Friday, December 28, 2007

Robbins Bros. Circus (Aftermath)


Scan000010626, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

The Robbins title was only used for one season, this wagon seen some time later at the Rochester, Indiana winter quarters.
After Jess Adkins sudden death, Zack reorganized the Cole Show and continued on for another ten years.
Big Bob Stevens used the Robbins title in 1949 (a show we were with, I was 14) and lastly the office manager for Kelly-Miller (Jack Smith?) took a show out of Hugo, Okla. in 1965 he called Robbins Bros. and had the distinction of being the only one to use a bail ring tent but it only lasted about as long as Bill Clinton in the Army.

Posted by Buckles at 12/28/2007 06:07:00 AM

7 comments:

Casey McCoy Cainan said...

Mr. Woodcock,
I am reading a book by, Jack Bennett; Nothing Funny About A Dead Elephant It mentions your family several times,working on same show as the author. Have you read this book? Is it relatively accurate?

28 December, 2007 08:24
Buckles said...

I remember Jack well, he worked as a prop hand when we were with Kelly-Miller in the early 50's.

28 December, 2007 08:44
Casey McCoy Cainan said...

If you don't have the book, and would like to. It is yours, just post an address for delivery. It has a photo of your father with some elephants inside. The cover (is torn) has a photo of Mel Silverlake, trying to push an elephant into a truck.

28 December, 2007 08:55
Buckles said...

Thanks but I already have a copy.
Jack himself is quite a character, I used to correspond with him from time to time.

28 December, 2007 09:01
Eric said...

Even though the Robbins show was only on the road for one season, its title was immortalized by ROBBINS BROTHERS TRIUMPHAL MARCH by O.A. Gilson. This march (which is a particularly good one) was dedicated to “Harry James.” Most everybody assumes that this is the famous trumpet player/band leader. (That Harry James did in fact come from a circus background as his father was a circus bandleader). However, Bill Pruyn was of the opinion that the dedication was to another Harry James who was in circus management.

28 December, 2007 17:38
Anonymous said...

Buckles,
Jack Bennett had the outside novelty joint on Sid's show in 1973. One of his more legendary moments happened in Chicago, when he sold a circus fan one of Sid's fold-up ticket boxes, claiming it had come from the Al G. Barnes show. It was shortly after that, he and Sid parted company. First count was the order of the day, and Birdliver dolls (the canvas boss at the time) were a hot commodity on the novelty joint.
Happy New Year,
Erik Jaeger

28 December, 2007 18:35
pukibear said...

Hello can you tell me if the Arthur of "Nothing funny about dead Elephants" Jack Bennett the same Jack Clark Bennett from Pauls Valley, OK. Son of George & Savannah Bennett? If he is he was a friend of the family years ago. I knew he was with the Kelly-Miller Circus and also the Hagen Brothers Circus. Thanks, Terry

21 March, 2012 21:17

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