Friday, November 24, 2006

Unknown cat act.




This picture has been sent to me for identification.
The props look European. Seems like I have seen this picture before but with the background cropped out. Posted by Picasa

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Looks like a paste job to me. Some cats too close together like they are melting into each other.

Anonymous said...

Props look like a Court act. Jim Clubb would know.

Anonymous said...

I agree with anonymous (depending on who you are) just kidding, it does look a bit like ice cubes in August

Anonymous said...

Another photo of this laydown group of young lions and tigers are in the book "Pink Lemonade". The author credits the act as being trained by Alfred Court. Also in that photo one can see a puma and a leopard on seats towards the back.

The strange thing about this photo, is that the arena is not the classic "Alfred Court" style, but rather closely resembles the arena section design used by Clyde Beatty. (Dave Price, do you agree?).

I have a postcard dated 1950, showing a mixed act of lions and tigers at Benson's Animal Farm presented by Joe Walsh. In that photo, these same props are being used, the arena however is of the Court style.

Hopefully Roger, Dave and Jim Clubb will also respond to this.
It has my curiosity!

Anonymous said...

THIS IS THE LAST ACT COURT TRAINED BEFORE HE RETURNED TO EUROPE.JOE WALSH PRESENTED IT.I HAVE A FEW PHOTOS AND FILM OF IT.I DO NOT THINK IT WORKED FOR RINGLING!I WILL LOOK AT THE PHOTOS AND SEE IF I CAN TELL YOU WHOTS IN THE ACT.

Anonymous said...

Picture perfect !
& the mix is VERY good looking stagered together complementing each other .

Anonymous said...

Indeed, the arena is Beatty-esque, with specific details different. Note the clever use of the barrel, with seats designed for animals in formation. If we recall the old admonition, "If they're lookin' at yer props, you ain't got no act", these beautiful pedestals nevertheless deserve respect as striking of design and construction, and lend handsomely to this presentation. Today's comments serve to remind me, I've gotta send for Bob Goldsack's book on Benson's.

Anonymous said...

Richard Reynolds says - -

This very picture appears on p.49 of the 1942 RBBB program. So, Court it would seem. The leopard act was not on the '42 RBBB show. Court had it on other shows that year under another name per agreement with the Norths. It was brought back for 1944. This was told me by the late Willie Storey. For '42 Court broke a new act with tigers per Storey. This may be it.

Incidentally, when RBBB came to Atlanta in '43 the program advertised three rings of animal acts but there was only one - - in the center. It included polar bears. That I recall as well as if yesterday. Storey told me they sent the others back.

Anonymous said...

This is the last act Court trained in America. I have a number of photos of it and also some film, taken outside with Joe Walsh presenting it. The puma came from Larry Tetzlaaf, father of David Tetzlaaf, when he worked for Frank Buck. He said give me the largest and toughest puma you have. If you note, it is a big western puma, which though looked good are definitely more dangerous than the others. In fact, I know three trainers, including myself, who have had bad accidents with pumas. This act consisted of 6 tigers, 4 male lions, 2 leopards, 2 pumas and jaguar – but no bears. It had more tricks in than normal unless pyramids. I cannot shed any light on the mystery of the arena I am afraid. Joe Walsh definitely worked for Beatty.

Having just seen Jim Cole's postcard of Joe Walsh with the act at Benson's, it shows more tigers than I have stated above and this is definitely the act I have on film. So, maybe it was sold to Benson's, but the small cats were removed and more tigers were added. Until I check my records I cannot be sure.