Saturday, September 02, 2006

Belle Vue Circus 1936 #5


Mons. Alfred and His Wild Animals

16. SKOLA BROTHERS, back to their School Days.

17. THE GREAT NAITTO TROUPE, Oriental Marvels on double wires.

18. THE FONTNER FAMILY, Polish Equestrians in Whirlwind Riding Thrills.

19. SENSATON of the CIRCUS WORLD, Mons. Alfred with his mixed group of fericious animals,
including Tigers, Polar Bears, Lions, Black Bears and Panthers, the most thrilling act before the public.

20. FINALE..............GOD SAVE THE KING.

(This is my favorite ad in the Program.)

THOS. E. PEARSE............Deformity.........Invalid.........and Surgical Appliances.
Trusses, Crutches, Enemas, Artificial Limbs, Knee Caps, Catheters, Elastic Stockings, Pessaries, Leg Instruments, Syringes, Belts (for ladies, gents and childen) Medical Batteries and Spinal Supports.
56-58 DOWNING ST. ARDWICK GREEN, MANCHESTER. Telephone- ARDwick 3250.

Posted by Buckles at 9/02/2006 11:47:00 PM

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I guess Mons. Alfred is Alfred Court. According to his book he had his act on circuses about Europe and mentions a few shows in England but not Belle Vue 1936. The props resemble some early Court props, same for the monogram. Jim Clubb can tell us the composition of the act and who did what.

03 September, 2006 15:16
Anonymous said...

And I hope he will. Washed-up old cagehand that I am, I can't get enough of it.

04 September, 2006 00:10
Anonymous said...

This was one of the famous 22 animal acts. Once again, Anton presented it most of the time at Belle Vue and Alfred Court only on the opening night and some of the evening shows. Schultz was there the year after with an almost identical act. This is where allegedly Schultz was arrested for doing the Hitler salute when the played the national anthem at the end of the show. The act usually consisted of 8 male lions, 3 polar bears, 2 Himalayan bears, 3 leopards, 2 tigers and 2 great dane dogs, and sometimes a jaguar. The act varied from 18 to 22 animals. It consisted of 5 pyramids with a few single and double tricks in-between, like the dogs pulling a card with the two bears drinink milk from the bottles, sitting inside. At the end of each pyramid the trainer and assistant would drive all the animals off the pyramid from behind and separate them on the floor - quite amazing! I've mentioned before there were always substitute animals - particularly the tigers - a different two tigers worked in the matinee to the evening performance. And likewise the leopards, and sometimes the lions. This is how he made the next act.

05 September, 2006 11:27

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)