Saturday, April 26, 2008

Red Show 1978 #1 (From Toby Styles)


GGWelephant, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Attached some pictures I took at the Ringling show in Knoxville Tn in 1978. I was down there to see the first African elephant they had born.
You will notice the bandage on Gunther's hand it had been bitten a day or two before by a leopard while doing a commercial (I think for American Express). I spoke to him briefly, he was in a lot of pain and they cut the teeter board that night.

I believe the girl in white is Dolly Jacobs but not 100% sure.

Keep up the good work.

Toby

Posted by Buckles at 4/26/2008 06:21:00 AM

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think GGW wrote about this in his autobiography. He was holding Kenny, who got startled and "attacked" him. I think you were correct about it being an American Express commercial.
-Chris

26 April, 2008 21:08
Anonymous said...

As the promoter of the Knoxville date that year, yes the injury did happen while shooting the American Express commercial. The script called for Gunther to use both a tiger and the leopard as part of the commercial. The portion with the tiger was shot without incident and the portion with the leopard on his shoulders did not go so easily. The cat did not like the feel of the business suit Gunther was wearing for that commercial, or so Gunther kept telling me and the production crew. After many attempts to get the cat to lay across his shoulders, he finally bit Gunther. We took him to the hospital where the emergency room doctor said that the puncture wounds were deep and would be painful. Gunther also had an adverse reaction to the first medication that was prescribed. As was my experience with Gunther he downplayed the injury as if it was a minor convenience. I was also the promoter in Memphis when he had his foot crushed on a train car coupling and had to miss performances. In that case the specialist at the hospital told him he would be off his feet for several weeks to recover. In typical Gunther style he laughed and was back performing in a matter of days not weeks.

David Rosenwasser

27 April, 2008 06:49
Buckles said...

One day while in rehearsal for the Blue Show I was chatting with Gunther by the ring barn when my wife came by with a leopard "Nirvana" on a leash.
Having forgotten something she said, "Hold her for a minute, I'll be right back!" No sooner had she left than something startled the cat and she took off like a shot, wrapping her leash around my legs and despite my frantic Mexican Hat Dance, ran out of slack and bit me on the calf.
Gunther helped me get untangled and after a period of trying to keep a straight face said, "You might need a shot for that."

27 April, 2008 07:19
Bob Cline said...

I find Mr. Rosenwasser's comment quite intriquing. I always thought that one of Gunther's many accolades was he NEVER missed a performance.
Bob

27 April, 2008 09:13
Buckles said...

John Herriott has a great story about the foot injury.
It seems that the only thing he couldn't do was lift the bridge off the pedistals during the tiger act.
Henry Schrorer was called in to save the day................!

27 April, 2008 09:26
Anonymous said...

Hi,
do somebody now what Henry Schroer do actualy now or where he life !
I remeber him last time in Circus Barum (Germany) !?

Thanks everybody !!!

27 April, 2008 12:18
Anonymous said...

I believe that the American Express commercial was shot in '75'. I was on the show and if I remember correctly he was bitten during the day and taped an apperance for the Johnny Carson show that night. Goober was a pisser.. that's for sure.

I also would love to hook up with Henry again. We spent many years traveling overland togeather.

The salad days my friends.

28 April, 2008 00:50
Anonymous said...

Checked the date on my slide and it was 1978. Also checked the african elephant studbook and the 1st calf in the western hemisphere was born in Knoxsville in 1978 sired by Diamond (ex Ringling bull).

Toby Styles

28 April, 2008 11:18
Anonymous said...

If my memory serves me correctly GGW had his forarm chewed up for the American Express-Tonight show appearances.

He was once kicked by a horse in the 'nads' and did the next show with about 10 lbs of ice stuffed down his tights. For a minute I thought he was Elvin Bale.

29 April, 2008 14:13
Henry said...

I just stumbelt agross this webpage and it is amazing how you guys can remember all this things after all this years.This is Henry Schroer writing and I live in New Zealand now working for Weber Bros Circus. The are German imigrants that came to Australia in the 60tis
and have now 3 Shows, 1 in Australia and 2 in New Zealand. I stoped working with animals a long time ago and was the office manager
on the show untill I retired 6 months ago. I still help out if the need me.About Gunther and the American Express commercial, after we did the same line, The American Express card, dont leave home without it, for the 50iet time I told Gunther that Kenny had enough and was getting pissed of. But he said in typical Gunther stile, he has enough wen I tell him he has enough. Since the where taking only head shots with Kenny laying across his shoulders I was kneeling right behind Gunter so I could grap the lead when Kenny jumped down. And then the cat deceidet instead of jumping down to attack Gunthers left arm and bit him about 5 or 6 times, as fast as a rattlesnake.He had about 70 stiches in the hospital. But that was about 3hours in to the taping so we could not blame the cat.Gunther did work that night and yes I took the pyramid down for a few days but he was a tough cookie and keept going.

28 June, 2008 19:55
Henry said...

Hi Buckles,
was really surprised to see your web log.I never had anything like this and I think its great.
Was just thinking of you the other day because we just purchased a African Elephant incl.Trainer from a smale Show that closed up.
No respect, does what he wants and the trainer is so unsure of himself that he most likley has nightmares about waking up and going to work. The keep askin me for advise but want it for free. No thank you.If the would pay me 1000,- bucks for everythime I had this big knot in my stomach and the urge to visit the badroom I will give them some advise. And I would get some serios money.
Anyway, its great to have found you
and I hope we can comunicate again.
My email is circuswagen@xtra.co.nz
Give my love to Barbara
Henry Schroer

29 June, 2008 03:06

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