 A long running pit show on the Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros. show was a female hippo with the mannish name of "Big Otto." Just when did she die? I have heard that it was a result of a highway accident in northern Alabama in either 1975 or 1976. Seems her trailer slid off the road. But which of those years was it? Richard Reynolds WHO WAS HANS BRICK? Does anyone have information about a wild animal trainer named Hans Brick? In 1960 he wrote a book, JUNGLE BE GENTLE, published in London by Peter Davies. In it he describes what must have been the most exotic animal act ever seen. On page 127 he described it as follows: “ A rhino with a gaudy macaw perched on his back led the most exotic group I ever trained. The act consisted of a rhino with his attending parrot, a hippopotamus, two goats, a zebra, a giraffe (with a chimp as jockey), and an Indian tapir. It was with Circus Novacek and Richter, and we made a world tour beginning in Egypt and ending in the Far East. This exotic group was a sensation with audiences wherever we went. “ I have never heard of an Indian (Malayan) tapir in a circus performance or for that matter a tapir of any species in the ring. I have no idea of what point in time this might have been. The cast of animals and the route of the tour make me think it was well before World War II. Further I never heard of the Circus Novacek and Richter; it sounds possibly German, Czech, or Hungarian. The book was published in 1960 so Brick must have been alive then. Who can help with this? Perhaps Henry Pendorff, Felipe Von Gilsa, or James Clubb?  |
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Questions from Richard Reynolds.
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7 comments:
Richard, when I first started working with animals we had a tapir at the park I worked at. It was quite tractable and had be handle and I beleive lead broke when it was young. I've read Hans Bricks book as well and have a copy here somewhere. Know he was a European trainer of many different types of animals, but books always seem to tell better stories than actual events. Have to to sell books unless the teller's are the Sunshine Boys LOL.
from Jim Stockley
re: Hans Brick..........
(there is more for those that care to visit John Turner's website
www.circusbiography.co.uk/
We had this enquiry over at Dr John Turner's "Two Centuries of British Circus People Discussion Forum" at http://pub34.bravenet.com/forum/
2891452389/fetch/1009293
Hello, My name is Clive Neunzer and my wife is trying to research my family tree. I was born in the circus back in 1935 my father was Hans Brick, wild animal trainer with Rosaire's Circus. As far as we have been able to find out he was the great grandson of Isaac Van Amburgh, his mother died in child-birth in 1889. What we are trying to find out is his mothers name also the name of Van Amburgh daughter who was mauled to death in 1883.and any more information on the Van Amburgh's maybe you could help me
Kindest regards, Clive Neunzer.
Dr John Turner replied.....................
Hello Clive, Thanks for your query. The following may be helpful, all from my published work. An appendix gives a revised, supplementary entry for Van Amburgh. Perhaps other visitors to this website can supply the missing information!
BRICK, Hans. Animal trainer. Father killed by one of his tigers, in the ring. His mother died in childbirth shortly afterwards (1889), so Hans was born an orphan. Brought up by a family of European circus artistes, who travelled the world with him. Learned clowning, tumbling, wire walking and wild-beast training. Became a member of an aerialist troupe and travelled the world. Trapped and collected animals for zoos. Noted with Chapman's circus, in 1932, at Kingston-on-Thames, with a comedy lion and a boxing kangaroo. Billed as Capt. Bruh. Spoke eight or nine languages. Billed as Hans Brick at the Colston Hall circus, Bristol, with his tiger act, for the 1933-34 season. In 1934 presented an all-animal show at Chessington Zoo. With Kayes Brothers' Circus Royal, 1934-35, with a lion act. Touring with Rosaire's circus, in 1935. At Chessington Zoo in 1939. At Wilson's Zoo, Glasgow, in 1942, presenting mixed animal groups. With Trevor's British and Allied Circus, in April 1944, with his lions. Presenting Sonya Allan's lions at Powell Brothers' circus, in 1946. With S. Burgess's 'Circus of Variety', Jersey then Guernsey, in 1949, with trained dogs. Booked, with Harry Hobbs, to present bears and dogs for Bert Loman's 'Goldilocks' pantomime, at Kettering. With Robert Brothers' circus, touring in 1950 with his lion act, replacing Carl Fischer when he went to Prince Cox at Rhyl. In charge of Robert Brothers' animals at the Burnham Beeches Zoo, Buckinghamshire, in 1951. Presented his chimpanzee 'George' at Southend Kursaal Circus, 1951-52. At Prince's circus, Rhyl, in 1952, touring with the stage company 1952-53. Back with the Chipperfields for a while in the mid 1950s. Billed at Dr Hunter's Belfast circus, 1953-54, with Robert Brothers' chimpanzees. Wrote the book `Jungle be Gentle' (Peter Davis, London, 1960), an excellent study of wild animal behaviour and training. In 1962 was living, with his wife, at Uxbridge, his eldest son Clive was due to marry in March 1962
(Sources - World's Fair, 30/12/1933, p.38, col.2; ibid, 1/9/1934, p.32, col.3; ibid, 15/12/1934, p.32, col.4; ibid, 15/12/1934, p.32, col.4; ibid, 26/10/1935, p.32, col.3; ibid, 17/6/1939, p.32, col.2; ibid, 29/8/1942, p.1, col.1; ibid, 19/2/1944, p.12, col.3; ibid, 20/8/1949, p.16, col.4; 26/11/1949, p.16, col.4; ibid, 15/7/1950, p.12, col.2; ibid, 2/9/1950, p.16, col.6; ibid, 4/8/1951, p.16, col.3; ibid, 15/12/1951, p.16, col.2; ibid, 5/1/1952, p.20, col.1; ibid, 2/8/1952, p.16, col.3; ibid, 1/8/1953, p.20, col.5; ibid, 24/10/1953, p.24, col.2; ibid, 31/10/1953, p.24, col.2; ibid, 2/1/1954, p.26, col.1; ibid, 19/11/1960, p.38, col.1; ibid, 24/2/1962, p.20, col.2; King Pole, #32, p.8 (April 1976); Circus Posters 1930-1960 (CFA, 1994), p.5; D. Jamieson, 'Chipperfield's Circus' (Aardvark 1997), p.31, p.83).
AMBURGH, Isaac Van. Wild animal trainer. Isaac A. Van Amburgh, born 1800, an American of Dutch origin but with some American indian blood, in Peekshill, New York. In 1820 appeared as a 'Lion King', at the New York Zoological Institute. One year later had his own show of trained animals. Exhibited performances of incredible daring at Astley's, under the direction of Ducrow and West, in 1838, paid a weekly salary of £300. Used a group of lions, tigers and leopards, all trained to perform, the first man to exhibit with such a mixed group. In 1839 he was at the Royal Theatre, Drury Lane, London, when the nobility were his patrons and even Queen Victoria saw him, on 10th, 17th and 24th January. On the third occasion she went behind the scenes to see the animals being fed. The first man to thrust his head between the jaws of a lion. His successor at Astley's was James Carter. Noted at Marlborough, with his menagerie, in 1841. The first to combine circus with menagerie, in the 1840s, and the first to make the sensation of driving eight horses in hand. Made a provincial tour of Britain in 1843, noted at Wirksworth in June and Kinross and Perth in August. In 1844 was in partnership with the American Richard Sands, with a circus, but business was poor and Sands left, the company being sold up in 1845, at Manchester. Returned to touring the halls and theatres. In 1847 starred in a scene from Eugene Sue's 'Wandering Jew', entitled "Morok the Beast Tamer", with a rare "melanic" or black tiger. A favourite of the Duke of Wellington, who commissioned Sir Edwin Landseer to paint his famous picture. Noted in Liverpool, in 1848. Died peacefully, in his bed, on 29th November 1868, at Philadelphia (Sources - World's Fair, 28/3/1925; ibid, 28/8/1926, p20, col.2; ibid, 28/12/1957, p.6, col.6; J.S. Clarke, "Circus Parade"(1936); Era Almanack, 1870; Turner, ‘Victorian Arena, the Performers’
Richard Reynolds adds re the hippo - -
Of course this photo is of wonderful old Lotus of the Barnes show, most celebrated hippo in circus history.
The Cole, later Kelly-Morris and then Beatty Cole female, Big Otto, was never out of her cage wagon (later semi-trailer) as far as I know though she could likely have been trained to do a walk around.
Again I need accurate information to pin down the date of her death. Help anyone?
I have a book authored by Hans Brick titled The Nature of the Beast, published by Crown Publishers, NY in 1962. It appears to be a US copy of the book Richard and other mention, complete with a description of the act with the rhino, Indian tapir and all on page 122.
Richard Reynolds’ further comments on Hans Brick - -
Thank you Dr. Turner for the detailed biographical information on Hans Brick.
The first date given therein is 1932 when he would have been 43 years old. I must assume that it was before that when he went to Egypt and the far East with the Novacek and Richter circus presenting the rhino, tapir et al mixed act.
Any clue about that? Anyone?
re: Big Otto
Richard, I don't know if this is true or not, but I got it from Julius Baumann, "Tippi the Clown", who drove the hippo truck on the show:
At the end of the 1978 season, the show came in a bit early, waited two weeks and then went down to play a date at Cutler Ridge Mall, on the south end of Miami. While in DeLand, there was a pretty harsh cold snap. Nobody gave any thought to Otto, who froze to death. Nobody even noticed until the show set up at the mall. Supposedly they still dinged people to see Otto, never mentioning that the hippo was dead. I recall the hippo truck smelling pretty bad, so maybe the public didn't notice anything funny.
I joined the show the next season, but didn't hear the story until several years later, when Julius was visiting the alley and we were cutting jackpots.
Elmo Gibb
Hello,
I am wondering if anyone knows what year circus animal-trainer Hans Brick died?
Also was Brick born in Germany or England or somewhere else?
Thanks,
Michael
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