Friday, October 27, 2006

Sad News!


Heard today that Jenda Smaha died while on vacation in Africa. I was talking to him at the club recently and he mentioned how much he enjoyed it over there and even invited me to accompany him.
When Barbara and I showed Las Vegas and Reno with the Polack Show he always rolled out the red carpet and would take us on back stage tours of the Dunes or the Nugget.
He was the absolute King of the Casino elephant trainers.

Posted by Buckles at 10/27/2006 02:32:00 PM

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

The only other REAL elephant trainer I met while he was still working. Very nice man. His animals were always well kept and trained. Beautiful showmanship. A real professional.

27 October, 2006 14:55
Anonymous said...

How very odd that the last pet the police brought me two weeks ago. {beautiful white lab} had a tag with her name. Jedah Telephone number disconnected. She comes bearing young. So to remember her name I have been thinking of Jenda these past weeks. No disrespect to this wonderful intertainer, just thought it was odd.

27 October, 2006 15:00
Anonymous said...

It was great when Jenda and his wife came to the Nugget Casino in Sparks while I was presenting “Bertha & Angel”. They had a monkey act that was the variety act for the show for two weeks. They were very nice and told me many stories of getting and training “Bertha” for the circus, then brining her to Nevada in 1962. While he was performing with “Bertha” at the Nugget, he also took her down to perform on the Hollywood Palace television show. After he trained the first “Tina” he took both of them down. I think it was five appearances in two years and each time it was a completely new show.
Don Bloomer

28 October, 2006 13:07
shootstraight said...

A real unique individual. One hell of a trainer. He could walk an elephant through a crowded casino pit and most people would not even notice him. The customers were truly amazed as Tanya would throw the dice for them, or pull the handle of their slot machine. I still have some hair from her that Jenda pulled from her tail back stage at Hallelujeh Hollywood at the MGM in the "70"s, for Lisa to make a wedding ring out of. He was a character.

28 October, 2006 14:37
Anonymous said...

Jenda and I were dear friends for years.I was best man at his wedding to Rena.Rena is with Fritz in Jo-berg and in good hands. Patrick Nelson M.D. Durango CO.

29 October, 2006 14:22
Anonymous said...

The end of an era. An incredible showman, trooper, performer and friend. Oh,the memories. In the mid eighties while at a Tailhook Convention in Las Vegas, Pat Nelson, John Tucker and I would accompany Jenda and Tanya from his Las Vegas home to the Hilton in his big truck. Jenda was appearing there with Suzanne Sommers. Tanya would bound out of the truck onto the back loading dock and head, unaccompnied, to the stage, to receive her nightly loaf of bread from the lighting crew. Upon devouring it, Tanya would cross the stage to the greetings of the showgirls, which she greatfully acknowledged and back herself into a small elevator to go one floor down to her, "Dressing Room". There, she awaited the cue for her first appearance on stage. I have never been so close to an elephant as we were, all pressed together, those nights. We'll miss you, friend. God Bless you and Rena

Jack Crosthwait, Huntington Beach, CA

29 October, 2006 15:51
Anonymous said...

John Goodall
Hi John ,
The photo, of "Bobby" was taken on the 19th of June 1988 .I believe he was in his early twenties . Apparently he is still alive and is now in south Africa .

Lee

10 November, 2006 13:26

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