Wednesday, March 05, 2008

Rice Bros. Circus 1936 #1 (From Buckles)


Scan000010928, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

These next five pictures were taken a year later 6/20/36 in Dubuque, Iowa when Buck Steele (Bucky's father) was featured with Rice Bros. Circus.
Do you suppose that wagon might have loaded on the flat bed directly behind it?

Posted by Buckles at 3/05/2008 06:25:00 AM

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I met 'Big Buck Steele' on a few occasions. He was Bucky Steele's dad and his son was Gee Gee's second husband.

He lived in New Orleans for several years and would visit our home in Seagoville, Texas every now and then.

Buck always seemed to be on the verge of pulling some sort of show together. He was planning and producing although I never personally saw the fruits of his labor materialize. He seemed to have some tall stories of his exploits, some of which Bucky would acknowledge.

Buck had two sons and a daughter as I recall. I don't know much about the daughter but his other son Gary Steele turned out to be a good friend of mine for several years. After attending Loyola University in New Orleans, Gary served in the Peace Corps and later worked for a company that fostered international development of impoverished nations. He spoke multiple languages.....I think 10...including many African dialects. In 1972 Gary and I took a road trip from Texas to Florida. I was a junior in College and during this trip he and I talked a lot about life and plans for the future. He was a real gentleman and a credit to our country. Gary was very intelligent and an inspiring individual.

Of course you all know the story of Bucky and his expertise with Elephants. He and I did not personally see eye to eye on many things but I respected knowledge of elephants and he taught me quite a lot about training elephants over several years. He was a taskmaster and probably one of hardest working men I have ever encountered.

Bucky passed away last year and I think he, Big Buck, Bill Johnson and Rex Williams are buried on Bucky's ranch outside of Tyler or Temple, Texas. Buke, Bucky's favorite elephant, is also interned with them.

Bill Powell

06 March, 2008 09:36
Anonymous said...

Bill Powell,
I think the Frank Sinatra lyrics, "I did it my way", were written exclusively for Bucky.
Wade Burck

06 March, 2008 10:13
Anonymous said...

iT is interesting that the great number of movie star cowboys would find the circus and the circus would find them to be a very good drawing attraction. So the circus wild west cowboys would invent themselves, or the circus press dept. would publicize them as having movie or Hollywood fame as well and the point being that so many convinced themselves of their Movie noterrioty that they would evan boast of their latest Hollywood goings on, such as reading a script, etc. I can recall a few.

06 March, 2008 11:54
Anonymous said...

Hey Billy...I remember when you lived on Haymarket, down the street from us. Please tell your mother I said Hello...

06 March, 2008 12:04
Anonymous said...

Margaret,
Haymarket!!!! You told me that was Lovers Lane.
Best wishes,
Wade

06 March, 2008 13:49
Anonymous said...

Wade,

My Way...well Bucky wrote his own script.

But it was more like MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY ....if you worked around him!

That was Bucky's tune

bill powell

06 March, 2008 22:48
Anonymous said...

Billy,
That's what I said, he did it his way. Give your mother a hug for me if you would, and keep her safe please. She's one of those "precious commodities" we hear about on the news.
Kind regards,
Wade Burck

06 March, 2008 23:44
Anonymous said...

Can anyone help?

I'm wondering when Robert "Bucky" Steele died? And also if Gary Steele is still living? I am writing a book that includes my Uncle's days as a trick rider for the Allen Bros Wild West Show. It has taken a long time but I was finally able to find Kay Allen (grandaughter of Charlie Allen Sr. & his first wife Rose (who later married Buck Steele.) Kay & I are now working together to search her family history. She knows that her Dad had two 1/2 brothers, Bucky & Gary Steele. We know Rose Smith Allen Steele died in 1974, but are looking for any info. Rose plays briefly into my book as well. Kay Allen has provided some amazing memorobilia from the Allen Bros shows & some wonderful old pictures. She does not know where or when her grandmother married Buck Steele, or when Bucky & Gary & a daughter were born.
Any help is greatly appreciated.

thanks,
Jane Williams

28 August, 2009 00:25
E.J. said...

Hi,
I knew a Robert "Buck" Steele in New Orleans - who was a circus star in his youth (I saw pictures of him doing his trick-riding act). He was always working on "The Great Circus Train" project. He and his wife - who worked for the city or for the tourism board as a translator/guide were very very kind to me. I'm sure he's passed now. I would love to visit his grave or speak with any of his children.
Do you know where I might start in a search?
Thanks
E.J.

18 July, 2014 14:37

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