Thursday, January 12, 2006

Sparks Circus 1946/Ernie Burch


Ernie came over to the Cole Show in 1947 and one day in the cook house he said "Buckles, can you keep a secret", I said "Sure" and he looked all around and handed me an envelope and inside was a Ringling contract for the following year signed by Pat Valdo. Even then things were shrouded in secrecy, I never said a word.
When my mother and I saw the Ringling Show in 1948 we were visiting with a relative, Myron Orton, I asked about Ernie but he was off the lot.

Posted by Buckles at 1/12/2006 10:43:00 AM

3 comments:

Pat Cashin said...

Is this the makeup that Ernie used the whole time he was on the Cole show?

I've seen several versions of this makeup as well as several versions of his whiteface before he finally got all of the classic "Blinko" elements in place.

I've even seen photos of him wearing a Groucho Marx-style greasepaint eyebrows and moustache.

There is a video available for viewing at the Museum of Television and Radio in NYC of Ernie on the Hollywood Palace in December of 1965 doing Paul Jung's "Adam Smasher" in all of his full-on Blinko glory.

The clowns don't look like THAT much anymore. Neither do their props!

12 January, 2006 11:12
Anonymous said...

I am sure this is not the person with the green eye lashes that I was asking about. He was more my age and was friends with my sister who is younger then me. Also he was short. I don't think he was married either.

12 January, 2006 12:59
Anonymous said...

Now that's downright FUNNY ! LOL - if you will ; no less seeing him in a gag within the Circus Show & a " LIVE BRASS BAND " ( with an exelent tromboneist )

12 January, 2006 17:06

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