Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Ringling-Barnum Circus 1987


And as a reminder of happier times we close out with Lee Keener leading "King Tusk" (Dailey Show Tommy) in Madison Sq. Garden.

Posted by Buckles at 4/19/2006 06:16:00 AM

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

NOW, Thats Circus wardrobe. You can never be too covered up. Not something you would see walking the streets. This would make the people part with the cash to see. Special and something to remember years later. And be very proud to have been a part of.

19 April, 2006 08:20
Anonymous said...

What did they feed King Tusk to grow such ivory?

19 April, 2006 11:06
Anonymous said...

(from Eric)

Circus Music Trivia note: when Tommy walked around the arena during this spec, the band played MARCH OF THE MOGUL EMPERORS from Edward Elgar's "Crown of India" Suite; a perfect piece of music to play for a big male elephant! (Only Bill Pruyn could have come up with something like that!)

19 April, 2006 12:34
Anonymous said...

Buckles are there any Elephants out there today that are used the size of Tommy?

James

19 April, 2006 13:01
Buckles said...

George Carden has a big male named "Beaux". In fact he was leased to the Ringling Show a few years back and performed with Bello Nock.

19 April, 2006 13:11
Anonymous said...

It was true - "King Tusk" aka Tommy was on bull tubs when the lights came on. His blanket was extended out into the ring. It was a spectacular presentation.

19 April, 2006 17:47
Buckles said...

Maybe so but how about Shemsheva's house cats?

19 April, 2006 17:58
Anonymous said...

Norma Davenport Cristiani told me in a 2000 interview that Tommy (later King Tusk) was brot to the Dailey show in 1948 by Louis Reed, one of five baby elephants imported from India. Norma attributed Tommy's abnormal tusk growth to the fact that he was very sick when about six months old and they had to keep him in a bathtub of water for quite a while until he got better (I don't recall whether he had fever or not). But, obviously, Tommy survived the ordeal--wow, did he ever survive! Lane Talburt

19 April, 2006 21:32
Anonymous said...

I have a great story dvd of Dottie Kellys working tommy for the first time.
David

21 April, 2006 21:27
Anonymous said...

Come on David, Tell! I always admired Dottie Kelly. A very hard worker and all around nice person.

22 April, 2006 19:42
Anonymous said...

Richard Reynolds says - -

Tommy was brought to USA in 1947 - - not 1948. The confusion is that there were two elephant shipments brought over by Reed for Ben Davenport. The first arrived in June 1947 and the second in January 1948. Tommy was in the first consignment.

In October 1946 circus owner Ben Davenport (Dailey Bros Circus based in Texas) sent Louis Reed to Mysore, India for some young elephants. Reed was one of the best elephant men in the history of the business. He brought back 2 male and 5 female calves, one of which was Tommy. The New York Times for 18 April 1947 told of Reed’s expedition. He landed the elephants at the Port of Brooklyn in June 1947. They were just punks (circus slang for very young elephants) about waist high next to the average man. From Brooklyn they (Tommy included) were sent by truck to join the Dailey Bros. Circus, arriving on 19 June while it was playing in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania. (See Billboard, 5 July 1947, p. 78 for an account of the elephants’ arrival at the circus grounds). According to Ward Hall, who was with the show that year, our subject male was named after Tommy Junedes, a circus acrobat. (See: Hall, Bandwagon, N-D, 1998. p. 21). Barbara Woodcock was also on the show and recalled that Tommy arrived in 1947.

25 April, 2006 18:18

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)