Sunday, July 01, 2007

From Lois Hoover Collection #1


scan0030, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Mrs. Hoover allowed Jim Cole to send me these pictures for the Blog.
This is one of the Alfred Court acts appearing with the Ringling Show in the 1940's.
The eagle-eyed observed may spot Mr. Cole himself behind the camera at left.

Posted by Buckles at 7/01/2007 06:35:00 AM

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Now hold on....I'm not THAT old! I didn't start taking close up cat act photos until 1964, probably 20 years after this one was taken.

01 July, 2007 06:57
Anonymous said...

Thank you for clarifying that. I was thinking you had a really steady hand for such an old geazer!cc

01 July, 2007 07:59
Anonymous said...

Judging from the way the photographer is using a viewfinder that is over the top of the camera, the way he is holding it, and what is probably a spring-wind handle seen on the side of the box, this is probably a movie camera. With the big top still very white, it is early in the season permitting a lot of light to get through. Could this be Connecticut fan Bill Day well-known for his movies?
Dick Flint
Baltimre

01 July, 2007 12:59
24-HOUR-MAN said...

Definately not Jim Cole! In all the years I've known him, I never saw him in a suit.

01 July, 2007 14:07
Anonymous said...

OFF SUBJECT: I had a tape of RING OF FEAR, but just last week I received it again, included with 3 other films from "The John Wayne Suspense Collection". The others are Glenn Ford in PLUNDER OF THE SUN, William Campbell in MAN IN THE VAULT, and Robert Mitchum in TRACK OF THE CAT, all from Wayne's Batjac Productions, out of Warner Bros. I didn't order these, and no note came with them, so I don't know who to thank.

TO DICK FLINT: Are any of the Bob Day movies available for study?

01 July, 2007 17:24
Anonymous said...

Let me clarify that these photos were originaly from Dave Hoover's collection. Much like Buckles, besides being an animal trainer Dave was also a circus historian.

After Dave died last year, his wife Lois asked me to help her sell some of the cat act equiptment and the circus collection.

01 July, 2007 18:45
Anonymous said...

To Roger Smith: Many of the Bill Day movies were circulated on tape in the 1980s by current CHS president Bob Sabia. He arranged to copy those originals given to a Connecticut museum as well as some still in the Day family. Unfortunately, while I have seen many of Day's films, I now regret never having collected many videos so I can't tell you about specific content! Day was a fine movie photographer and the quality and color are excellent.

TO ALL: This points out the need for a guide to acts in the many old films of shows that circulate, and to where they can be found (museums, dealers). Lots of films of setup, etc., by fans but harder to find is more than a quick (and often dark) clip of an act, let alone much of the full routine. I remember Truzzi also looking for more than the very, very short clip of his act that exists and one of the senior Wallendas once told me the real act was assembling and disassembling the 7-man pyramid on the pedestal but he challenged me to find a movie of it! In more recent years, when video first made low-light filming possible, I've seen some performers documenting their acts. Surely, fans and performers might have filmed acts at the old outdoor Sarasota quarters.
Dick Flint
Baltimore

01 July, 2007 19:17
24-HOUR-MAN said...

We have had many old 8mm movies put on video,(very well done by Kenny Dodd, he even put the Kimris Music with the act). They are as you describe, very choppy, I think the problem you speak of comes from the constant need to stop & wind the 8mm camera.

Blogger seems to be experimentig with uploading videos onto blogs,if that comes about it will be fabulous, I know I have many that I would love to share.

02 July, 2007 02:12
Anonymous said...

To Dick Flint, About 15 years ago you were sent a set of video tapes that were copied from the late Harold Dunn film collection.

Much of it was filmed by Bill Day.....Remember?


Jim Cole, St. Cloud, FL

02 July, 2007 05:44

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