Remembering Bingo Hauser

Close up of black and white photo of an infant’s face.

Bingo Hauser was born on October 17th 1926 in Warsaw Poland. His family emigrated to Brandon Manitoba when he was still a baby.

Two black and white photos of Irvin Hauser as a young boy. 

Black and photos of a circa 1940s carnival midway, with crowds of people, tents, bannerline and Ferris wheels visible in the background. 

Young Bingo loved travelling shows, in 1942 Patty Conklin’s carnival came to Brandon and Bingo at the age of sixteen took the leap and joined the company working as a carnival barker earning $15 a week.

A black and white photo of Bingo Hauser as a young man bonding with his lion. Beside this is another black and white photo of young Bingo in a standing upright embrace with his lion, this photo also has a note dedicated to Bingo with the West Coast Amusements’ logo and mascot illustrations. 

In 1947, after five great summers on the road he bought a lion cub named the Simba and began a sideshow career as a lion tamer touring throughout North America.

Four black and white photos of Bingo’s animal show. The photos are of a grizzly bear riding a bicycle, four men including Bingo holding a very large snake, an alligator and a young Bingo with a monkey on his shoulder. 

Within a year he had accumulated a small zoo of fifty animals including a bear, a monkey, an alligator and an anaconda.

Newspaper article with a photo featuring young Bingo with his lion. The title reads “Carny king leads amusing lifestyle.”

Black and white photo of Bingo laughing with two other men. 

Simba though was the star of the show for nearly fifteen years, the highlight of the performance came when Bingo opened Simba’s roaring jaw and placed his head inside the lion’s mouth.

Black and white photo of Bingo’s wife Jackie, at a podium for the “Jungle Compound” with a microphone close to her mouth.

Black and white photo of young Bingo and Jackie together smiling.

While touring in Vancouver in 1948 Bingo met Jacqueline Christmas. Bingo and Jackie married in 1950 and went back to work the very next day.

Photo of an older Bingo holding a baby in his arms.

Close up of a photo of an older Bingo.

They eventually bought land in Langley, British Columbia for their home and winter quarters, that’s where they raised their two children Laura and Bob. When the public’s taste shifted from sideshows to rides, Bingo took out a bank loan for $40,000 and traded the fur in for iron.

Photo of an older Bingo and Jackie cutting food together at a formal function.

Close up of an article title page, picture is of Bingo later in life, the title reads “Take a Ride on the Wild Side.”

1964 Bingo and Jackie had earned enough money to run their own show, his first fair contract was the Port Alberni Fall Fair a partnership that continues to this day.

Video of a modern carnival midway, including lit up rides and concession stands. 

Today, West Coast Amusements has grown to over 125 rides, games and concessions.

A photo of two transport trucks. Beside this is a photo of a close up of painted scenery on the side of a transport truck. 

The trucks are beautifully painted with carnival scenes and they motor from spot to spot.

Video of a lit up and flashing spectacular spinning thrill ride with people on it at a modern carnival midway. 

West Coast has three units and over the years the Hausers have entertained almost every community in Western Canada.