Tuesday, January 02, 2007

From Richard Reynolds




Buckles - - Here's a photo of the Singer's elephants at Midget City at Balboa Parak, San Diego, during the 1935-36 California Pacific Exposition. I believe that's Ziggy at the right, Fritzie on the left and Mitzie in the middle. As I recall, Ziggy went from San Diego to the Brookfield zoo shortly after this photo was taken. He became a magnificent animal. When I frist saw him at the zoo in early 1960, my jaw dropped. His mighty tusks scraped the floor as he moved around. I had never before seen such a male elephant.

Richard Reynolds Posted by Picasa

Posted by Buckles at 1/02/2007 02:46:00 PM

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

The young man in the center is setting in my favorite "LION TAMEING CHAIR" I had quite a collection as they became hard to fine and I bought as many as I could find. I used the chair as some used a pole. It was easier for me as I only weighed 85 pounds and was 5 foot tall.

02 January, 2007 15:46
Anonymous said...

I have two chairs like that left; I suppose that they’re only for nostalgic reasons now. My chair gag (stolen from the best) carried me for most of my clown career. I tried to be a clown of few props: A chair, a hat, a cane, and what ever I stumbled upon.

02 January, 2007 18:24
Anonymous said...

Rebecca is right. At one time these bentwood chairs were hard to find, but now they are back in manufacture. Like everyone else, I glommed all I could find in old hotel lobbys, flea markets, and places I dreaded to enter voluntarily, like taverns. I kept a dozen or so for too many years, and when I left Texas for the West Coast, I 86ed the more decrepit ones, and kept just the one I have now.

I trust all circus people know it is very bad luck to use these types of chairs for sitting.

02 January, 2007 19:56
Anonymous said...

Roger, Mine never had seats on them. I did buy two chrome chairs in this style for the breezeway with a small glass toped table. More for looks then useful to use. If I run across a picture I will send it to you.

02 January, 2007 21:10
Anonymous said...

Roger; I was not aware of the bad luck from sitting on those chairs, however I do recall trainers when in the cage with young cats and getting them accustomed to sit quietly on their seats for a period of time, to put the chair in its upright position and sit in it, maybe smoking a cig. etc. I have observed this a number of times. Notably Joe Horwath, Charlie Zerbini and others. Haven't you used the chair for that purpose?. Being the smoker trainer Red Hartman was I can sure visiulize him doing just that. In fact in Indianapolis one morning with Hubert Castle cats that is exactly what he was doing.

03 January, 2007 09:01
Anonymous said...

I am certainly not a cat trainer nor presenter but always have been interested in all forms of animal training. I recall that quietly sitting in center of the cage a very important part of the training, in that as the trainer sat with quiet all around, he would not one of the cats getting a little bored or fidgetty on its seat and he would point a straight whip towards the cat and call its name. This not only seat broke the cat, but taught the cat its name as well. Very important in all forms of animal training. With all young animals we like to spend alot of time just getting them to know their names. Maybe Mr. Clubb or Dr. Marcan could express some thoughts along those lines.

03 January, 2007 09:27
Anonymous said...

I would suggest that my old friend Dave Hoover would sit down in a heart beat and chewing on his seegar tell the cats to be good boys and girls or he would get angry with them ad no telling what would be in store for them.

03 January, 2007 09:31
Anonymous said...

Hey Wade, What ye thinks? Maybe it is hard to sit until you can extract that whip, but then the chair doesn't have a seat in it. All kidding aside maybe you and some of the other young trainers can bail me out or put me to shame. I'm an old man like an old fire horse dreaming that the bell is ringing.

03 January, 2007 10:18
Casey McCoy Cainan said...

Mr. Woodcock, I would like to thank you for great entertainment and education I received from your blog over the last month and a half. Shipping out for tour of duty today, and internet is hard to come by. I wish everyone a great season in 07' and hopefully just a few get stuck in a clown wig for spec. Luckily I am off for the OTHER Bailey show.

03 January, 2007 10:27
Anonymous said...

Not sitting on a bentwood chair is more a personal superstition than a fact of bad luck. But no, I never sat on one. The very idea gives me the willies.

03 January, 2007 13:14
Anonymous said...

Did Red Hartmen ever show you the stitches it took to close the wound from his groin to his knee when "CUBBY" drug him off that chair John H. ? One of the worse mauling he ever got. One of many for hot dogging in the arena.

03 January, 2007 14:57
Anonymous said...

Johnny, Truth be told, the whip has never been uncomfortable. I actually think it has made me sit up straighter, and taller over the years. I am forever grateful to you for suggesting its placement. The only time I saw a chair used was when I worked for Lou Regan, and yes he used to sit on it, as soon as the cats were let out, not before. Went to Vienna yesterday, and saw the Spanish Riding School and thought of you. Best wishes for a new year, friend. Wade Burck

04 January, 2007 03:51
Anonymous said...

We are talking of about 49 years difference in style and training here. Some things can and never will change. Thank god. The cats are all different and the way they are trained is different. Leopards were my cats to work with. If you have never been in an arena with cats there is no way you can tell another person what and how to train them. Arm chair trainers can be a pain in the ass weither that chair be used as a prop or to set in watching another work inside the arena. Wade has lasted longer in the arena he works in then most. I never have judged anothers ability by the number of stitches his or her body has. If you can last as long as Wade with all your parts intact thats a good sign. The mind might be something entirely different.

04 January, 2007 07:59
Anonymous said...

They should have sawn Ziggy's tusks off(in front of the pulp cavity of course)
but I dont think they could get anywhere near him.
Reportly Ziggy was "mentally unbalanced" even when not in musth.
At the time he was reported to be the largest elephant in America,with a shoulder height of around 9 feet 8 inches tall.

06 January, 2007 12:59

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