Michael Davis (juggler) facts for kids

Michael Bruce Davis, born on August 23, 1953, is a funny American juggler. He became famous across the United States in the early 1980s. He appeared on the TV show Saturday Night Live six times. He is the only professional juggler to ever perform on that show!

Early Life and Circus Days

Growing Up

Michael Davis was born on August 23, 1953. His dad, James, was an English teacher, and his mom, Donna, stayed home. He grew up in California. First, he lived in San Francisco, California. Then, his family moved to Susanville. A few years later, they moved again to Danville, near San Francisco. Michael finished high school at Monte Vista High School in 1971.

Becoming a Clown

On October 1, 1973, Michael started a six-week course. This was at the famous Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College. Over 3,500 people wanted to join, but only 45 were chosen. After the course, successful students could get a job with the circus. Michael was picked to be a Ringling clown. He was known for his unique, serious style. He traveled with the circus for a year. The next year, he worked with the Gatti Charles Circus.

From Broadway to TV

First Big Shows

In 1979, Michael Davis performed on HBO's The Young Comedian's Show. This was his first time on a major TV show. On March 15, 1981, he performed in a Broadway musical called Broadway Follies. Even though that show didn't last long, he quickly got another job. He joined the Broadway musical Sugar Babies. For this role, he was nominated for a Drama Desk Award. He also won a Theatre World Award for Best Featured Actor in a musical.

Street Performer and SNL

After his Broadway success, Michael went back to San Francisco. He became a street performer, entertaining people outdoors. He also performed at charity events, company parties, schools, and night clubs.

On October 3, 1981, Michael made his first appearance on Saturday Night Live. The famous comedian Eddie Murphy introduced him. Michael performed on the show six times in total. His last performance was on May 7, 1983. He also appeared on an NBC summer show called The News Is the News. On this show, he was one of the "newscasters" who made fun of real news. Only four episodes aired in 1983.

Performing for Presidents

On September 25, 1982, Michael Davis was a main performer at Ford's Theatre. This was for a TV special called A Festival at Ford's. Other famous people like David Copperfield and Liza Minnelli were also there. Videos from this show are still popular online. They show him entertaining President Ronald Reagan and Mrs. Reagan. They were sitting with important leaders like House Speaker Tip O'Neill. President Reagan clearly enjoyed Michael's performance.

Continued Career and Famous Appearances

White House Performances

Because President Reagan liked his act so much, Michael performed again. On January 20, 1985, he performed at the party after President Reagan's second inauguration. He returned to the White House on January 20, 1989. This time, he performed at the party after President George H. W. Bush's inauguration.

TV Shows and Royal Performances

In the 1980s, Michael appeared on many TV shows. He was on the BBC's The Bob Monkhouse Show five times. He also appeared on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. He was on Late Night with David Letterman and even Sesame Street. On the Tonight Show, he once joked, "I started out with nothing. I still have most of it."

On March 29, 1986, he performed on the first American Comic Relief show. This event raised money for homeless people. Famous comedians like Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, and Whoopi Goldberg hosted it. On May 21, 1986, he juggled for passengers on a cruise ship for NBC's Today show. Later that year, on November 24, 1986, he entertained Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Mother in London. This was at the Royal Variety Performance.

More Presidential Events

On July 10, 1990, Michael Davis entertained President George Bush and other world leaders. This was at the 16th G7 summit. On October 30, 1993, he performed at Ford's Theatre again. This time, it was for President Bill Clinton. Other performers included Whoopi Goldberg and Jay Leno. In December 1994, he was in a Broadway show called Comedy Tonight. On November 5, 1997, he entertained former President Bush and his friends. This was for the opening of the George Bush Presidential Library.

Recent Work

In 2008, Michael Davis was featured in a documentary called Buskers; For Love or Money. For seven years in the early 2000s, he was the head writer and performed nightly at Teatro ZinZanni in San Francisco.