From Merle Evans to Irvin Feld

Scan000010874, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. Mr. Evans making finale during the final years of the Ringling Show under canvas accompanied by these articles concerning Mr. Feld's involvement immediately following the transition to Ball Parks and Arenas. 1) "Ringling-Barnum on Trucks Season of 1957" by Fred Pfening in the July-August 1994 issue, pages 4-15, quotes the July 8, 1957, Billboard saying the the Feld brothers had a "very successful" Roanoke date on July 2-3 and they would know the following week whether they would be associated with future Ringling dates. The Felds also promoted the Washington, D.C., stand at Griffith Stadium, the first time outdoor rigging was used. The Bandwagon article states that Harry S. Dube, longtime program publisher, was the unlikely appointee to handle booking for the 1957 sesson. Harry Lashinsky, a friend of Rudy Bundy, was consulted though he did not book any engagements that first season. Lashinsky later did became an important promoter and might have been a potential buyer of the show except he was reaping success in the late '60s with his horse show, a big winner in buildings across the US that made him and his sons wealthy. 2) A 1973 Interview with Art Concello by Tom Parkinson in the September-October 2001 issue, pages 7-28: This is a thorough Q&A with questions by the former circus editor of Billboard. Concello reveals that the show, short of money, did not have the money to hire its own promoters those first couple of years and, says Concello, it would have taken a few years to get them experienced to be successful. So experienced outside promoters were used except for about 12 weeks that were promoted by buildings themselves (MSG, etc.) and the following outside promoters were used--Feld and Harry Lashinsky got about 15 dates each as the seasons wore on and Martell Brett had 10-12 while Warner Buck got 5-6 west coast dates. Concello, the man in charge with North in Europe, answered Parkinson's direct question about Feld having any different deal: "Feld wanted them all. I said Oh, s---, you ain't never gonna get me in a position where you get them all. So I never would let Feld have over fifteen towns." Nor would he have allowed others such as Lashinsky for he was one smart operator.