European Acts #1

We have a number of European viewers on the Blog, some of which might comment on these pictures.

European Acts #2

You may notice that this long mount is in a complete circle, quite unusual.

European Acts #3

European Acts #4

European Acts #5

To Richard Reynolds

With apologies.......the lady is partially obstructing the view!

1937 Cole Bros. #46

The 1936-37 Cole Bros. souvenir programs should list the name of this wire act.

1937 Cole Bros. #47

1937 Cole Bros. #48

1937 Cole Bros. #49

Clyde Beatty’s sequence appears at the end of this subject and, although it is quite brief, shows him to the best possible advantage.

1937 Cole Bros. #50

1937 Cole Bros. #51

The camera setups and lighting for this and the next image seem quite elaborate for something that was supposedly filmed during a live performance. Perhaps Paramount arranged with Universal to borrow some footage from Beatty’s 1933 feature THE BIG CAGE to give this sequence more dramatic value.

1937 Cole Bros. #52

1937 Cole Bros. #53

1937 Cole Bros. #54

The film concludes with a dramatic shot of the circus train’s locomotive (seen in silhouette) speeding through the night to the next town.

1937 Cole Bros. #55

My 16mm sound print of THE CIRCUS COMES TO TOWN is the version that was released to the home movie market by Blackhawk Films. According to David Shepard, who now owns all of the old Blackhawk negatives, this film was licensed to Blackhawk by NTA, which had control over the old Paramount sound shorts. That license expired about 1972 and the film was later bought outright by Raymond Rohauer, the man who acquired the original negatives to many of Buster Keaton’s old films. It is now owned by the Cohen Collection, Rohauer's successor.

Bucky Steele #1

Thanks for the ID on the Bucky Steele Act. Had I selected this picture first I could have spotted him in the background.

Bucky Steele #2

Bucky Steele #3

Bucky Steele #4

Bucky did some remarkable things, as seen here with the Hamid-Morton elephants. He told me one time that after death he wanted his ashes fed to his elephants since it had once been  a common practice to Worm them by feeding charcoal.

1937 Cole Bros. #34 (From Eric Beheim)

1937 Cole Bros. #35

1937 Cole Bros. #36

1937 Cole Bros. #37

1937 Cole Bros. #38

This subject also includes footage that was filmed during a performance. These performance scenes go by so quickly, however, that they really need to be studied almost frame-by-frame to fully grasp what is being shown.

1937 Cole Bros. #39

1937 Cole Bros. #40

I’m assuming that this is the summer wardrobe for the bull hands during the opening spec. (The daily laundry requirements for the Elephant Department alone must have been staggering.) "At first glance I thought they were on the off-lead side." Buckles

From Buckles

1937 Cole Bros. #41

1937 Cole Bros. #42

1937 Cole Bros. #43

1937 Cole Bros. #44

1937 Cole Bros. #45

(To Be Continued)

Elephant Acts #1

To eliminate confusion on Eric's black & white Cole Show pictures I tossed in these unidentified elephant act pix with hopes someone can name them.

Elephant Acts #2

Elephant Acts #3

The Captain appears to have ducked out of this picture leaving  the two ladies to work this 4 act (1 African included). Quite impressive.

1937 Cole Bros. #22 (From Eric Beheim)

The cameraman had the foresight to obtain coverage of the grandstand being erected.

1937 Cole Bros. #23

1937 Cole Bros. #24

1937 Cole Bros. #25

1937 Cole Bros. #26

The cookhouse flag going up . . .

1937 Cole Bros. #27

. . . serves as a lead-in to a few scenes filmed inside cook house and dining tent.

1937 Cole Bros. #28

1937 Cole Bros. #29

1937 Cole Bros. #30

1937 Cole Bros. #31

1937 Cole Bros. #32

1937 Cole Bros. #33

(To Be Continued)

From Nola Ray

Dear all, I want to thank all for the lovely plant I received from the CRNAs. We had a lot of time together for such an unlikely couple.

Mack Ray #1 (From Buckles)

The Eight "Rays" Of Sunshine!