Richard Risley Carlisle

An inveterate traveler to Europe, Australia and East Asia and serial entrepreneur, Risley also notably brought a Japanese circus act to America in the 1860s.

[3] In January 1846 while on tour in Europe, Carlisle appeared before Queen Victoria and Prince Albert at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.

[5] Banvard issued a pamphlet in 1849 warning the public about the "incorrect imitations which have been hurriedly prepared by parties of unprincipled persons".

As a serial entrepreneur Carlisle saw an opportunity to develop a dairy business in the recently opened treaty port; after importing a small herd of cows from San Francisco and ice from Harbin he sold milk and gained renown as the first seller of ice cream in Japan.

[11] Carlisle returned to performing and stage management and moved back to the United States, bringing with him a troupe of traditional Japanese acrobats.