Saturday, September 10, 2005

Robert "Smokey" Jones #1


I first remember Smokey from when he worked for Arky Scott on the Cole Show in 1947. He moved around a lot.
These pictures were taken in the 60's, this one when he was working for a businessman named Kilroy who somehow wound up with an elephant that he kept at his ranch outside Houston. Not satisfied he decided to buy some more small ones and made a deal with Smokey.
The day I visited Smokey was no where to be found, one of the ranch hands said "He went for a drive he'll be back".
I believe the elephants eventually went to the San Antonio Zoo. The older ones name was "Wanda".

Posted by Buckles at 9/10/2005 07:42:00 AM

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is too weird,. I had this year and model car in the early 60s. I am not a cadie fan but ended up with this when my Lincoln got demolished when I loaned it to someone for a fancy wedding. It was parked in front of the church. The color of the cadie was either diamond blue or ice blue. I bought it for 6,ooo dollars. Those were the days!

10 September, 2005 16:29
Anonymous said...

TRUE magazine carried a cover story on Smokey in about 1955, titled "Taming the 7-Ton Killers", by Bill Ballantine. I still have my copy. Kim Baer, right here on her nick-nack shelf, has a one-dollar bill origami formed into an elephant by Smokey and given her as a child. Smokey also gave Parley Baer a bullhook, which alas, has no identification to define it among the other dozen Parley had. When I had the Jungleland Lions on James Bros, in 1968, Smokey set up a table in Eugene, Oregon, filled with exquisitely designed bullhooks and whips...and me, damn it, on a Jungleland salary, without the wherewithal to buy a single one.

10 September, 2005 18:05
Anonymous said...

Did anyone notice that the elephant punk is in the back seat???

11 September, 2005 06:26
Anonymous said...

That punk is not actually in the car. Three suitcases and the car tilted with the load. Been there done that.

11 September, 2005 07:17
gigijw2@gmail.com said...

Smokey was a great person. Don't understand no comments or his Biography and pictures anywhere. He had many friends, He had such a full life,At Circus Club @ Phillipes in L.A. he showed us a movie of a tiny punk and Carrie when she was very young, she was feeding him, sleeping with him, he sat on her, tried to climb in a van with his little short legs. Would give anything to see that again. Maybe the family just wanted privacy I don't know. Lets hear some great things about him.

29 July, 2013 15:32
GaryHill said...

gigijw2@gmail.com if you would look back in the annuals of the Capts Blog here, you would see Buckles has shown Smokey and spoke fondly of him...Look back...

29 July, 2013 17:26
Unknown said...

Met Smokey at our convince store in Dallas Tx. He bought a baby elephant named TIKA He put on a show in our parking lot with his daughter Kari. Then we went next door to the United Fund Agency for the blind. A place for teen aged blind kids to learn mobility. These kids had a time feeling on this elephant. Smokey and I fished a lot ,lied a lot. Knew his wife and kids. Great friend. Miss him so. Our store was Allens Foodmart

14 March, 2021 23:34
Randy V Jackson said...

I have a Smokey bullhook. I got it from Roger Smith. I also have a copy of Smokey's book. The TRUE magazine I got a copy from Roger Smith too...plus...I think I have an extra copy around somewhere...would take me another lifetime to locate it...

25 March, 2023 10:49

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