| Biography | Hungarian thrower Martin Collins (born 1914, Budapest, Hungary) had travelled Europe as a circus performer in the 1930s. He met and married Elizabeth (born 1924, Budapest, Hungary) around the time of the outbreak of World War II after spotting her as a potential performing partner. They spent the war years in neutral Sweden and later settled in Britain. Collins developed a signature trick that involved doing the wheel of death stunt while he balanced on a tightrope. Their act took them to nightclubs and vaudeville theaters around the world and they were one of the first impalement acts to break into television. Elizabeth retired from performing in the early 1960s and was replaced by their daughter who was also named Elizabeth (although additionally known as Agnes). Elizabeth and Collins performed on The Ed Sullivan Show three times and appeared as themselves in an episode of the 1960s spy series The Avengers. |