They’ve performed around the world.
We’re talking Australia, Canada, China, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, Thailand, and the U.S.
They’ve taken their act to theme parks including Six Flags, Disneyland, Disneyworld, Universal Studios, and Sea World.
They’ve produced many NFL Super Bowl Half-Time events and major Super Bowl parties for Maxim Magazine and The Home Shopping Network.
They trace their roots back to the early 1700’s and were legally established as Switzerland’s first circus in the year 1840.
After performing for Queen Elizabeth in 1954 at a Command Performance in London, England she named them Nerveless.
And now the entire world knows them as The Nerveless Nocks.
The original Nocks first performed in the United States in 1954 headlining The Greatest Show On Earth for circus owners John And Henry Ringling North.
On February 9th 1964 The Nerveless Nocks performed the same night The Beatles did on The Ed Sullivan Show.
Also on the show that night was Davy Jones future member of The Monkees as well as Mitzi Gaynor.
And so, Nerveless Nocks member Michelangelo Nock spoke with us about the history of The Nerveless Nocks and his role with the act today.
Q – Michelangelo, you’re both the CEO of The Nerveless Nocks as well as a performer with the group. Is that correct?
A – Yes, I am. My first job was for NBC in 1975, the World of Peter Pan. So now all these years later I am the Joe Namath . I am the seasoned veteran.
Q – I guess so!
A – ( Laughs)
Q – How do you balance all there must be to do with the business and the performing?
A – Just good people around me. My wife Carolina Espana is a world famous trapeze artist. My daughter Angelina is currently touring with Kenneth Feld’s Monster Jam. My son Cyrus heads the Amusement Park operation, the water ski, Jet Ski shows. So, I have good people around me. But, you learn how to do all these things from people around you when you were younger . For instance Tom Diehl and Tommy Bartlett. They’re the two guys who pioneered the art of hospitality at every summer vacation place in America from Wisconsin to Myrtle Beach to Branson , Missouri.
Tommy Bartlett invented Talk Radio and then he started the Tommy Bartlett Water Ski Show in Wisconsin Dells and put Wisconsin Dells on the map. Tommy was hired with my father by the Disney Bros. Walt and Roy to produce their shows at The New York World’s Fair.
Q – What an honor !
A – Yes. Tom Diehl played college football with Joe Namath. Then he became like a mentor to us. He was the manager of the Tommy Bartlett Corp. He ran the Wisconsin Dells. Then there was an agent Bill Hall. Uncle Bill. He met my father in 1954 at Ringling Bros. in Philadelphia. He was a circus fan and became friends with my father in ’54 and eventually learned the business and became the biggest entertainment agent in America for NFL Half time Time shows and State Fairs.
Anything to do with Prince Ranier and Monte Carlo circuses. But, being around Uncle Bill taught me to wear a tie when you go to a function and how to write a good letter. These are mentors that always influence you as you grow up.
Q – You’re so fortunate.
A – I’m fortunate. Then just having kids around. I started off performing with my three brothers and my Mom and Dad and Aunts and Uncles. Always good people around me. Then my wife , my son, and my daughter. Whatever need be if I’m producing a water ski show where you need 20 of the finest water ski sports entertainers , you hire them because I’ve been in the water ski business for 50 years because of Tommy Bartlett.
Q – Is there such a thing as a typical day for a CEO such as yourself?
A – Yeah. I’m in my office. I’m the archivist of the family. Our circus roots date back to 1840 Switzerland. There’s government and historical books in the Switzerland archives that state s Switzerland’s first circus is The Nocks. There’s some special circuses in Switzerland that created the theatrical circus back in the 1800’s. I’ve got a lot of historical knowledge of my family and the circus industry.
Q – It is an industry for sure.
A – Yeah. What I’m proud of is my father came from a little country called Switzerland and John Ringling North hired him to be the headliner of The Greatest Show On Earth from 1954 to 1957.
So that was the era of Karl Wallenda, the Christianis, the Zacchinis and Emmet Kelly. My Dad was above all of them. He was a 17 year old kid that comes to America and the first place he works is Madison Square Garden. Oh, My God ! ( Laughs). There’s a lot of history in our family.
Q – Eugene Nock Sr. Who is that to you?
A – That’s my father.
Q – Your father was on the same night The Beatles were on Ed Sullivan. Did he ever talk to you about what it was like being on that show that night?
A – Yes because there was also Mitzi Gaynor. When you watch the films this lady killed it. She was the best of the show. But, they all stayed at the Fontainbleau Hotel. I even have 8 millimeter films. As we grew up my Dad being a smart-ass guy said ‘Yeah, I worked with those guys The Beatles’. Oh sure Dad. Then all of a sudden the DVD comes out ‘The Best Of Ed Sullivan ‘ and there he is ! Dad is right there neck and neck with The Beatles. Ed Sullivan flies into Miami and takes over the town. 80 million people watch the show. It was just amazing. Everybody got paid the same.
Q – The Beatles were paid $10,000 for their three appearances plus hotel and airfare expenses. So, your Dad made what, $3,500?
A – No. My Dad got $5,000.On that appearance everybody was wound up like a spring. Everybody in America. We’re gonna watch these guys. It was great. So guess who called my father the next day? Roy Disney Sr. ‘Hey, I like your act. Would you like to work at the 1964 New York World’s Fair?’ But of course my father said. Then after that , probably the greatest show that was ever technically produced was a show called ‘Disney On Parade’. It was created by Roy Disney. If you ever go to a Rock concert today and you look at the trusses , the motors and the lights that was all created and pioneered by Roy Disney’s money. That’s why we can be thankful to Ed Sullivan. After his show, the New York World’s Fair and then ‘Disney On Parade’. It’s unbelievable.
Q – Your father met The Beatles didn’t he?
A – Absolutely.
Q – Did he like The Beatles?
A – Yeah, Yeah. Of course. My Dad was European and they were English guys. The Beatles were great guys. My Dad was in the vortex of world entertainment.
Q – Where is most of the work for the Nerveless Nocks? Is it in the U.S. or outside of the U.S.?
A – We pioneered taking Mega Thrill show around the world in the late 70’s, 80’s. South Africa. Bangkok, Thailand. Malaysia. Japan. It’s funny. It’s what you dream of. What you want f you have a good reputation. If you have integrity people like you. I mainly grew upon NBC Disney shows. Disney On Parade. So, my background was touring shows and amusement parks. Palisades Park. Rocky Point. Every Sea World Park. Every Six Flags Park. Kennywood Park in Pittsburgh. When my father died in ’99 I kind of went away from doing the world tours of parks and said I want to do State Fairs. So, I’ve done every State Fair ten times over. Then I told my wife I want to get back into Amusement parks. So, next Summer (2025) I’ll be at Amusement Parks. It’s just what you want to do. Doors are open I think for acts that get along. Fred Hardwick, Tommy Bartlett’s partner told my father, ‘A producer likes it when you give a little more.’ So, The Knocks always try to make the audience leave happy. Always be on time. Always have a smile on your face. If you’re a circus performer you’re always happy if you have a contract even if you don’t have a day off. We don’t need a day off.
Q – How many days a year do you work?
A – I mean it’s beyond belief. I turn work away. It breaks my heart. I’ve got 4 units. I can only do shows where I have family members to oversee everything. These classic Amusement Parks always ask me ‘ Will one of you be there?’ Yes of course. So, you can only do so much.
Q – How did you know that you were suited for this type of work?
A – I was very shy out of all my brothers. I think I was 9 years old in Australia and I was crying. I didn’t want to be onstage. I didn’t want to be a lost boy. I didn’t want to dance. But, little by little I guess it’s in your DNA. The oldest brother Eugene became an airline pilot. And he owns his fleet of helicopters. With him I always did the helicopter trapeze over Three Rivers Stadium, Busch Stadium and every airshow. I would always say , ‘My Dad worked with Karl Wallenda and Clyde Beatty. I worked with the stealth bomber. ( Laughs)
Q – Have you ever gotten hurt performing one of these stunts? And, how seriously?
A – I’ve been lucky. I don’t have any broken bones. The only time I got hurt and it’s so stupid. I owned the original Double Steel Wheel. It’s that wheel you see at circuses that usually has one ring and in 1984 these two brothers from Denmark the Peter Bros. decided to make a Double Wheel. That was a long time ago. They sold it to my Dad after a tour with Ringling Bros. They conquered the world. So, my wife was pregnant with my son Cyrus Nock in ’97. So, I had to do the Summer Show for Tom Diehl and Tommy Bartlett. It’s like a pendulum.
So, since my wife is pregnant I’ll just do the first couple weeks with a single wheel. She only weighed 100 pounds but I had to put 150 pounds on the other side of the wheel which is 50 feet away from me. So I practiced . But, I was cooking chickens on the barbeque. Two hours these chickens are done. I was practicing. Man I’m getting good. So, I stopped the wheel and I’m supposed to do a rolling hitch and tie this thing down because the other side has the weight 50 feet up. So, 150 pounds. But, if you add the feet it’s more than that. All I remember is picking up my practice shoes and that wheel hits me in the head and drove me into the ground. I guess I was unconscious for a couple of days but, I can’t say it was glamorous if I was in front of an audience. No, I was thinking of my chickens and forgot to do the rolling hitch proper knot. ( Laughs). So, I’ve been lucky.
What you do in our business is you respect the owner of the show. You respect the venue so there’s no drinking. You take care of yourself. You’re there a thousand per cent. Your rigging is in tip-top condition. That’s respect. I don’t care how famous you get, be on time and do your show. People don’t want to see tragedy. There’s a lot of drama. There’s a lot of acting and showmanship in our business but we want our audience to go away smiling. Tragedies are not good.
Q – How do you keep in shape? Do you lift weights? Do you run?
A – I’m 59. As soon as I get any time off I set up a slay pole in my backyard. I do pull-ups. You know the best way to maintain is to keep working but you gotta take some time off. Then my wife will get me up at 5’oclock in the morning , ‘Let’s go to the gym’. Then I go on the treadmill and walk for 2 hours. The secret is they have 20 tv’s so I’m keeping her company but I’m catching up on all the news. ( Laughs).
Q – And sometimes the News is so bad you don’t want to hear it.
A – Yes. Wayne Newton said it best when he was interviewed. He said ‘ I’m an ambassador of the world. I don’t give my opinion on politics’. We got to work everywhere. There’s no longer the Walter Cronkites , the man sitting down telling you the News. Everybody is a celebrity. Everybody is an actor. You just see right through it.
Q – Right. I do see right through it. The anchors both local and national just read the teleprompter and sometimes they can’t even do that. Their sole ambition is to get invites to The White House and all the Award Shows. They could care less about the stories that come across their desk. And in many cases it’s not only what they’re saying but their body language, their facial expressions.
A- Don Rickles was good at that but he was a comedian.
Q – In today’s world he probably could have been a news anchor.
A – Yeah, yeah. That’s right. Everybodys’ a celebrity.
Q – Who’s teaching the future Nerveless Nocks? Is the act going to continue?
A – Yeah. It’s going on strong now with Angelina and Cyrus. They got a good 40 years ahead of them.
Q- When will you knows when it’s time to retire?
A- When I worked for Tommy Bartlett and Fred Hardwick in ’84 I used to run and I actually felt like I was flying. I was on fire. I loved swimming and doing gymnastics. I can sort of still feel that feeling of flying. But, I. a little more cautious now. You realize you were fearless before. You’re 14. You’re 29. And now I’m 59. I’m smart enough to know I’m not going to do as much. I’m going to let everyone else do more stuff. But, I’m better at telling the story, the history. People want to know especially historians . When you promote yourself you got to tell the truth because it’s all logical. You start lying and bolstering then you start looking egotistical. So, my thing is I’m just happy when my kids do good.
©Gary James
Official Website: https://nervelessnocks.com
