Wednesday, September 05, 2007

Tex Carson Circus #4


Scan000010098, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

In 1956 Mr. Moore augmented his show by hiring the Ed Widiman elephant act. We camped on their lot one day in Haxton, Colorado.
My dad had us all pose for this picture (you can see his shadow in the foreground).
At left Mr. Widiman with "Dorothy", "Peggy" and "Zetta". In the center "Mabel" and Chief and at right "Anna May", "Fanny" and "Lydia".

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Is Lydia one of the elephants that Mr. Miller rented to Bobby Gibbs?
Bill Galloway

Buckles said...

Yes it is.

Anonymous said...

These photos bring back wonderful memories for me. Late in that season a professional jealousy took place between Ed Weidaman and Blondie Ward over their two dog acts that appeared together in a two ring display. [It was a two middle piece top with two rings]. In the heat of the beef they both blowed, Ed taking his elephants and Blondie taking his lady friend, Marie Loder with her organ. Show was owned jointly by Dory Miller, Agent Tom McLaughlin and Jack Moore. Acouple trucks still had the "Dan Carson" name on the side door.

So Tom visited us out in Liberal, Kns. and told his dileama to me and Gil. Gil had a five week lay off coming up prior to a late closing in El Paso, so we made a deal and I jumped with truck-trailer, two semis[elephants, camels-llamas and ponies to join Tex Carson in Abernathy, Tex.

It was like reliving my childhood on KM and I loved every minute. I also brought our organist, Mildred Welby, so we brought music back to the show as well.

Jack Moore dressed in cowboy clothes would announce the show and he would introduce two rings of military ponies trained and presented by "Tex and Tessie Carson" [me and Mary Ruth]. Later we work3ed our other acts as well. Jack had a nice six chocolate colored matched liberty act he bought from Vernon Pratt and he worked it himself. The Indian ,Cherokee, was the one person animal Supt. taking care of Mabel the elephant, horses, caged side show animals and a crippled camel. Each morning when we arrived on the lot Mary Ruth would comment that nthe horses were tied out to the trailor with their trappings on so early in the day. I did not to advise her that Cherokee never took the trappings off. Only the bridles were hung on a check, circus style. more later.

Anonymous said...

She was my favorite elephant when Bobby played Rochester for M&M. The newspaper had picture of her with a snow shovel when we were tying to get the show out on one of our typical February snow storms.If I recall correctly, she did the "restaurant gag", but I could be wrong. Bill Galloway

Buckles said...

Right again. When my father trained the number, Lydia was the "customer" and Anna May the "arresting officer".

wanda moore said...

I believe johnny was mistaken about one comment....Tom McLaughlin never owned any amount of Carson and Barnes Circus.
People were always claiming part ownership,but were never around in the winter time.
Best Regards,
Wanda Moore

Anonymous said...

Wanda, I did not suggest Tom with Carson-Barnes. Only his affiliation with Tex Carson. I believe I am correct in that assumption.

Buckles said...

Does anyone know the whereabouts of Dick McLaughlin? A great guy.
He and I and Jimmy Rossi used to romp around the Oklahoma plains.

Casey McCoy Cainan said...

I believe Mr. Dick McLaughlin resides near San Antonio somewhere. I am sure Termite would have a number or address for him.

wanda moore said...

johnny,
tex carson circus was the beginning of carson and barnes. Jack Moore changed the name again to Barnes and Bailey for a short time.
Tom was our agent for tex carson, never an owner

Liz Huddle said...

I'm just wondering - was this Jack Moore married to a Betty Pettit? They had two children, one who died and another named Laura Ida Moore, who was my great-grandmother.