Saturday, February 24, 2007

From Harry Kingston

I just finished watching the C. B. DeMille's film, The Greatest Show on Earth, for the 500th plus time. I get a soft spot in my heart and a few tears seeing it as that will never be seen again except on film.
In the scene where Charlton Heston takes Gloria Grahame out form under the elephants foot and away from Lyle Bettinger the movie elephant trainer.
Heston then turns the elephant over to I think he said Arky and is that Arky Scott the real Ringling elephant trainer and he finishes the elephant act in the film????
Then the street parade scene the man in the blue towards the camera leading the elephants with the bull hook is that Smoky Jones or Hugo Schmitt?????
Thanks again so much for your fantastic blog so I can get my circus fix every day and you taking your time to put it all on the net for us fans that love the circus.
Harry Kingston
Beaumont, Texas

Posted by Buckles at 2/24/2007 05:50:00 AM

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I also just saw this movie again & I concentrated on a number of interesting facts concerning the Filming of it that " Mr. Harry Kingston recently stated " ; especialy the Color , Lighting & Special Camera work ( inside & outside )that is just Outstanding.
C.B.D. cirtainly had an Artistic Passion for the Technical Quality & Beauty , the TMC TV Narator also stating this fact!
C.B.D.s movie of the Circus is one to be rembered for me ; by the Colorfull Unique Rich Atmousphier it Conveighed of " a Circus " - on the Screen ! ; similar to what I like to see & remember forever in my own " Minds Eye " ! & I assume stimulating the numerous personal experences & memories that " the Circus " houses within its Walls , Lots & Trails for " All " who have been there.
I can also say heartfelt ; I have been interested in every Tale , Memory & Experiance that any Circus Trooper has had to offer , from repairing a weld or a garmet , to what Kitty said , to where & how to focus walking a wire , to where & how to put your thumb when putting ones Head in a Lions Mouth , to Philosophying a Fresh New Act - & always look forward to the NEXT ONE ! The Topics / Plots are always Strong & Fasinating . Lets Keep em Commen Everyone & maby with all the New Film Makers out there Today there will be some more Fine Movies made to also enjoy ; Help & Promote -
" the Circus "
its Nobal Nomadic Lifestyle !
& its Values & its Virtues !

24 February, 2007 11:56
Anonymous said...

Does anyone know who the elephants are that were used in this movie?

24 February, 2007 12:57
Anonymous said...

Brad's command was, "Arky! Take over!" Indeed, it was Arky Scott. He was at Jungleland with us, and told me he had 6 months on that picture. He also had dialog in the film, if you remember him telling Ruth to put down the paper she had picked up during tear-down. It was the story of how a mysterious doctor had euthanized his dying wife, and this was James Stewart's Buttons character. Arky also worked elephants for the duration of both FRONTIER CIRCUS, and CIRCUS BOY television series.

This is easier to put into focus when you realize that Louis Goebel was the first to be called for exotic animals in film work. His famed Lion Farm,founded in 1923, evolved into World Jungle Compound, and in my time there, it was Jungleland. We had no serious competition until the mid-60s, when a handful of new movie animal firms arose.

To Diane: Ruth and Minyak were called by name in GSOE. Outside that, I'll leave it to the true elephant historians to name the others.

24 February, 2007 17:15

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