|
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
"The Blonde Bombshell"
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Contributors
Recent Comments
Retirement Fund
Favorite Links
- Circus Historical Society
- Circus News
- Circus Fans Association of America
- Showfolks of Sarasota
- Arkansas Elephant Sanctuary
- Jim's "All My Days are Circus Days"
- Pat Cashin's Clown Alley
- Bill Strong's Yesterday's Towns
- Circus Links
- Circus Model Builders
- Magic Gallery
- Tim Perkins Blog
- Trumble's Carson & Barnes Blog
- Dick Dykes
- Wade G Burck
- Chuck Mayo
- The Circus Blog
- Jackie LeClaire
Subscribe
Blog Archive
- March 2023 (15)
- February 2022 (5)
- November 2021 (33)
- October 2021 (3)
- September 2021 (61)
- August 2021 (37)
- May 2021 (39)
- April 2021 (10)
- March 2021 (17)
- February 2021 (103)
- January 2021 (137)
- December 2020 (21)
- November 2020 (76)
- October 2020 (151)
- September 2020 (73)
- August 2020 (65)
- July 2020 (181)
- June 2020 (174)
- May 2020 (225)
- April 2020 (181)
- March 2020 (124)
- February 2020 (221)
- December 2019 (36)
- November 2019 (77)
- October 2019 (166)
- September 2019 (146)
- August 2019 (62)
- July 2019 (250)
- June 2019 (238)
- May 2019 (311)
- April 2019 (355)
- March 2019 (367)
- February 2019 (313)
- January 2019 (373)
- December 2018 (377)
- November 2018 (348)
- October 2018 (378)
- September 2018 (381)
- August 2018 (542)
- July 2018 (514)
- June 2018 (153)
- May 2018 (4)
- April 2018 (3)
- March 2018 (110)
- February 2018 (296)
- January 2018 (590)
- December 2017 (569)
- November 2017 (587)
- October 2017 (565)
- September 2017 (405)
- August 2017 (509)
- July 2017 (575)
- June 2017 (558)
- May 2017 (653)
- April 2017 (562)
- March 2017 (507)
- February 2017 (451)
- January 2017 (516)
- December 2016 (367)
- November 2016 (479)
- October 2016 (449)
- September 2016 (517)
- August 2016 (427)
- July 2016 (400)
- June 2016 (360)
- May 2016 (272)
- April 2016 (374)
- March 2016 (481)
- February 2016 (405)
- January 2016 (429)
- December 2015 (240)
- November 2015 (381)
- October 2015 (477)
- September 2015 (461)
- August 2015 (427)
- July 2015 (463)
- June 2015 (421)
- May 2015 (350)
- April 2015 (416)
- March 2015 (467)
- February 2015 (441)
- January 2015 (460)
- December 2014 (408)
- November 2014 (379)
- October 2014 (416)
- September 2014 (378)
- August 2014 (413)
- July 2014 (414)
- June 2014 (482)
- May 2014 (429)
- April 2014 (367)
- March 2014 (458)
- February 2014 (406)
- January 2014 (390)
- December 2013 (508)
- November 2013 (353)
- October 2013 (423)
- September 2013 (468)
- August 2013 (536)
- July 2013 (490)
- June 2013 (447)
- May 2013 (411)
- April 2013 (401)
- March 2013 (407)
- February 2013 (372)
- January 2013 (432)
- December 2012 (413)
- November 2012 (388)
- October 2012 (398)
- September 2012 (376)
- August 2012 (387)
- July 2012 (382)
- June 2012 (351)
- May 2012 (356)
- April 2012 (367)
- March 2012 (351)
- February 2012 (336)
- January 2012 (410)
- December 2011 (393)
- November 2011 (283)
- October 2011 (333)
- September 2011 (363)
- August 2011 (356)
- July 2011 (336)
- June 2011 (363)
- May 2011 (351)
- April 2011 (324)
- March 2011 (327)
- February 2011 (253)
- January 2011 (368)
- December 2010 (359)
- November 2010 (315)
- October 2010 (342)
- September 2010 (345)
- August 2010 (352)
- July 2010 (344)
- June 2010 (335)
- May 2010 (338)
- April 2010 (321)
- March 2010 (369)
- February 2010 (318)
- January 2010 (338)
- December 2009 (358)
- November 2009 (338)
- October 2009 (354)
- September 2009 (368)
- August 2009 (354)
- July 2009 (401)
- June 2009 (403)
- May 2009 (375)
- April 2009 (346)
- March 2009 (406)
- February 2009 (341)
- January 2009 (353)
- December 2008 (351)
- November 2008 (362)
- October 2008 (391)
- September 2008 (375)
- August 2008 (382)
- July 2008 (324)
- June 2008 (349)
- May 2008 (375)
- April 2008 (383)
- March 2008 (369)
- February 2008 (426)
- January 2008 (457)
- December 2007 (360)
- November 2007 (369)
- October 2007 (359)
- September 2007 (361)
- August 2007 (370)
- July 2007 (341)
- June 2007 (307)
- May 2007 (298)
- April 2007 (391)
- March 2007 (374)
- February 2007 (326)
- January 2007 (385)
- December 2006 (343)
- November 2006 (252)
- October 2006 (213)
- September 2006 (174)
- August 2006 (180)
- July 2006 (176)
- June 2006 (155)
- May 2006 (178)
- April 2006 (170)
- March 2006 (149)
- February 2006 (134)
- January 2006 (154)
- December 2005 (135)
- November 2005 (137)
- October 2005 (113)
- September 2005 (100)
- August 2005 (102)
- July 2005 (103)
- June 2005 (43)
14 comments:
This was 1946. My family was on the show that season.
Gee Gee sure did it all. What a full circus life she had! A show girl all her life. If she ever wrote a book true to herself it would make the best seller for sure. Not all sugar, but with the real SPICE OF LIFE. OH the stories! It would have to be in her special language.
I have some great video of her doing her alaskan husky dog act I think on the Castle show. She rode in on a sled and then proceeded to do a great dog act with such incredible style.
Gee Gee is recuperating from recent surgery. She has had a rough year but has an amazing spirit, iron will and is determined to come back strong. She lives in Tampa, Florida close to her family.
She continues to be a source of inspiration to everyone around her. This is a woman who has done it all in the circus including performing tumbling, aerial ballet, everything with horses, alaskan husky dogs, elephants, courgars and leapords, ponies and producing animal oriented theatrical shows for theme parks.
She can be reached at: gengesse@tampabay.rr.com.
Recently we located an old Fox Movietone Newsreel of her taken in 1934. It is close to 8 minues in length and shows her performing with elephants. She was 8 years old at the time performing with father's Schell Bros Circus. The footage is as amazing as she is.
But I am her son and quite biased on the subject. Thanks for publishing this photo came from the predecessor of Parade magazine and was published nationally.
Bill Powell
Tavana,
I would be interested in getting the footage of the alaskan husky dog act. We are compiling her family history. Any help would be appreciated. Say hello to you mom and dad for me. I can be reached at: zellmar@aol.com
Bill Powell
Mr. Beatty taught me to make the plaited flat lash used with a twisted willow whipstock as preferred by Old School trainers. I gave one of mine to her in 1965 for her Gee Gee's Alaskans act. She had two or three whips out on the ringcurbs like a fighting cat act, and Gee Gee and her Malamutes had flash like no other dog act in memory. At the risk of provoking argument here, I state without reserve that I am Gee Gee's biggest fan.
Hi Bill I didn't bring a DVD burner with me on the road, but as soon as I get home in October, I will be happy to make you a copy of what I have. It is really 8mm video of my moms from back in the day, but most of it is still very good footage. I will e-mail you later
I found a referance of that video from 1934.
USC Library
I know I've told this story before but I can't help repeating it when people talk about Gee Gee.
A young man walked into the wardrobe room, and announced to Jimmy Douglas,"my wife is going to do a Husky Dog Act like Gee Gee's", Jimmy said, " your wife might do a Husky Act, but 'NOBODY', will ever do one like Gee Gee".
The video I have is from the early 60's
Being in the dog business for the last 20 years, I can appriciate GEE GEE and her huskeys. One of the hardest dogs to train. Once they are off lead they are gone. My Huskey Club has pulling events that are really fun and something for the dogs to do. Walking on a regular leash is a challenge on its own. Mine "JASMINE" died two years ago. She was given to me because she was a run away. I always thought GEE GEEs dogs looked more like Malamutes. That is the only dog I will not board or groom. I saw one kill a pig years ago and never forgot that picture. "JASMINE" loved the water and had her own bath tub as her swimming pool in the summer. She was a real beauty. Not the brightest in the world. You would not believe how they shed!! GEE GEE sure had her hands full and I greatly admired her ability with hers.
On behalf of my mom thank you all for your kind comments. He spirit is most uplifted by reading them. We have been talking this for the last two days.
I'm sure we all wish her a speedy recovery.
I am so proud to call Gee Gee my good friend. She is such an amazing lady both in the circus world, and her private life. I thank God he gawve her to me and the rest of the world. The world is a much better place having her as a part of it. DotDot Wagner
Post a Comment