Regarding the Candy Pitch. I have been a candy pitchman on circuses, in theatre shows, carnival girl shows etc. The easiest sell was using Hershey bars because the people know  the brand name and it was a good buy. It is easier to carry a few cases (24 to a case) than one case in the big cardboard box with fifty boxes from Casey Candy Co, Chicago, which seemed to be the most popular product that most shows used.

 

There are many different ways to make the pitch and the delivery of the product. (only briefly on the Al G Kelly and Miller Bros. Circus in I959. I don't wish to expose it in print. I will just say the Grand Prize??? was a new Cadillac. We went for 25 cents at that time.

 

There are no more candy pitches(at least legally) since some years ago they were ruled by the authorities to be a lottery and were declared illegal.

The last candy pitch I made was April 22, I994 when I performed for a sold out house at Carnegie Hall in NYC. I did not sell candy but the pitch was directed to make money: I told the audience about the boxes of candy which would either have prizes in them such as one carrot diamond rings, Rolex watches and $I00.00 bills. I did the entire pitch as a historical anecdote, closing with "Of course we really don't have a candy sale with prizes, however for the next fifteen minutes there will be for sale in the lobby: books. photos. tapes' and CD's. I will be there to sign them for you, because now it is intermission time".

 

We had a great sale, because the patrons of the arts loved our show.

 

P. S. It had no sideshow acts in it. The program was titled "Circus Blues"

 

Ward Hall