About Us

1926 in Trondheim, Norway

Johnny Johnsen Welde had a fascination with bears and a dream as big as the Nowegian sky. His love for the animals became a reality when he ran away and joined the circus. He put together his first trained bear act and in 1948 he made his American debut with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus for the 1947-1948 seasons.

Settling in Tampa, Florida

Along with his wife and daughter, continued to work with his bears in all types of venues from nightclubs and theme parks to circus and on to the big screen; Hollywood. His bears made movies for Walt Disney, Universal Studios, and 20th Century Fox, and also appeared in many television shows: The Lucy Show, Beverley Hillbillies, and Lassie to name a few.

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