Monday, December 17, 2007

To Jimmy Hall


Scan000010588, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

This picture from the RBBB '41 Route Book.
I was told that each team wore an ox-yoke from which the throne was suspended.
Walter McLain can be seen at left, also the two Africans "Puqua" and "Sudan" in the center.
Reynolds was on the show at this time but not on elephants. He was up around the front end and in fact Chauffered George Smith, the show's manager around.
Makes a good story tho.

Posted by Buckles at 12/17/2007 01:06:00 PM

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Richard Reynolds says - -

Note the Two Jesters steam calliope circling the track in the background. It was the blow off. I think this was the first time a steam calliope was used in a spec. I can shut my eyes and still see it coming around the track.

I have always felt that this spec was the greatest ever produced by the show. That King Cole throne suspended between two teams of elephants was the most dramatic ever.

The Two Jesters steamer was used again in 1942 but its beautiful carvings were hidden behind panels proclaiming “Happy New Year.”

The Jesters also brought up the rear of the “Hold Your Horses” spec in 1943. However, the day I saw it in Atlanta it was not steamed up. It just rolled silently by - -very disappointing. That was the Monday matinee (first show) and perhaps the fireman did not get around to firing it up in time.

1943 was the Jesters last time on the road, even though it is in the background of the cover of the 1944program. That cover showed the beautiful Ernestine Clark on horseback. Lou Jacobs is kneeling, offering her a rose. The program called the picture “The Beauty and the Buffoon.” The picture must have been taken in 1943 in order to have been on the cover of the ’44 program.

However, the ’44 “Pantos Paradise” spec did indeed have Ernestine riding side saddle on the horse with Jacobs following and genuflecting from time to time to offer the rose.

17 December, 2007 15:53
Anonymous said...

Thanks Buckles
The color shot shows a bit of the rigging on second team.

17 December, 2007 18:42
Anonymous said...

If the Two Jesters steamcalliope was in spec every day I'll bet there were more than one show it was silent. Seeing that most parts for steam calliopes were hand made,break downs ,which would have been inevitable, would have taken quite an effort

18 December, 2007 09:20

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