Looking Back: 1974- Dolphins to Diamonds. Actress' Rise to Fame Started with a Porpoise, at Kings Island
Kings Island Team
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Before actress Teddi Siddall moved to Los Angeles and landed roles on Happy Days, Hill Street Blues, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, LA Law and Grey’s Anatomy, she spent her childhood in Cincinnati. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s theater program, she spent time performing at Playhouse in the Park, Showboat Majestic on the Ohio River, and Kings Island. In 1974, she was the "master of ceremonies" for Kings Island’s Saltwater Circus show.
In 1980 Matt Roush, a former entertainment reporter for the Cincinnati Enquirer, described Siddall's rise to Hollywood fame as going from “dolphins to diamonds.” He was referencing her early roots as a Kings Island performer to the diamond necklace she wore to the interview with him that was borrowed from a television movie she had just finished.
In that interview, she credited her early success to her performance experiences in Cincinnati.
“With all my stage background in Cincinnati and California and the training, I wasn’t insecure about my craft when the time came for me to use it,” she said. “You know, if you get lucky and you’re not ready to face the demands, you just might not get a second chance.”
While animal trainers handled the animal’s care, training and Salt Water Circus performances, Siddall’s role that summer included interaction with the dolphins and the audience. Her time at Kings Island was short-lived. In 1975 she entered the Fine Arts master's program at UCLA.
Siddall’s career also included film roles in Prizzi’s Honor, Fade to Black and Forever Strong. A partial list of her acting credits on more than 20 television shows and films can be viewed on IMDB. She passed away in February 2018 at the age of 64 and is buried in Hollywood Hills Memorial Park.
About Saltwater Circus
Saltwater Circus was a part of the entertainment line-up at Kings Island from 1974 to 1990. The outdoor show was located in a 2,000-seat arena behind the Eiffel Tower near the International Showplace. The dolphin pool was 35 feet in diameter and held 100,000 gallons of salt water. A canvas mesh canopy hung over the top of the arena to keep the dolphins (and guests) from getting sunburnt.
Although there were four dolphins at the park, only two appeared in each show, performing approximately 20 tricks. Those tricks included tail slaps, handshakes, singing, hula dances, flips, tail walks and flaming hoop jumps. There were up to 12 performances daily. A sea lion was added to the performance later.
*Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
Image courtesy of Universal Studios
