 We've discussed if this trick is something we'd present today. Probably not but consider the training. Johnny Herriott told me that they would "crown the king of beasts" and Jacot would snap his whip and all the females stretched around the cage would roar -- must have been spectacular. Jules also had the"world's largest snapping turtle" -- a lion would crawl into a turtle shell and growl and snap across the stage. The shows were normally about 25 to 30 minutes long and you'd see a variety of tricks.  |
Monday, March 19, 2007
Jules Jacot #3
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2 comments:
This type of cat act would still go over big today. It is a shame ZOOs stopped the cat acts. Marlin Perkins was not interested in presenting the animals and I think the cause of death of cage acts at the ZOO. This would have been the perfect setting for ELOISE. Any ZOO would have been proud to have her train and present her mixed animal acts. She would have been a great crowd pleaser, useing all the different animals at the ZOO in the same arena.
Eloise worked at the Cincinnati Zoo when she was a teen-ager. She also worked her elephant Koa and trained her mixed cage act at the Toledo Zoo around 1964 - 65. She could have put together some interesting acts in St. Louis.
I always thought the reason they retired Jules and the Lion Show was when you had to get a 72 year old guy to run your business, you're probably in the wrong business. (Nothing personal Mr. Woodcock, I'm not that far behind you.) Finding competent people who can get along in the organization is a problem for zoos everywhere. That's why zoos like protected contact for elephants. Even if the keeper makes an error in judgement he or she will live to tell the tale. Also animal shows draw the interest of the a.r. crowd which tends to scare directors with a low testosterone levels.
That's it, my AARP magazine is here.
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