Sunday, April 16, 2006

Wallace Bros. Circus 1942


This is the layout of which Roger spoke with Arky Scott in the background and an uncommomly handsome lad in front.

On the Cluster Map this morning I see that Hawaii is back as well as a few hits in the Caribbean. I wonder if these might be regular viewers on vacation? I 'll ask Shannon if it works that way.

Posted by Buckles at 4/16/2006 07:49:00 AM

9 comments:

Bob Cline said...

Buckles,
I might add for those that are unaware, that Mr. Beatty's cage arrangement continued to be the same thing right up until the mid 1960's when he was using two semi's backed up to each other with the tunnel coming from trucks all the way into the tent and the arena.
In his books, he has mentioned several episodes involving the cats while in the tunnel, from fights breaking out to escapes.
I was a wee lad similiar in size to this young man when I met Mr. Beatty in Person. My introduction would have been in the early 1960's however.
Bob

16 April, 2006 09:19
Anonymous said...

Bob;
I think you just answered 1 of my questions I was just pondering - now - If here there is 2 trucks parked back to back ; isn't there a lot of overhang beond the rear " single(?)axel ", inviting a lot of swaying, lack of sterring ability etc. while in transit ? ? ?

This Truck is great - as is good ole # 26 !

16 April, 2006 09:53
Anonymous said...

I see now; I was also confused yesterday by a simular photo!

16 April, 2006 10:03
Bob Cline said...

Along the same lines, I was actually wondering how many of the Corporation cages were used to haul Mr. Beatty's act in the 1930's?
Bob

17 April, 2006 07:55
Anonymous said...

Circusdays
Encyclopedia Briticanna says:
Clyde Beatty was famous for his "fighting act", that showcased his courage and mastery of the wild beasts, which included lions, tigers, pumas, and hyenas, At the height of his fame, the act featured 40 lions and tigers of both sexes.

17 April, 2006 13:45
Anonymous said...

I have quite a fighting act with both sexs. Probably more then 40. A long list of talents. Diplomacy and ass kissing are not on that list.

17 April, 2006 15:23
GaryHill said...

Hey Shaz, My Cozumel "hit" still ain't showing up? I guess I need to get my bride to take me back so I can get my "Dot" in the Carribean???

17 April, 2006 17:35
Anonymous said...

Let me offer these answers, if I may.
To Bob Cline: 77 and 78 Cat Wagons were indeed backed up to each other with the 1957 to 1965 Beatty act. 77 faced the back end of the lot, and 78, which also served as the sleeper for us, faced the front end. The up-and-down tunnel descended from the back end of 77. Old George Scott, nicknamed Popeye, paced off from the sidewall, dropped a piece of paper, and directed the parking of the wagons so the tunnel would be the correct length to the animal gate of the arena. He never missed getting it right.
To Dion: Bill Johnston told me his father took him to the 1937 Cole show in Chicago, and Bill counted 43 cats in Beatty's act. It is generally held that 1937 was Mr. Beatty's zenith year--the one in which he made the cover of TIME magazine. Remember, Dion, this was the Cole show--Beatty previously worked more than forty cats on the Ringling-owned Hagenbeck-Wallace, evolving this act during the seasons 1925 to 1934, and was the only man to have worked the Big Act twice.
To Bob again: Depending on the number of cats he worked at different times on the Corporation shows, I can't be certain how many cages they used to transport them. But there were so damn many I was amused when the 1981 Beatty show canvas boys were agog when I showed them photos of the nine-pole menagerie top needed in those days, largely to accommodate the Beatty wild animal act. They had no idea shows were that big then, or that Beatty's act had been so beyond their imagination.

17 April, 2006 21:09
Anonymous said...

Heavens. I forgot to mention--did anyone remember that Arky used to work cats? He did, indeed, and was involved when Harriett Beatty worked the lion and tiger mixed on the platform, riding atop the other Anna May. He is depicted in Beatty's 1941 book, as told to Earl Wilson, JUNGLE PERFORMERS. Captions have it wrong naming Eddie Allen, who also was on the Harriett Beatty act. But it was Arky in the photos.
Arky found himself as an elephant man. He used to look after me when I was breaking my butt taking care of 72 cats at Jungleland. He'd yell at me to slow down, and say, "Now goddammit, don't go at it so hard so's you get in a jackpot and get all torn up like all these others. Slow down, goddammit, and sit down over here. I want to tell ya a story." And I obediently sat down, and got an education from beloved Arky Scott.
I might have remembered this story earlier. I'll have to be forgiven. I'm nearly fifty years of age.

17 April, 2006 21:27

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)