Henny Bario - Telegraph Born Henny Sosman on July 23 1923, she was the daughter of the Belgian clown, acrobat and rider Martin Sosman. Stunningly beautiful, she married the Italian Freddy Bario (Alfredo Meschi), son of Manrico Meschi who, with his brother Dario, had formed the successful clown act Dario-Bario, starring in most of Europe's leading circuses. Manrico and Dario parted company in 1948, and Manrico continued to perform with his sons Freddy and Nello, and with Freddy's wife Henny, as The Barios. During the winter season of 1952 their act appeared at the Belle Vue Circus at the King's Hall, Manchester, and three years later they were at the Harringay Arena, London, with Tom Arnold's Mammoth Circus. There the ageing Manrico made one of his last appearances, and Freddy - who had adopted the role of whiteface clown - took his father's place as the bumbling auguste, partnered by Nello and Henny as her charismatic self. They continued to star in Europe, and were in England for three summer seasons (1963-65) to feature in Billy Russell's Circus at Great Yarmouth Hippodrome. They also appeared on television with Billy Smart's Circus. In France the Barios had a popular television series. Like the members of her own family and that of her in-laws, Henny was an accomplished musician and dancer. In later years the Barios trio appeared not only in traditional clown acts but also, without their comic make-up, in cabaret. Henny's husband, Freddy, died in 1988, and Nello in 2000. Henny and Freddy Bario's son, Tony, was born in England in 1954, and from 1999 led the orchestra for the Cirque d'Hiver Bouglione in Paris, at which his parents had once starred as clowns. He died in 2007. She is survived by two daughters. Henny Bario, born July 23 1923, died December 24 2011