| Here are two photos of a man, who accomplished so much in animal training. In the beginning he used an adapted corn crib for an arena. |
Friday, February 06, 2009
Wayne Franzen #1 (From Dion Younger)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Contributors
Recent Comments
Retirement Fund
Favorite Links
- Circus Historical Society
- Circus News
- Circus Fans Association of America
- Showfolks of Sarasota
- Arkansas Elephant Sanctuary
- Jim's "All My Days are Circus Days"
- Pat Cashin's Clown Alley
- Bill Strong's Yesterday's Towns
- Circus Links
- Circus Model Builders
- Magic Gallery
- Tim Perkins Blog
- Trumble's Carson & Barnes Blog
- Dick Dykes
- Wade G Burck
- Chuck Mayo
- The Circus Blog
- Jackie LeClaire
Subscribe
Blog Archive
- March 2023 (15)
- February 2022 (5)
- November 2021 (33)
- October 2021 (3)
- September 2021 (61)
- August 2021 (37)
- May 2021 (39)
- April 2021 (10)
- March 2021 (17)
- February 2021 (103)
- January 2021 (137)
- December 2020 (21)
- November 2020 (76)
- October 2020 (151)
- September 2020 (73)
- August 2020 (65)
- July 2020 (181)
- June 2020 (174)
- May 2020 (225)
- April 2020 (181)
- March 2020 (124)
- February 2020 (221)
- December 2019 (36)
- November 2019 (77)
- October 2019 (166)
- September 2019 (146)
- August 2019 (62)
- July 2019 (250)
- June 2019 (238)
- May 2019 (311)
- April 2019 (355)
- March 2019 (367)
- February 2019 (313)
- January 2019 (373)
- December 2018 (377)
- November 2018 (348)
- October 2018 (378)
- September 2018 (381)
- August 2018 (542)
- July 2018 (514)
- June 2018 (153)
- May 2018 (4)
- April 2018 (3)
- March 2018 (110)
- February 2018 (296)
- January 2018 (590)
- December 2017 (569)
- November 2017 (587)
- October 2017 (565)
- September 2017 (405)
- August 2017 (509)
- July 2017 (575)
- June 2017 (558)
- May 2017 (653)
- April 2017 (562)
- March 2017 (507)
- February 2017 (451)
- January 2017 (516)
- December 2016 (367)
- November 2016 (479)
- October 2016 (449)
- September 2016 (517)
- August 2016 (427)
- July 2016 (400)
- June 2016 (360)
- May 2016 (272)
- April 2016 (374)
- March 2016 (481)
- February 2016 (405)
- January 2016 (429)
- December 2015 (240)
- November 2015 (381)
- October 2015 (477)
- September 2015 (461)
- August 2015 (427)
- July 2015 (463)
- June 2015 (421)
- May 2015 (350)
- April 2015 (416)
- March 2015 (467)
- February 2015 (441)
- January 2015 (460)
- December 2014 (408)
- November 2014 (379)
- October 2014 (416)
- September 2014 (378)
- August 2014 (413)
- July 2014 (414)
- June 2014 (482)
- May 2014 (429)
- April 2014 (367)
- March 2014 (458)
- February 2014 (406)
- January 2014 (390)
- December 2013 (508)
- November 2013 (353)
- October 2013 (423)
- September 2013 (468)
- August 2013 (536)
- July 2013 (490)
- June 2013 (447)
- May 2013 (411)
- April 2013 (401)
- March 2013 (407)
- February 2013 (372)
- January 2013 (432)
- December 2012 (413)
- November 2012 (388)
- October 2012 (398)
- September 2012 (376)
- August 2012 (387)
- July 2012 (382)
- June 2012 (351)
- May 2012 (356)
- April 2012 (367)
- March 2012 (351)
- February 2012 (336)
- January 2012 (410)
- December 2011 (393)
- November 2011 (283)
- October 2011 (333)
- September 2011 (363)
- August 2011 (356)
- July 2011 (336)
- June 2011 (363)
- May 2011 (351)
- April 2011 (324)
- March 2011 (327)
- February 2011 (253)
- January 2011 (368)
- December 2010 (359)
- November 2010 (315)
- October 2010 (342)
- September 2010 (345)
- August 2010 (352)
- July 2010 (344)
- June 2010 (335)
- May 2010 (338)
- April 2010 (321)
- March 2010 (369)
- February 2010 (318)
- January 2010 (338)
- December 2009 (358)
- November 2009 (338)
- October 2009 (354)
- September 2009 (368)
- August 2009 (354)
- July 2009 (401)
- June 2009 (403)
- May 2009 (375)
- April 2009 (346)
- March 2009 (406)
- February 2009 (341)
- January 2009 (353)
- December 2008 (351)
- November 2008 (362)
- October 2008 (391)
- September 2008 (375)
- August 2008 (382)
- July 2008 (324)
- June 2008 (349)
- May 2008 (375)
- April 2008 (383)
- March 2008 (369)
- February 2008 (426)
- January 2008 (457)
- December 2007 (360)
- November 2007 (369)
- October 2007 (359)
- September 2007 (361)
- August 2007 (370)
- July 2007 (341)
- June 2007 (307)
- May 2007 (298)
- April 2007 (391)
- March 2007 (374)
- February 2007 (326)
- January 2007 (385)
- December 2006 (343)
- November 2006 (252)
- October 2006 (213)
- September 2006 (174)
- August 2006 (180)
- July 2006 (176)
- June 2006 (155)
- May 2006 (178)
- April 2006 (170)
- March 2006 (149)
- February 2006 (134)
- January 2006 (154)
- December 2005 (135)
- November 2005 (137)
- October 2005 (113)
- September 2005 (100)
- August 2005 (102)
- July 2005 (103)
- June 2005 (43)
28 comments:
One of the most talented, dedicated, and hardworking individuals I have ever known.
Erik Jaeger
Erik,
It ws my great pleasure to know Wayne and he did it all around his circus and what act he did was the best.
How many times he did that cat act and then come back in and help take down the arena.
How many modern day trainers do that now????
I had many a great time on Frazen Bros. circus.
Harry
My guess to that question would be, alot of the cat acts working. Harry is correct that Wayne did help load the arena most days. And that can still be seen today on a few shows (KM I am certain of) but it is something that really takes some mystique out of the circus. Try to envision Gunther, Charley, or even now days Vincenta, walking out of the cage, throwing on a robe, and carrying sections of cage and props. It does kinda cheapen the whole presentation. I am not knocking Wayne (I promise I am his biggest fan) but even these pictures posted today show that some people are fans of anything if the person in the pictures was nice to them. There is nothing flattering about the picture with the bar stool and the lioness, and I am confident Wayne would be embarrassed to see it.
Heck Casey, you even have to erect your cage and tear it down. Believe me, if Charly didn't need to go change clothes into his PD outfit, he would of been up our butts moving props!:)
Gary,
I did get a hand the day you visited.(Thanks Again) We actually had enough prop guys the last half of the season that I coulda skipped out on the tear down, but I feel better pulling the pins myself. Back when I was a kid I pulled a pin from this same arena on Franzen, and no one was there to carry the section. It did not turn out well for Dean Coonrod's organ, Guy Johnson's drums, or my envelope the next few weeks,,,,LOL
Gary,
That's the way I have always seen it. It you were on a show that had a great crew, you used them. If you were on a show that didn't have a crew, you tore it down and loaded it. I don't ever remember a doctor being mentioned as being better then another because he swept the floor, or a pilot being better because he fueled the plane and changed the oil. I don't even recall somebody suggesting that Fay Alexander was better then Tito Giona because he tore down the net after his performance.
Which horse trainer do you know is better, because he does his own farrier and shoeing work?
Wade Burck
I never tired of watching Wayne's liberty act. It was said to be the best in America at the time. I can't quote the source though.
I disagree that Wayne would not like the photo of him with Sofie posted. Everyone starts somewhere and it ain't at the top. Dion
When it is your own circus and you choose to have an act or props that require alot of help then you can't pass the buck. I do not believe that any 'trainer' should have to be a groom or prop guy. I never enjoyed watching Wayne take down the cage. When I was with Howard Suesz with Rex I had two grooms for alot of ringstock, but Suesz always let me know that Rex had no groom for his animals and I told Rex that, but he insisted he wanted to do it himself.
Dion,
I thought POA act was great, even without harness. And, as Erik said he was a very talented, hardworking, dedicated individual.(5:00 AM every morning in WQs so he could jog then eat breakfast before starting training) You are correct no one starts at the top, but I think it would still be embarrassing. Everyone who has worked animals probably has a picture they would hate to see on a blog. I know of hundreds I would hate to see,,LOL
Mr Herriot,
You hit the nail on the head I think. I hated to see him tearing down the arena, or mucking the trucks. That didn't seem like important stuff for the owner to do. I am guilty of the no groom as well.
Dion,
Hearsay. Inadmissible.
Wade Burck
Wayne was one of the finest men I ever met, & I thought his Liberty Act was the best, mainly because they moved out.All the intricate routines are fine, but I still think people like to see horses running.
As for his doing menial jobs, Wayne was a workaholic, he could no more stop working than a wino can stop drinking wine.
During our recent soiree at Showtown the subject of Wayne arose (no one was spared), that once after finishing the liberty act, a lady immediately entered the ring and they both skinnied up a rope and did one of those aerial balancing ladder acts.
Let's see Gunther top that.
He once told me that some guy had approached him claiming to be from ASCAP and demanded fees for tunes being illegally played by the organist.
Wayne calmly said, "I've been listening to that guy play for 17 weeks and I haven't recognized anything yet!" and invited him to leave the lot.
Wayne gave me my first job on a Circus...One year he fired me 6 times..on the 7th..I finally left...at winterquarters in Rockport Indiana...Kathy took the kids to Wisconsin for a week...So Wayne cooked for me...Every meal involved Bisquick...He was the Emeril Laggasse of Bisquick...I am sure I am responsible for a considerable amount of Grey hair on His Head..Yet, whenever I play a straw house on a grass lot with clear skies....I thank Wayne from the Bottom of my Heart for giving me my start....
Buckles,
From an animal trainer's point of view I think GGW did top that with the teeter board, the tiger on the elephant, the 22 elephants, the 12 Lipizzans, and the 19 tigers, in addition to other things. If not, at least Sylvia Zerbini and Vincenta Pages have equaled the feat.
Wade Burck
Subject "Cat men during cage down"
I thought you were suppose to judge cat trainers by their talents on floss spinning.
On a serious note,I have no qualms in tipping my chapeau to this Gent as a damn good animal man.
Mr. Hall,
Floss spinning???? All this time I have been practicing welding, and now you throw that out there. I truly am screwed,,,,LOL
Zych,
Ditto...
Casey,
I told have told you. Work on your "cute and charming". That will trump your welding, floss spinning, truck driving instantly. You won't touch a cage section ever again, and damage any more musical instruments. LOL
Wade Burck
What one MUST remember when discussing Wayne Franzen...Did Wayne tear down his arena? YES!..Did Wayne perform revolving ladder YES! Did Wayne drive a truck..Weld..train Horses, Big Cats, Elephants,Goats,Camels, set-up a Bigtop etc. etc. etc. ..YES!! Why? He owned the show!! Who was he going to complain to..HIMSELF! He did whatever, whenever and ask No-one to do anything he would not do himself...Sadly, I did not come to appreciate his tireless work ethic until years later..and only since I started the Sideshow did I realise what a truly Great individual Circusman he was!....
Casey
We can't equate a mud show with GSOE. There is nothing equal between the Franzen Bros. Circus and the haunts of GGW, Charley,or the other well know names.
Not only was he a workaholic, but Mr. Franzen HAD to help out. That show consisted of a shoestring budget and the holiest big top in America. Yet, he kept it going with determination and no fear of working the menial jobs. It was a joy to be on any of his lots. It was pure circus without pretense.
As far as seeing someone present a cage act and then help tear it down, no, I don't like to see that. But as a practical man, I understand why they do.
Dion
Dion...In what time frame do you speak? 1984 FBC not ONLY had a New Bigtop but also NEW seat wagons! GSOE? perhaps not..Yet how many folks out there would long to See a show on the road TODAY of FBC's equal!! P.S. Many believe the GSOE died in Pittsburgh in '56......P.S.S. Many also believe the '73 edition of FBC..blows away the '09 Edition of RBBB....
Dion,
Culpepper holds that title...hands down
I am sure I watched the holes get put in both of them. I would never compare the RBBB with Franzen Bros. It was what it was.
The 90' edition was pretty good too Zych. New round tent. New aluminum extra seats. Your point is well taken though. What animal acts are on RBBB today? in 90' FBC had
Cat act
Number pick out horse
Mixed Exotic
Bareback riding
Comedy Pig
Dog act
High school Horse
Elephant act
Liberty Ponies
and for a month and a half in the summer we had Mickey D's duck act.
That was just the animal acts. The list is longer then alot of shows have acts period now days.
Casey..As you Know...Wayne has been described as the "Al G. Barnes" of his Day......And while we are at it...Big John Strong has been described as the "Last of the Tall Grass Showmen"...
Jim
Big John Strong, last of the tall grass showmen? What about D.R. Miller for that title?
As for holiest big top in America, you can argue who gets the title year after year. Only one reason I attend a circus, THE ANIMALS, the animals, the animals. In that order. If the sun shines on the performing elephant's back, and it's UNDER the big top, I don't much care. LOL Dion
Dion,
On FBC I once had to use an umbrella to perform the fire eating. On CMC I had to wear shades to paint the top part of the arena,,,,LOL
HEY MY FATHER USED THAT SAME BALL FOR HIS WOLF ACT .....
BRAD WELLER
Hello BUCKLES, WAYNE, CURTIS....it's been a long time no see. This is Jodie, that goofy broad that liked to play with the elephants.
I started with WAYNE FRANZEN as a groom, and he got me performing my first act....with the goats. I also did the revolving ladder, magic, and a few other little things. But mostly I loved working with OAKA.
Been too long.....
Zych - you refer to FBC. What show???
Post a Comment