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Tuesday, June 27, 2006
"Rings Around the World" 1966
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25 comments:
I did this with "MARGARET". Did not have as much room as this guy does.
Do you know what elephant this is?
I used to know his name and the name of the people that owned him but it escapes me now. It was a well known act in Europe.
what year
never mind
it slipped
sorry
I beleive the gent that produced The Rings Around The World series,His last name was Cates. I met this gent in Mexico, at the time he was filming the elephants at Arena Mexico from Circo Atayde. Mary Heart narrated this show when it hit the U.S.. If memory serves me right there was a gal in the movie Gremlins which was his daughter (Phoebe Cates).
Hi Buckles,
I tried looking up the title, online, on the IMDb website and found the only elephant trainer listed to be Sonny Frankello in an act called "Tarzan and Sahib." Unfortunately I never saw the movie, so I don't know if that is correct. Mr. Frankello is still working elephants in Europe today, but I am not sure which show he is with, currently.
On the side, my first visit to the Big Apple Circus was in 1996-1997 "The Medicine Show." Of all the elephant trainers I have ever seen, or heard of, you were by far one of (if not) the best, hands down. It was always clear that you, Shannon, Anna May, Ned, and Amy were aways at home in the ring. Thank you for the great memories. I love this blog and try to check it everyday for the amazing pictures, historical insight, and mostly hilarious comments!
Best Always,
Chris Joyce
If I'm not mistaken that would have been Joe Cates. He was so into circus that I heard the network offered him a contract to do 4 specials a year, providing none of them were circus.
Chris,
Thanks for the kind words. Big Apple Circus was a good showcase wasn't it.
is it Col. Joe from krone circus
This movie having been released in 1966 would work out to be about the time "Joe" was born.
since we're on the subject, what else can you tell us about "joe"?
I think it was 1989, Ben had our elephants with Big Apple Circus giving Barbara and I some time at home. We made a trip up to Columbus for the CHS Convention and while there Cliff Vargas offered me a deal to do some work on his elephants the following winter.
By the time I got out to Calif., Cliff had died and I wound up staying about as long as Bill Clinton in the Army.
Using Shannon and Dalilah as "guenea pigs" I did break three leg-carries tho, which didn't take long.
"Joe" was he easiest, I found him to be a harmless old lump. I showed a guy named James Paudebois how to work him before I left.
Several years later, the Vargas elephants were camped at Rosaire's place in Sarasota and I went down to visit Rex, while there Paudebois happened but claimed he didn't remember me.
I can see him now explaining to Crystal Krone how it took him five years to train the trick.
I had the good fortune to meet Sonny Frankello several times while we were with Krone, a very nice person with excellent Elephant Acts, the first I remrmber was three Africans, that had dog leashes hanging from their headpieces that were used to lead them around. I'm not sure of the difference between my age & his, and may be wrong, but can't help but think he too might have been rather young when this photo was taken.
Here's what I found on the web:
"Sonny Frankello started his career at the age of 8 as a clown with a pony. He is the 6th generation from a German artiste family working in the circus-business and the 4th generation performing with elephants.
At the age of 14 he performed for the first time with an Indian elephant of his father's together with a little pony. A few years later, as the elephant grew bigger, Sonny presented the act called "Tarzan and Sahib".
In 1985 Sonny bought the female elephant Timba from a zoo. During the following four
In 1988, Sonny performed for the first time with two elephants at Circus Benneweis in Copenhagen.
With his friendly and caring way to treat his animals, Sonny soon became one of the best elephant trainers in the world of circus."
That sure proves he's been at it a long time, that's a fine set of credentials. It sort of proves age is not a factor. I repeat, the acts I saw him do, were excellent.
Is RINGS AROUND THE WORLD
available on video or DVD?
Sure would be cool to see Tarzan and Sahib the elephant in action.
according to IMDB,it also feature Frieda Krone and her elephants.
I think this show was originally broadcast on American television back in 1964.
I believe this massive bull elephant's name was
"Sahib" aka August.
It was imported to Germany in the early 1930's(by Hagenbeck I believe and think it died in 1968 at about age 39.
There are some copies of the video
(not DVD) Rings Around The World available (go to Amazon.com). However, they cost $40 or so for a used copy.
Someone has to do what must be done here.
Hi again,
I found some pictures of Sonny Frankello and his African elephants from the Festival de Domont in Europe (France?). I originally brought up his name on this posting, and he does look too young to be the adult in this picture...maybe he is the younger performer? Anyway, here is the link from AuCirque--I hope it works:
http://www.aucirque.com/galerie/inc_photo_dossier.php?phoc_id=35&phod_id=54
Also, Buckles I love the pictures of the horse acts! Do you have any more liberty act pictures to post? I am a huge fan of the "Equestrian Arts" as you call it!
Thanks so much,
Chris
One more thing,
I too thought immediately of Col. Joe when I first saw this picture!! However, on Circus Krone's website (in the German section) there is a page celebrating the Col.'s 40th birthday...so he was born back in the sixties if that page is current! Here is a link:
http://www.circus-krone.de/de/tiere/elefanten4b.html
Also, on the Au Cirque website from France, there is a brief news announcement about Col. Joe which also mentions Rex and Eva Williams. There is a picture of him carrying a tiger and a woman (Eva?) on his back. Here is the website if you're interested.
http://www.aucirque.com/index2.php
-Chris
You know Sahib and Colonel Joe look like very similiar elephants.
I wonder if they both came from the same family unit from India.
Maybe from the Maharajas private stock?
Both had a standing back bone height of about 10 feet 3 inches.
Colonel Joe must be in his early 40's now at least.
Checking out the Krone web site - that other tusker they have has some amazing ivory, and yes Col. Joe is HUGE isn't he?
Rings Around the World,
is available on VHS,but its out of print.
I dont think you can even purchase a used former rentel copy for under forty dollars
over at Amazon.com.
Hopefully it will be released on DVD sometime in the future.
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