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The poster for Pablo Fanque's Circus Royal from 1843 that inspired the Beatles' song "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!"

William Kite (c. 1825 – after 1845) was a 19th-century circus performer, best known as being the "Mr. Kite" from the Beatles 1967 song "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!"^[1]

Biography

Kite came from a circus family. He was born in Lambeth, London, about 1825. His father, James Kite, was a circus proprietor, and the first to visit Knott Mill Fair, Manchester, in 1806. James Kite formed his own company around 1810, travelling as "Kite's Pavilion Circus."^[2]

William Kite was a performer at Wells's Circus from 1842 to 1843 and in Pablo Fanque's circus in Rochdale from 1843 to 1845.^[2] A "Miss Kite", possibly a sister, also performed in Fanque's circus, in Burnley, in 1845.^[2] His daughter, Elizabeth Ann Kite, later performed in the circus as an "Equestrienne". She married Eugene Gaertner, a member of another circus family.^[2]

"Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!" song

A broadside poster advertising Pablo Fanque's Circus Royal show in Rochdale, dated 14 February 1843, inspired, and provided many of the lyrics for, the Beatles' song, "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!" from their 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. The poster also notes that Mr. Kite was then "late of Wells's Circus."^[3] Kite was a riding master for Pablo Fanque at this time^[2] and, as documented by the poster, a tightrope walker as well.^[3] Kite was also an all-around performer with John Sanger's Circus.^[2]

In other media

A fictionalised version of Mr. Kite is portrayed as a ringmaster in a musical sequence from the 2007 film based on the music of the Beatles, Across the Universe. He is played by actor and comedian Eddie Izzard.^[4] In the 1978 film Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, a character named Mr. Kite is portrayed by George Burns as the mayor of a small town, but has no otherwise relationship to the real figure beyond the Beatles connection.

References

^ Turner, Steve (1994) A Hard Day's Write. New York: HarperCollins.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Two Centuries of British Circus People Discussion". 2007. Archived from the original on 18 July 2012. Retrieved 9 April 2011.
^ ^a ^b "The Hendersons Were Not There (and neither was Mr Kite)- Sheffield 1848". Chrishobbs.com. 28 March 1914. Retrieved 9 April 2011.
^ Across the Universe at IMDB

This English biographical article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[1] Turner, Steve (1994) A Hard Day's Write. New York: HarperCollins.

[johnturner1-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Two Centuries of British Circus People Discussion". 2007. Archived from the original on 18 July 2012. Retrieved 9 April 2011.

[chrishobbs1-3] "The Hendersons Were Not There (and neither was Mr Kite)- Sheffield 1848". Chrishobbs.com. 28 March 1914. Retrieved 9 April 2011.

[4] Across the Universe at IMDB

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@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 {{Use British English|date=November 2010}}
-[[File:Affiche MrKite.jpg|thumb|The poster for Pablo Fanque's Circus Royal from 1843 that inspired the Beatles' song ''[[Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!]]''|right]]
+[[File:Affiche MrKite.jpg|thumb|The poster for Pablo Fanque's Circus Royal from 1843 that inspired [[the Beatles]]' song "[[Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!]]"|right]]
-'''William Kite''' was a 19th-century [[circus]] [[performer]], best known as being the "Mr. Kite" from the [[Beatles]] song "[[Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!]]"<ref>Turner, Steve (1994) ''A Hard Day's Write''. New York: HarperCollins.</ref>
+'''William Kite''' ({{circa|1825}} – after 1845) was a 19th-century [[circus]] [[performer]], best known as being the "Mr. Kite" from [[the Beatles]] 1967 song "[[Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!]]"<ref>Turner, Steve (1994) ''A Hard Day's Write''. New York: HarperCollins.</ref>
 ==Biography==
-Kite came from a circus family. He was born in [[Lambeth]], [[London]], about 1825.  His father, James Kite, was a circus proprietor, and the first to visit Knott Mill Fair, [[Manchester]], in 1806.  James Kite formed his own company around 1810, travelling as "Kite's Pavilion Circus."<ref name="johnturner1">{{cite web|url=http://pub34.bravenet.com/forum/static/show.php?usernum=2891452389&frmid=280&msgid=1034669&cmd=show|title=Two Centuries of British Circus People Discussion|year=2007|accessdate=2011-04-09|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20120718100937/http://pub34.bravenet.com/forum/static/show.php?usernum=2891452389&frmid=280&msgid=1034669&cmd=show|archivedate=2012-07-18|df=}}</ref>
+Kite came from a circus family. He was born in [[Lambeth]], [[London]], about 1825.  His father, James Kite, was a circus proprietor, and the first to visit Knott Mill Fair, [[Manchester]], in 1806.  James Kite formed his own company around 1810, travelling as "Kite's Pavilion Circus."<ref name="johnturner1">{{cite web|url=http://pub34.bravenet.com/forum/static/show.php?usernum=2891452389&frmid=280&msgid=1034669&cmd=show|title=Two Centuries of British Circus People Discussion|year=2007|accessdate=2011-04-09|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20120718100937/http://pub34.bravenet.com/forum/static/show.php?usernum=2891452389&frmid=280&msgid=1034669&cmd=show|archivedate=2012-07-18}}</ref>
 William Kite was a performer at Wells's Circus from 1842 to 1843 and in [[Pablo Fanque]]'s circus in [[Rochdale]] from 1843 to 1845.<ref name="johnturner1"/> A "Miss Kite", possibly a sister, also performed in Fanque's circus, in [[Burnley]], in 1845.<ref name="johnturner1"/> His daughter, Elizabeth Ann Kite, later performed in the circus as an "Equestrienne". She married Eugene Gaertner, a member of another circus family.<ref name="johnturner1"/>
 =="Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!" song==
-A broadside poster advertising Pablo Fanque's Circus Royal show in Rochdale, dated February 14, 1843, inspired, and provided many of the lyrics for, the Beatles' song, "Being for the [[Benefit performance#As a benefit for performers|Benefit]] of Mr. Kite!". The poster also notes that Mr. Kite was then "late of Wells's Circus."<ref name="chrishobbs1">{{cite web|url=http://www.chrishobbs.com/sheffield/hendersons.htm|title=The Hendersons Were Not There (and neither was Mr Kite)- Sheffield 1848|publisher=Chrishobbs.com|date=1914-03-28|accessdate=2011-04-09}}</ref> Kite was a riding master for Pablo Fanque at this time<ref name="johnturner1"/> and, as documented by the poster, a [[tightrope]] walker as well.<ref name="chrishobbs1"/> Kite was also an all-around performer with [[John Sanger]]'s Circus.<ref name="johnturner1"/>
+A broadside poster advertising Pablo Fanque's Circus Royal show in Rochdale, dated 14 February 1843, inspired, and provided many of the lyrics for, [[the Beatles]]' song, "Being for the [[Benefit performance#As a benefit for performers|Benefit]] of Mr. Kite!" from their 1967 album ''[[Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band]]''. The poster also notes that Mr. Kite was then "late of Wells's Circus."<ref name="chrishobbs1">{{cite web|url=http://www.chrishobbs.com/sheffield/hendersons.htm|title=The Hendersons Were Not There (and neither was Mr Kite)- Sheffield 1848|publisher=Chrishobbs.com|date=1914-03-28|accessdate=2011-04-09}}</ref> Kite was a riding master for Pablo Fanque at this time<ref name="johnturner1"/> and, as documented by the poster, a [[tightrope]] walker as well.<ref name="chrishobbs1"/> Kite was also an all-around performer with [[John Sanger]]'s Circus.<ref name="johnturner1"/>
 ==In other media==
-A fictionalised version of Mr. Kite is portrayed as a ringmaster in a musical sequence from the 2007 film based on the music of the Beatles, ''[[Across the Universe (film)|Across the Universe]]''. He is played by actor and comedian [[Eddie Izzard]].<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0445922/ Across the Universe] at IMDB</ref> In the 1976 film ''[[Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (film)|Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band]]'', a character named Mr. Kite is portrayed by [[George Burns]] as the mayor of a small town, but has no otherwise relationship to the real figure beyond the Beatles connection.
+A fictionalised version of Mr. Kite is portrayed as a ringmaster in a musical sequence from the 2007 film based on the music of the Beatles, ''[[Across the Universe (film)|Across the Universe]]''. He is played by actor and comedian [[Eddie Izzard]].<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0445922/ Across the Universe] at IMDB</ref> In the 1978 film ''[[Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (film)|Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band]]'', a character named Mr. Kite is portrayed by [[George Burns]] as the mayor of a small town, but has no otherwise relationship to the real figure beyond the Beatles connection.
 ==References==
@@ Line 24: / Line 24: @@
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Kite, William}}
 [[Category:People from Lambeth]]
-[[Category:Circus owners]]
+[[Category:1820s births]]
+[[Category:British circus performers]]
+[[Category:Year of birth uncertain]]
+[[Category:Year of death missing]]