Pierre Corty , circus director in Germany Born ? dead 1887 in Germany . The history of Circus Corty & Althoff began with Pierre Corty. The Cortys were a family of artists who traveled all over Europe without producing stars up to that point. Pierre began his career in the French State Circus of Louis Dejean . It was there that he met Dejean's daughter, Louise Dejean. The two married in 1837 against their father's wishes and had a daughter, Adele Corty, in 1840.