24 Facts About Mabel Stark

Mabel Stark, whose real name was Mary Ann Haynie, was a renowned tiger trainer of the 1920s.

Mabel Stark was born on December 10,1889 - but where remains ambiguous; as both Kentucky and Tennessee have been given as possible locations of birth.

Mabel Stark was one of seven children born to Lela and Hardy Haynie.

Mabel Stark's parents were farmers, and they died within two years of each other, so that by the age of 17, Mabel Stark and her siblings were orphaned.

Mabel Stark spent a short period of time with her aunt Kate Pettypoole in Princeton.

Mabel Stark then traveled to Louisville and became a nurse at St Mary's Hospital.

Mabel Stark even once told an interviewer that she was born to a wealthy Canadian.

Mabel Stark ended up in 1911 with the Al G Barnes Circus based in Culver City, California, where she met animal trainer Al Sands.

Mabel Stark worked for a brief time there as a "high school" rider but fervently wanted to work with the big cats.

Mabel Stark began work with Louis Roth, a famous "cat man" she would later marry.

On February 18,1916, Mabel Stark was severely mauled by a lion named Louie while rehearsing for the Pacific Electric exhibit of the National Orange Show in San Bernardino, California.

The lion seized Mabel Stark's left arm into its mouth and rolled over a number of times.

Mabel Stark suffered deep injuries to his arm before firing blanks into the animal's open jaws.

Mabel Stark adopted a mangy, sickly tiger cub named Rajah and raised him to perform a famous wrestling act with her.

Mabel Stark accomplished this by romping and playing with the cub at the beach and actually keeping him as a pet in her apartment.

Mabel Stark suffered a wound that almost severed her leg, face lacerations, a hole in her shoulder, a torn deltoid, and a host of other injuries.

Mabel Stark was rescued by fellow trainer Terrell Jacobs and returned to the ring in a matter of weeks, swathed in bandages and walking with a cane.

Mabel Stark suffered numerous maulings and serious injuries over her nearly 60 years of working with tigers.

Mabel Stark performed with the Sells-Floto Circus in 1929 and then rejoined Barnes after it had been sold to Ringling in 1930.

Mabel Stark stayed there until it was absorbed into Ringling Bros.

Mabel Stark toured with small circuses and lived in Japan where she performed her circus act in the '50s.

Mabel Stark returned to California and finished her career at the Jungle Compound in Thousand Oaks.

In 1968, Jungleland was sold to a new owner who disliked Mabel Stark and fired her.

Mabel Stark was angry and hurt about the animal's destruction, and felt that she could have safely secured the tiger if the owners had asked for her assistance.