The news broke this past weekend that the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is shutting down after 146 years of providing its unique brand of traveling entertainment. Since its beginnings in the year 1871, there have only been 39 ringmasters.
One of them was born and raised in West Michigan.
His Hollywood name is Kristopher Kyer, but he grew up in Muskegon as Kristopher Antekeier. He was a 1976 graduate from Muskegon Catholic Central High School.
"My show business career began at a very young age," said Kyer, during a Skype interview from his home in Los Angeles. "When I was 12 years old, I used to put together my own puppet shows, and I toured all over Muskegon County with my self-contained puppet show.
"For $75, you come come pick me up in your station wagon, and take me to birthday parties and banquets, and I would entertain."
Kyer's career spring-boarded from there. He found himself auditioning for and landing major roles in performances for the Muskegon Civic Opera and the Port City Playhouse. By the time he graduated from MCC, Kyer knew stage and screen was his passion, and the career he wanted to pursue.
"Once I turned 18, i went to work at Cedar Point and did live shows at that amusement park," Kyer said. "After that, I landed performance opportunities at Disney World and aboard cruise ships."
Then came the gig of a lifetime a decade after he left Muskegon -- a chance to become the ringmaster for "The Greatest Show on Earth."
"There was a national search all over the country," Kyer said. "I auditioned in New York City, then I became one of seven finalists selected for the job.
"The seven of us were then brought to Chicago where we had to perform in the center ring in front of Kenneth Feld, who is the CEO of the circus."
Kyer outlasted everybody and was given the job.
"In early 1986, I became the 27th ringmaster of 'The Greatest Show on Earth,' and I was also the youngest at that time," Kyer added. "I remember after taking the job wondering what I had gotten myself into.
"Never in my career, up to that point, have I had the feeling and responsibility that I had as ringmaster.
"I remember the show that year at the Super Dome in New Orleans; eight spotlights hit me and then 23,000 people all seemed to exhale in excitement knowing the show was about to begin, and then I said those immortal words, "Ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages..."
Kyer, along with 249 other performers and technicians, as well as all the animals, traveled by train to 52 cities in 10 months.
"It was a true melting pot of people," Kyer said. "At first, I never thought I'd get close to any of them, but 31 years later, I still keep in close touch with several of them today."
Kyer's 1986 year as ringmaster began in Venice, Fla., and ended in Pittsburgh, Penn.
"We did up to 13 shows each week, " Kyer said. "We traveled on the train every Sunday night and opened a new show on Tuesday night in the next city."
Kyer's experience as ringmaster was so rewarding to him, he wrote a book about it entitled, "Ringmaster! My Year on the Road with 'The Greatest Show on Earth."
"I wouldn't trade my experience in that year on 'The Greatest Show on Earth' for anything," said Kyer. "I have done many, many things in my career, from cruise ships to theme parks, to stage and television to movies and commercials, but nothing, I mean nothing compares to being the ringmaster at the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus."
His love for the circus is why he was disheartened with the recent news that Ringling Bros. was ending the circus in May 2017.
"No one knew it was coming," Kyer said. "I can't believe after only a few months they're closing 'The Greatest Show on Earth' after 146 years.
"The news was devastating to me, but I guess I understand it."
In the 31 years after he was the ringmaster, Hollywood brought Kyer even more opportunities. He's made cameo appearances in several television commercials, and TV shows like "Seinfeld" and "Quantum Leap." Kyer also played Dick Van Dyke in the movie "Saving Mr. Banks," which starred Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson.
"I've had an amazing career since my Muskegon days," Kyer said.
Today, Kris Kyer lives in Los Angeles and teaches weekly classes to young actors and actresses, helping them prepare for Hollywood and its demands.
"I've been teaching acting for the past 20 years," said Kyer. I've worked on sets as a dialogue coach on shows like 'Boy Meets World' and 'That 70's Show.'"
Kyer is also currently directing a Disney production of "The Little Mermaid" in the Los Angeles area, and once that ends, he says he'll be traveling back to the Midwest to direct another production.
"While I travel the country directing and giving workshops, I'm still doing some stage work, too," Kyer said.
Still, he says the greatest role he ever landed was as ringmaster of the Ringling Bros. Circus.
"My favorite moment in 'The Greatest Show on Earth' was at the very end," Kyer said. "There were always two young children in each show, and I would grab both of their hands and say, 'and may all your days be circus days', and I'd run out the door as the spot light followed me.
"That's my favorite moment because I always knew there were kids in the audience thinking that someday they'd like to join the circus, and I hope future kids can still be able to in whatever they do with their dreams."
Kyer says plans to join several of his Ringling Bros. alums and attend the final edition of 'The Greatest Show on Earth' on May 21, 2017, at the Nassau Coliseum in New York.