bios

By: To The Hilt: Dan Meyer Marc Hartzman Sword Swallowers Association International
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  • Summary

  • To The Hilt Podcast takes a Deep Dive into the history of sword swallowing by reviewing the lives of historical sword swallowers from the 1800s to modern days, including sword swallowers Chevalier Cliquot, Delno Fritz, Edith Clifford, Edna Price, Lucky Ball, Estelline Pike, Mighty Ajax, Marie DeVere, Alex Linton, Lady Patricia Zerm, Capt. Don Leslie, Lady Diane Falk and many others covered in the book To The Hilt: A Sword Swallower’s History of Sword Swallowing by Dan Meyer and Marc Hartzman (Schiffer Publishing) https://ToTheHiltbook.com
    To The Hilt: Dan Meyer, Marc Hartzman, Sword Swallowers Association International
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Art Entertainment & Performing Arts
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Episodes
  • To The Hilt Deep Dive Podcast Ep 1.23 Ricky Richiardi: Sword Swallower’s History of Sword Swallowing

    To The Hilt Deep Dive Podcast Ep 1.23 Ricky Richiardi: Sword Swallower’s History of Sword Swallowing
    May 10 2025

    To The Hilt Deep Dive Podcast Ep 1.23 Ricky Richiardi: A Sword Swallower’s History of Sword Swallowing


    In this episode, we discuss legendary sword swallower Ricky Richiardi, who learned sword swallowing from Lady Betty Bancroft in the early 1950s, started performing at the age of 23 with Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus, worked with Hoxie Brothers Circus, and taught sword swallowing to Lady Sandra Reed, and worked with many other circuses and sideshows for 15 years from 1955 to his untimely suspicious death in 1970.


    Ricky Richiardi is one of more than a hundred sword swallowers featured in the book, To The Hilt: A Sword Swallower’s History of Sword Swallowing, by sword swallower Dan Meyer and sideshow historian Marc Hartzman (Schiffer Publishing), now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Target, Walmart and more:


    For more on To The Hilt book, visit

    https://ToTheHiltBook.com


    Buy To The Hilt on Amazon:

    https://amzn.to/3EbUsQf


    Listen to more To The Hilt Podcasts, both historical and modern living sword swallowers:


    To The Hilt Podcasts

    https://www.swordswallow.com/podcasts.php


    #ToTheHilt #ToTheHiltPodcast

    #swordswallower #RickyRichiardi

    #swordswallowers #history

    #swordswallowing

    #HoxieBrosCircus #RinglingBrosCircus #RinglingBrothersCircus
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    13 mins
  • To The Hilt Deep Dive Podcast Ep 1.22 Baron Bill Unks: A Sword Swallower’s History Sword Swallowing

    To The Hilt Deep Dive Podcast Ep 1.22 Baron Bill Unks: A Sword Swallower’s History Sword Swallowing
    May 8 2025

    To The Hilt Deep Dive Podcast Ep 1.22 Baron Bill Unks: A Sword Swallower’s History of Sword Swallowing


    In this episode, we discuss legendary sword swallower Baron Bill Unks, who started performing at the age of 24, and went on to perform from 1947 to 1997 with Clyde Beatty Cole Bros Circus, Hoxie Bros Circus, Coney Island sideshows, with Bobby Reynolds Sideshow and other circuses and sideshows over 50 years!


    Baron Bill Unks is one of more than a hundred sword swallowers featured in the book, To The Hilt: A Sword Swallower’s History of Sword Swallowing, by sword swallower Dan Meyer and sideshow historian Marc Hartzman (Schiffer Publishing), now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Target, Walmart and more


    For more on To The Hilt book, visit

    https://ToTheHiltBook.com


    Buy To The Hilt on Amazon:

    https://amzn.to/3EbUsQf


    Listen to more To The Hilt Podcasts, both historical and modern living sword swallowers:


    To The Hilt Podcasts

    https://www.swordswallow.com/podcasts.php


    #ToTheHilt #ToTheHiltPodcast

    #swordswallower #BaronBillUnks #TheBaron #BillUnks

    #swordswallowers #history

    #swordswallowing

    #ConeyIsland #DreamlandSideshow

    #ConeyIslandSideshow

    #ClydeBeattyColeBros #HoxieBrosCircus
    Show More Show Less
    11 mins
  • To The Hilt Deep Dive Podcast Ep 1.21 Sandra Reed: A Sword Swallower’s History of Swore Swallowing

    To The Hilt Deep Dive Podcast Ep 1.21 Sandra Reed: A Sword Swallower’s History of Swore Swallowing
    Apr 15 2025

    To The Hilt Deep Dive Podcast Ep 1.21 Lady Sandra Reed: A Sword Swallower’s History of Sword Swallowing


    In this episode, we take a deep dive to explore the life of sword swallower Lady Sandra Reed, who started as an albino lecturer in the 60’s and learned sword swallowing from Lady Louise Chevanne and Ricky Richiardi, performing as a sword swallower from 1969 to 1980 with Ward Hall’s World of Wonders, Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus, and many other shows over the years. But she is best known for being the subject of the iconic photo taken of her by photographer Diane Arbus that sold at auction for more than $25,000.


    Lady Sandra’s story comes from her chapter in the book “To The Hilt: A Sword Swallower’s History of Sword Swallowing” by sword swallower Dan Meyer and sideshow historian Marc Hartzman (Schiffer Publishing), now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Target, Walmart and more:


    https://ToTheHiltbook.com


    https://amzn.to/47Qqw6p


    #ToTheHilt

    #swordswallower #LadySandra #SandyReed

    #swordswallowers #history

    #swordswallowing

    #circus #sideshow

    #RinglingBrothers #RinglingBros

    #WardHallsWorldofWonders

    #WorldofWonders

    #DianeArbus
    Show More Show Less
    14 mins

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