Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Information needed!

I just had a phone conversation with Rob Houston who is seeking info on lion trainer Dick Kelly.
I remember him from Paul Kelly's place in Peru but know very little about his background or career.
Mr. Houston does not use a computer so any comments may be sent here or to my eMail address.
Buckles

Posted by Buckles at 12/12/2006 10:48:00 AM

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bob Houston is one of the great circus historians.

Bob, buy a computer so you can join our group. Your comments will be most welcome.

12 December, 2006 11:14
Anonymous said...

Wasn't this the lion act that was at Circus World Museum when it first opened in 1959? Would their archives have any records of it?
Also, Mrs. Dorothy Kelly of Peru, Indiana would I'm sure have some recollections of this act. Perhaps also the Circus Hall of Fame.

Another great cat act historian is Tom Hendricks,from Toledo, OH, who could contribute much to this great blog site. He too is without a computer.

Buckles, John Herriott, Bill Strong and myself all took an oath that we would never own a computer.
Look at us now!

12 December, 2006 11:25
Anonymous said...

I knew Dick Kelly. He had worked for Terrel Jacobs at one time and was from Kokomo I believe. He got involved with Paul Kelly and did work a lion act during the Jules Jacot time at Paul Kellys. He was a handsome black man, tall like a pro athlete. He was presented with Safari wardrobe and beret like Jules and used the stage name of Phillepe Montrell. With implications of French Tunisia, Algiers, etc. All quite effective. I have lost track of him over the years. I am quite sure he was part of an animal act contingent from Paul Kelly that performed at the Circus World Museum in 1960.

12 December, 2006 13:39
Anonymous said...

Dick Kelly was a soft spoken,seemed to be resoably educated and had a nice personal appearance. There was another father-son combination that had a lion act and then a four horse liberty act my Dad trained and sold them that were A frican American. This was 1946 and their acts were booked on Bob Atterbury tent show [probably called Lee Bros, or even Atterbury Bros. I am not sure] and their name was Costello. They were professional painters of interiors of churches or some such thing. Two pretty sharp guys with good business sense, as I recall.

12 December, 2006 13:54
Anonymous said...

This man is the one I have been asking about for so long. Eugene and I looked him up when we were at Paul and Dottie Kellys. He owned a bar and visited many times to learn about the cats as neither one of us had ever seen the act before. He was very friendly and fun to be around. He bought my 38 police special that we used in the act. That money saw us back to Hugo. Eugene is wearing the gun in that picture of the two of us. He was a very nice looking man and a big help. So part of my puzzel is solved.

12 December, 2006 14:55
Anonymous said...

Buckles,
I'm at the CWM Library right now. I'll be glad to ask tomorrow. I need to call Rob Houston when I get home anyway.
Bob Cline
( Sorry I can't remember my password to log in up here. )

12 December, 2006 20:34

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