Saturday, April 22, 2006

"Karen" 25 years later


"Karen" was in my act in 1994-95 "Siam", "Minnie", "Mysore", "Kernaudi" and "Karen". For some reason unknown by me today, someone decided that Graham needed another teeter-board elephant so I chose her because I knew she was smart enough to pick it up in few days, which she did.
This is a picture of Shannon and myself during a morning practice session with Graham Chipperfield in flight. No idea if they ever used it in the show or not.

Posted by Buckles at 4/22/2006 09:15:00 AM

14 comments:

Buckles said...

She was named for Kenneth Feld's sister who now lives in exile.
She was in the herd that Axel brought into Circus World when we left.

22 April, 2006 10:27
Buckles said...

I probably know less about her than anyone. I only saw her once in 1978 when we showed the Forum in LA, she was in the audience and Charly Baumann pointed her out to me.
I saw her often on TV, she was one of the talking heads during the Clinton/Lewinski scandal representing some magazine.
At some point she was involved with actor Jack Cassidy which led to her
exclusion from her father's Will.
After Irvin Feld's death she sued Kenneth for her share of the Estate and all she got was a little wiser and a Legal Bill.
In 1994 when we were showing Philly, Bonnie Feld showed up with a lady who she introduced as a close family friend and asked if they could see the elephants. As we walked down the picket line I recited all their names and when I reached "Karen" they both started laughing and tossing inside one-liners back and forth that sailed way over my head.

22 April, 2006 13:11
Buckles said...

By the way, Cassidy's Son, Patrick is here in Tampa appearing in Weber's "Technicolor Dreamcoat"

22 April, 2006 13:14
Anonymous said...

Buckles, did Minnie and Mysore come from the bobby Moore elephants? These weren't from your herd or Axel's.

22 April, 2006 20:26
Larry allen Dean said...

sister Karen has her own web site out of D.C.
www.KARENFELD.com
interesting

23 April, 2006 12:25
Anonymous said...

Larryallendean. I checked the web site and got a jolt. I write of my Poodle every once in a while. The Poodle Karen is holding is a dead ringer for my "Noel Holly"

23 April, 2006 14:45
Buckles said...

Darryl,
Minnie and Mysore were included in the herd Kenny bought from Tony Diano in order to get King Tusk.

23 April, 2006 23:19
Anonymous said...

Thanks Buckles, I use to know all that stuff, but it's been awhile since I've been able to talk about elephants like this. I have some old records of the Ringling herd with crew names from Sabu's collection that he made copies for me. Do you know what became of his collection of elephant history? Tried to get him to will it to me, but could never pin him down with pen in hand.

24 April, 2006 00:28
Anonymous said...

Karen,
As far as I know, Karen (the elephant)is actually on the road with the Blue show.

Vincent

24 April, 2006 10:53
24-HOUR-MAN said...

Buckles, was it you who told me that Mysore was formerly in a herd with Bombay, Siam, & Delhi?

24 April, 2006 17:17
Buckles said...

Yes, in 1949 the Hamid-Morton Show imported 5 punks "Siam", "Delhi", "Bombay", "Calcutta" and "Mysore".
They were named and trained by Louie Reed. Following the 1951 season "Mysore" and "Calcutta" were sold to Tony Diano.
Both remained with Diano thru 1986 when Kenny bought the whole herd in order to get "Tommy".
"Mysore" must be around 60 now and still active with the company.

24 April, 2006 18:15
Anonymous said...

Is "DELHI" one of the elephants being used as experiments in TENN?

24 April, 2006 18:25
Buckles said...

The same.

24 April, 2006 18:30
Anonymous said...

Bombay was broke to carry a pony in her mouth and walk on the hindlegs by Bucky Steele. She always walked nice until she had to carry something. That made her hunch over more. JC had Tess, Bombay, Delhi, Joyce, Billie, the big five. And Tina, Siam, and Rani the little act that I worked in 78. This was my first group of elephants to present.

24 April, 2006 23:01

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