Sunday, April 16, 2006

Miles Orton Family #6


Both Gordon and Myron finished out their careers with the Ringling Show. Gordon worked an end ring liberty act and virtually died on the lot in about 1941. Myron remained with the show under canvas right up until the end of it's days. This picture is from a set taken of the clowns for the "Greatest Show on Earth" movie.

So if you will all be patient, next Sunday I will tell you all about Hiram's youngest son, my grandfather R.Z. Orton and the "highgrass" adventures of Orton Bros. Circus.

Posted by Buckles at 4/16/2006 06:25:00 AM

12 comments:

Pat Cashin said...

Myron's makeup featured the same eyes and eyebrows as Paul Jung.

Anyone know which came first?

16 April, 2006 06:29
Buckles said...

I would surely think Paul Jung since Myron's days as an acrobat in Vaudeville overlapped those of Paul as a clown by a long shot.

16 April, 2006 07:28
Pat Cashin said...

Buckles, Happy Easter! I've got a question for you...

Did you ever appear on the TV show "Hollywood Palace"?

I got an old episode on VHS the other day and Jimmy Durante introduces an elephant act only as "The Polock Elephants".

The woman in the act looks like Barbara (from the pictures that I've seen) but there is never a close up on the man, who appears to be clean shaven.

Even if there was a close up I don't know that I recognize you without the beard!

Thanks,
Pat Cashin

16 April, 2006 07:46
Buckles said...

You got the goods on us. It was done in either 1966 or '67. The stage wasn't deep enough to fit the ring curb so we worked out front on the parking lot.

16 April, 2006 07:57
Anonymous said...

Is this the same Hollywood Palace show that featured Linon, the wire-walking clown, and Tommy Hanneford doing the Riding Fool act? I think it was an entire circus-themed show hosted by Jimmy Durante.

-Greg

16 April, 2006 10:10
Buckles said...

It was a big show on TV at a time when Variety Shows were in vogue. Al Dobritch brought in the talent.
We were out on the West Coast with the Polack Show and we did it while jumping from point A to point B.
We pulled into the parking lot late in the afternoon, Soldier Johnson already had the ring curb set up and they had bleachers arranged around that. We ran the act thru for the camera people then a few hours later after dark the deed was done, we loaded the elephants back in the truck and never looked back.
The whole thing was done so fast I could hardly remember the next day what had happened much less 40 years later.

16 April, 2006 10:35
Pat Cashin said...

Yup, it's Buckles, Barbara and those big, beautiful "Polock Elephants", the Tommy Hanneford version of the Hanneford riding act and Linon, who doubled for Durante in JUMBO.

I also got tapes with two versions of Johnny Puleo's harmonica act, three versions of the Nitwits act, an Italian acrobatic clown family, the Pompoff-Thedys and George Carl (on the same show as George Carlin) doing the act with his wife.

Hollywood Palace was quite a show!

I've seen the Carolis on H.P. at the Museum of TV and Radio but haven't tracked down a copy of that or Ernie Burch doing Paul Jung's Adam Smasher yet.

I did just find Willie, West & McGinty on the Michael Todd Revue hosted by Bobby Clark and have a lead on another Banana Man appearance.

Hey Greg, any luck tracking down Pinnochio with Mickey Rooney yet?

How are things going with BAC in Boston? Happy Easter and love to the family.

~P

16 April, 2006 10:59
Anonymous said...

The Hollywood Palace was a great venue for alot of circus/variety acts in the 60's.

I have the Alfredo Landon/Ernie Burch Atom Smasher gag from that show, along with Bob Williams and Louie dog act. I also have the Charlie Caroli apperence (it was on the show Kate Smith hosted).

No luck yet on the Paul Jung/ Mickey Rooney TV spot yet. Interested in the Willie West & McGinty and Banana Man apperances.

Also found a tape of the Jackie Gleason show from the 60's that has a circus theme, with Pompoff Thedy, Bananna Man and Emmett Kelly.

Have a great Easter!
-Greg

16 April, 2006 13:19
Anonymous said...

Pat, Trudy & i had bad luck with Hollywood Palace, we did The Kimris Act in blk & wht, and shortly after they went to color ans we never did get aired. We also did Sullivans first color show, we went to Dobritch's apt. to watch it but he messed with the TV so much trying to get a better picture we didn't see much. If you ever run across that let me know. George & Gracie Burns did a film, "Big Broadcast",that has Willy West, etc scattered all through it.

16 April, 2006 14:42
Anonymous said...

Bill,

Do you remember the dates/year you did the Palace or Sullivan? The Museum of TV & Radio has many of the shows and private collectors do covet these performances. I know Andrew Solt Productions holds the rights to the Sullivan shows, and has occasionaly put out DVD's of the "Best" of Sullivan. Usually headliner acts, but always a segment or two on variety/circus performers. I think if you can prove you were on the show, they will sell you a mint copy of your episode.

-Greg

16 April, 2006 15:04
Buckles said...

During the 1965-67 years with Polack Bros. Circus we did the Sullivan Show three times and Hollywood Palace once. All I remember is that Sullivan was always done in the fall and Palace was done during the summer.

16 April, 2006 16:02
Anonymous said...

Uncle Ben, Mabel's top tiger man, and I went down to the Hollywood Palace to visit Pat Anthony and Bill Johnston. Bill said, "Pat's gonna die when he sees this." The Hollywood types had asked Pat if they could re-paint his props "for camera". Pat said sure, if they re-painted them back like he had them. When Pat arrived, they had his props in pastels, magentas, and fuscias, and he laughed so hard he almost couldn't work.

17 April, 2006 21:41

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)