Daryl Granger ( Filmmaker)
Daryl Granger is the producer of a new documentary to be released on July 1st 2026 titled “The Showmen” about the inner workings of Canada’s traveling carnival – the World’s Finest Shows.
There has never been anything like this film before!
It has exclusive footage, exclusive interviews and a behind the scenes look at what it takes to put a carnival on the road.
And so we spoke to Daryl Granger about his incredibly unique film about the carnival life of “The Showmen” in the World’s Finest Shows.
Q – Daryl, how did you become interested in the world of carnivals? Did you have a family member who was employed at one time in a carnival?
A – No. You know what it is? I love the feeling of being on the midway. I love how it looks and how it smells.
I like looking at the rides and how they articulate moves. I’m not a ride guy. I’m a 6’8” 300 pound guy and I don’t fit on many rides but I love the way it looks and feels. Even when I watch t.v. or a movie and there’s a midway which has that feel I’m just attracted to it.
I’m here in Simcoe Ontario Canada and we have the Norfolk County Fair which is a 7 day Fair and that’s where the World’s Finest Shows is their last play date of the year. They operate in our county and they’re actually 10 minutes away from me in my home base. So, it was very convenient. That way I could definitely follow them for a whole year on the road.
People are lying to you if they don’t think there’s an allure to the midway ‘cause there is and it’s different for everybody.
Q – What is the history behind the World’s Finest Shows?
A – They are a division of Conklin. Conklin was North America’s largest midway provider. So, this was an old division of theirs and they bought it in 1995. Conklin doesn’t exist anymore. The major show of Conklin is NAME (North American Midway Entertainment). This show has been around for a long time and the Jameson family has been involved in the carnival midway for 93 years. So, they’re well attuned to the carnival life.
Q – You really get into extreme detail about the inner workings and what goes on behind the scenes with the World’s Finest Shows. Was there any pushback from anyone in the co. about maybe we shouldn’t be making all this information public?
A – No. They were all for it. The reason is because there’s nothing out there that explains what actually is involved.
I heard someone on the midway say, ‘Why are these tickets so expensive?’ It’s like – Here’s why ! So, they were all for it. They hid nothing from me. I have a very good relationship with them. If I had a question they would answer it and they wouldn’t even think about it. It’s important that people know that. If you’re going to do a documentary on it you got to do it right. That’s why I started everything back from 1893, the Chicago World’s Fair. You see the origins of the midway.
Q – And how did you get all this archival footage? Is that something that is readily available?
A – So, No. I did a lot of research. Then what I would do is I would manipulate it in AI ( Artificial Intelligence) and that’s how it became motion. Some were completely generated AI, images that I put to motion, but I wanted to make sure things were right. The only actual footage was a luminaire film of the belly dancer at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. That is a legit luminaire film.
But, it was important to me to use that because no one has seen that Ferris wheel move, that 264’ Ferris wheel move ever. None of us alive today. Finding the actual showmen, just adding a little bit of motion to the smile, nothing that goes stupid, just to make it real.
Q – What I didn’t realize and what I think most people don’t realize, are all the expenses involved in putting on a carnival the size of the World’s Finest Shows:
$1.2 million dollars for tractor trailer drivers
$1 million dollars for labor
$195,000 for fuel for a season
$175,000 for insurance for a year
$30,000 for yearly inspections for rides
$25,000 for security for a still date over a 17 day period
$10 million dollars for that 264’ Ferris wheel
A – Yeah. That was a spectacular wheel in Florida. Wow ! That was something!
Q – How many millions of dollars would the World’s Finest Shows have to take in to re-coup all that money? Are they making it? I guess they must be or they wouldn’t be in business.
A – Well, they don’t own a $10 million dollar Ferris wheel. That is in the States when I was down in Gibtown when they were buying a new ride. I stated that I got to see this ride. It was brand new. It was just massive. So, they were down in Gibtown. That’s where everybody goes to purchase new rides.
They have so much against them. It’s a risk business because if the weather is crap then the turnout is crap. And then some fairs and festivals like you heard take up to 45% of the midway take. So that’s why they pride themselves in making everything look attractive. They’re getting new rides and trading other ones because they want to keep it fresh to attract more people to come to the midway.
Q – Are you surprised that the public still turns out to go to carnivals? There are so many other distractions for people today – the Internet, cable t.v. and multi-plex theatres to name just a few.
It’s really the kids that are supporting the carnivals isn’t it?
A – Yup. Let’s take a fair or a state fair for example, it’s tradition. The young kids parents went to it. Their parents went to that and it becomes a tradition. The rides are an attraction. They’re part of that. So, it’s embedded into the fabric of North Americans to go to the midway. Yes, there are a lot of good distractions. A lot of noise out there. You’re right. But, when you physically get to being tossed and the actual experience of a ride – you feel it. That’s hard to replicate. The wind, the music, the screaming- it’s all part of it. You can’t get that online.
Q – That’s true. Although,your film comes pretty close.
A – (laughs).
Q – You must have had quite a bit of material that didn’t make it into this film didn’t you?
A – I had so much footage that I’ve been producing several clips on You Tube called ‘The Showmen Sideshow. That’s because I have all this footage and interviews that I couldn’t possibly fit into the documentary. So, I’m putting it out that way because it’s important to hear their story.
These showmen got what I was doing. I’m friends with them now. I’m welcome on that midway anytime because I listen to them. I got their stories.
So, you have a good trust with everybody on the show and you just be honest with them. Some don’t want to talk at the beginning of the year but by the end of the year they’re like ‘Yeah, what else would you like to know?’ They’ll tell you about their family. They were actually born into it making them a true ‘carnie’. So, you heard what the term ‘carnie’ is all about?
Q – Yes.
A – A lot of people didn’t know that.
Q – So, the people who work in carnivals don’t like to be called “carnies”. They prefer “Showmen”.
Here’s the problem as I see it, the shows on the midway in the traditional sense no longer exist. There are no Human Oddities or Burlesque Shows. Everything is rides and the bigger the better. To me the midway was always the rides, the Human oddities and the Burlesque shows.
A – Yup. I understand. That’s why I showed the history of why those things disappeared and it’s because of rides.Less people to pay. People just wanted new thrills. That’s why. Nowadays you can just go Google something and there’s your freak show. On the screen whether it’s true or not.
Most of these say ‘live’. That was an important thing, ‘live’ or ‘alive’. Let’s say it was a two headed cow. Those are technically just a freak of nature because it doesn’t happen all the time, but some places would have a replica of that and some people would actually buy that cow and take it on the road with them. Then they can say ‘alive’ and it just brings in more money. So, that’s kind of how the sideshows worked.
Bu nowadays there’s too much noise. But, the thrill of the ride is still there and it can’t be re-produced digitally. That’s why people still go to the carnivals.
Covid cleaned out a lot of carnivals too. Look at the amount of money they have to maintain. It wiped out quite a few carnivals and I don’t think they’ll ever come back.
Q – Did the World’s Finest Shows ever tell you what they gross and what they net? Obviously they have to be turning a profit or they wouldn’t be in business.
A – Yeah. I didn’t get into those figures but yes they obviously are making money. But, they also had the equipment. So, they just bought a new ride like the elephant ride you see in the film that we follow the journey on. Those rides are well maintained so they will last.
When you think about it they have 50 some odd spots throughout the season so that’s half a year. So, they’re not being so called worn out. When they’re not in use and away for the Winter they’re stored inside. It’s all maintenance. The Ferris wheel is about 20 years old That’s been paid for over the years.
Q – Since the World’s Finest Shows is only on the road for 6 months of the year what do the workers do for the rest of the year?
A – They find different jobs. Some just go on EI ( Employment Insurance). Things like that. Some of ‘em snowplow. Some of ‘em just do nothing. It’s all over the place in what their off season is. They only have a skeleton crew of showmen in the off season. They lay off about 90% of their workforce.
Q – You’re releasing this film of yours in July 2026?
A – Yes, on Video on Demand. Right now it opened up in 5 theatres in Ontario. We had the big premiere here in Simcoe where we actually closed down the road and brought some rides in. It was great.
©Gary James
Official Website: www.theshowmen.ca
