Sunday, March 25, 2007

No. 61- Damoo Dhotre #1 with RBBB 1942

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Posted by Buckles at 3/25/2007 06:17:00 AM

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Richard Reynolds says - -

Great and widely circulated photo of Damoo with Champion, one of the Court spotted leopards. However, I believe it is misidentified as 1942. Though Damoo was one of the Court trainers that year (at least early in the year) he did not present the center ring act of leopards (spotted and black) black jaguars and pumas as he did in 1940 and 1941.

I asked Wilson Storey where the leopard act was in 1942. He said that it was with the Hamid Morton Shrine Circus from January to June 1942. The trainer was Mae Kovar. I have a nice write-up about her and the act with Hamid Morton for its appearance in Ottawa, Canada under auspices of the local Shine Club. After Hamid Morton, Court sent the act to the Goodman Wonder Shows (Max Goodman) - -a carnival. It was there from June to September 1942. Again , the trainer was Mae Kovar.

The Parkinson Library, (CWM) has lot of correspondence between Court and North about his acts. It proves that for 1942 Court replaced the center ring leopard act with a brand new mixed act framed around some new young tigers that had been purchased by Court in 1940 and brought to Sarasota WQ . The new act also had lions and a spotted leopard and puma.

On October 19, 1941 Court memorialized his 1942 arrangement by a letter to North. In it he said that for 1942 - - “This (new) act will take the place of the actual “panther’s act.”

Court also recited a further understanding, to wit:

“ It is then well understood that , as soon as the actual season will close (1941), I will either dispose of the panthers act - -I will either sell this act or book it; but as you asked me - - not to use my name in the case of eventual booking in this country. I agree with you on that and I give you the absolute guarantee that never my name will be used in any way. As long as some of my acts are booked with your show, my name belongs exclusively to you.”

And, as noted Court did indeed book the leopard act with other shows in 1942 but not under his name.

A new arena was needed for the new act. In that same letter Court said - -

“ Now it is something on which I must attract your attention: the arena in which the leopard act is working actually is too small, and not strong enough to have lions and tigers in it; we will have to use your aluminum arena which is in Sarasota.”

I really liked the panther act (as Court called it) and was disappointed that it was not on the show when I saw it in Atlanta in October 1942.

25 March, 2007 14:25
Anonymous said...

Thanks, Richard for your very informative and interesting comments.

25 March, 2007 17:36
Bob Cline said...

As always, Mr. Reynolds provides us all with an insightful look into Circus History!

A couple questions for Mr. Reynolds.

Didn't Damoo's act go out on the 1946 James Edgar's Sparks Circus? It's been years since I read his book, but when did Damoo stop performing? You mentioned that you had corresponded with him at times when we visited at the CHS convention.
Kindest regards,
Bob

26 March, 2007 06:07
Anand Dhotre said...

Hi,
This is Anand Dhotre from India.

The International Circus Artist Damoo Dhotre was my Great Grandfather. I have some very good collection of Historical photographs of Damoo Dhotre and Circus.

Also I am doing Research on Damoo Dhotre’s life and on Circus industry.

So anyone wants to share some information please feel free to contact on Email is dhotre.anand@gmail.com

Regards,
Anand Dhotre

20 January, 2009 09:29

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