Bert Pettus

For some reason I can't type in the message beneath the picture this morning and Mr. and Mrs. Shannon are in Orlando for the week end, so I'll try it this way. No. 1 Is Bert on Barnett Bros. Circus in 1938, tusker is "Danny" a former Corporation elephant. This show wintered in York, S.C. which is the area he came from. No.2 This is the same show but now in the 1940's with a new title, Wallace Bros. the elephant is "Alice" originally with Sun Bros. Circus, Johny J. Jones Carnival and later with Beers-Barnes Circus. No. 3 Marie Pettus with Bert. They had three children Tommy, Sandra and Lee Powell Pettus (named after the Lone Ranger). Bert was in charge if the Clyde Beatty elephants in 1943-44 and later with Dales Bros. and Rogers Bros. Circus. No. 4 After the Cole Show closed, Bert was brought in to handle the elephants now owned by Arthur Wirtz and operating out of Terell Jacobs facility in Peru. They would appear at Shrine Dates, etc. but the thing I remember best was the filming of the movie "Jupiters Darling" in 1954. They traveled out there by baggage car and remained on the MGM back lot. I thought the work Bert did with Marge and Gower Champion (seen on the first elephant) was outstanding. Elephant men in the picture are Bert, George Emerson and John Herriott. Johnny tells me that he is the one with skinny legs.