Eder, Boris Afanasevich

Born July 12 (24), 1894, in Batumi; died Nov. 15, 1970, in Moscow. Soviet circus performer. People’s Artist of the RSFSR (1939). Member of the CPSU from 1954.

From the time he first entered the circus ring in 1908, Eder appeared as a gymnast, acrobat, and high-wire artist. He created and performed in the special aerial gymnastic act “Airplane Flight Around the Eiffel Tower.” In 1932, Eder gained prominence as an animal trainer; he worked with many different animals, including lions, brown bears, polar bears, tigers, elephants, and ostriches. An advocate of humane methods of training, Eder used affection, encouragement, and precise command gestures and voice inflections. Eder’s students include M. P. Nazarova, V. M. Zapashnyi, and E. M. Podchernikova. Eder also served as a consultant for several films, including Dangerous Trails, The Lady Tiger Tamer and Don Quixote.