1979 Blue Show #1

Twenty one elephants that season, seen here are "Carmen", "Rebecca", "Gilda", "Zina", "George", "Hugo" and "Anna May".

1979 Blue Show #2

This series of photos were taken in Toledo by elephant buff Tom Hendricks.

1979 Blue Show #3

1979 Blue Show #4

You will notice that in those days the center ring faced the front track and the end rings worked to the back side.

1979 Blue Show #5

Merry Go Rounds. Ring 1- Minyak, Mala, Barbara, Josky and Sophie. Ring 2- Carmen, Zina, Peggy, Hugo and Gilda Ring 3- Sid, Juno, Rebecca, Louie and Major (I had earlier trained Sid, Juno and Louie while on Sid Kellner's show) At the bottom of the picture Tommy Henry bringing in "Charlie" Dalilah was usually riding him but late in the season the kids were home in school.

1979 Blue Show #6

I was proud of these three hind leg walks trained while at Circus World.

1979 Blue Show #7

Mack MacDonald always called this trick the "sitting long mount'. You can see Barbara and "Charlie" at the front of Ring 2.

1979 Blue Show #8

Cross mount on the front track.

1979 Blue Show #9

1979 Blue Show #10

Receiving our accolades!

Load out day! #1

Weather permitting, on load out day we would take down the elephant tent in the morning and just work off the picket lines as seen here. After exiting the arena after the final performance everything remaining had been loaded and all we had to do was toss the headpieces in the wagon.

Load out day #2

Here we see my highly competent staff, noticeably  Sean Quinn and Dan Pyle scratching his butt, while awaiting the Police escort. In the background "George" and "Anna May" collared to the two Africans ready to lead.

Load out day! #3

We marched mostly single file and having already positioned  the ramps earlier in the morning we loaded straightaway. Several of the guys would stand in the door of each car and lead the elephants to their positions as they were sent up. I remember Ted saying one night "Five minutes flat!"

From Jim Cole

Can you ID this photo? It is from Sells Floto 1927. Nice picture. Looks like Trilby the go-to elephant on the show. Boss elephant man in 1927 was Joe Metcalf but this doesn't look like him. Looks more like Bill Emory who was there most of 1929. Who knows?

From Buckles

My father wrote on the back of this picture, "Mrs. C. P. Fox, "Chappie" Fox, Bill Woodcock, Babe Woodcock and Fox children. Oconomowoc, Wis.- June 1955." " I remember this event well, we camped at their estate while making a jump during out Fair route that summer. Had the elephants picketed in an area behind the house. Chappie alerted the local Press and a photographer caught this shot of everyone enjoying photo albums, I must have been out and about, circus scrap books weren't as interesting to me as they are today." Buckles

Babe's Scrapbooks #1

Babe's Scrapbooks #2

Babe's Scrapbooks #3

Babe's Scrapbooks #4

Babe's Scrapbooks #5

Babe's Scrapbooks #6

Babe's scrapbooks #7

Babe's Scrapbooks #8

Babe's Scrapbooks #9

Cole Show elephants.

Babe's Scrapbooks #10

Babe's Scrapbooks #11

Babe's Scrapbooks #12

From John Herriott #1

MGM Studios back lot watering the Ranch herd. "Jupiters Darling"

From John Herriott #2

From Richard Reynolds

My wife Delia also has a December 9th birthday. In her case it was in 1935, making her 78 today. We were married on November 21, 1959 so we have been hitched for 54 years. Her circus connection is mostly to put up with me, though she does enjoy the genre. She saw her first circus in 1941 - - RBBB in Jacksonville, FL.

Bud Copeland #1

First met Bud 30 years ago when he clowned at Circus World and well remembered as an entertainer, artist and good all around New Jersey boy.

Bud Copeland #2

Self portrait.

Bud Copeland #3

Received some material from Bud a couple days back including this note.

Bud Copeland #4

This was placed on the face of the manila envelope.

Bud Copeland #5

Also this sheet of stamps he said might be added to Christmas cards.

Bud Copeland #6

This all came about as the result of his masterpiece painted on burlap, copied from a photo originally taken by Armando Gaona and circulated while we were on the Blue Show. It measures about 5' by 3', framed and very heavy. So much so that it currently resides in storage. If we did the right thing me and Jim Elliot should take it down to Debbie Walk before it falls into disrepair. Should fit into the back of my van.

Bud Copeland #7

In any event, the image will be a around for quite a while.

Bud Copeland #8

Another photo that Bud enhanced.

Bud Copeland #9

This is the original but Barbara likes Buddy's version better since it includes both elbows.

Bud Copeland #10

More of Bud's artwork.

Bud Copeland #11

Bud Copeland #12

A frisky Bud Copeland being warned!

Bonus Picture!

Received  this similarly styled Christmas card back during the Circus World days!

Dec. 9th Birthdays #1 (From Roger Smith)

EMMETT KELLY Born: Friday, December 9, 1898, Sedan, Kansas Died: Wednesday, March 28, 1979, age 80, Sarasoto, Florida Read his bio @ Emmett Kelly IMDb, and his autobiography, Clown, My Life in Tatters and Smiles, as told to F. Beverley Kelley. (New York, Prentice Hall, 1954).

Dec. 9th Birthdays #2

Happy Birthday to KIRK  DOUGLAS, 97 Born: Issur Danielovich Demsky, on Saturday, December 9, 1916, in Amsterdam, New York. Read his bio @ Kirk Douglas IMDb. He is pictured above with actress Pier Angeli, and veteran flying act catcher, Dick Anderson (billed as Kenneth Anderson). The scene is from the Equilibrium segment of the 1953 MGM film The Story of Three Loves. Kirk and Pier were trained for actual flying tricks by Harold and Eileen Voise, who were permitted to work on the picture by a special contract release from Clyde Beatty. Dick Anderson told me they had schooled Ricardo Montalban for three months on the flying rigging. Then MGM replaced him with Douglas, whose own long training started from scratch--which meant extended movie paydays for the Voises and Anderson, who also landed a speaking role.

Dec. 9th Birthdays #3

MABEL STARK, THE TIGER QUEEN Born: Mary Ann Haynie, on Sunday, December 9, 1888, Cobb, Caldwell County, Kentucky, to Hardy Baxter Haynie and Lela Pettipoole Haynie, the eldest of their 7 children. Died: Saturday, April 20, 1968, at age 79, at her home in Thousand Oaks, California. She ordered there be no funeral or memorial service. She was cremated and her ashes were scattered, as she directed in her handwritten wishes, "To the four winds, over the Pacific." Tigers were never more beloved to anyone than Mabel Stark, their caregiver, trainer, co-star, and most benevolent Queen. Thank you, Mabel, for our Jungleland years. Dear mentor, Rest in Peace .

Tundra #1 (From Eric Beheim)

Tundra #2

TUNDRA’s central character is Dr. Jason Barlow (Alfred Delcambre billed here as Del Cambre) who is known throughout Alaska as “the Flying Doctor” because he uses an airplane to make “house calls” to remote Eskimo villages.

Delete #3

While flying to the distant village of Noonak, Barlow’s plane develops engine trouble and he is forced to land in an ice-choked inlet. Thrown clear of his plane when it collides with an iceberg, Barlow manages to reach shore after an icy swim.

Tundra #4

Seeking shelter in a cave, the half frozen Barlow builds a small fire and then takes inventory of his meager possessions . . .