Friday, March 13, 2009

Early Circus World #2


Scan11072, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

What a letterhead! On our arrival at the park, Chappie gave a number of these to distribute among friends and family. I still have quite a few.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

I still have a letter you wrote me on one of these in 1975. I saved it for the content though, not for the letterhead.

Wade G. Burck said...

Buckles,
Agreed, that logo was some of the most beautiful "circus" ever done. I still have the business card, "infamous" Veterinarian Dan Laughlin(Dr. Dan) gave me. Different then Ole Whitey, I didn't keep it for the content, just the logo.
Wade Burck

Buckles said...

Jim Elliott told me that once while attending the auction at the Sarasota Showfolks Club, he came across a display that was selling letters. Included was one bearing this letterhead that I had sent to a friend Otto Scheiman in 1974.
Jim asked the guy how much he wanted and he replied "Forty Dollars!"
Jim said (on the rib) "Christ I know Buckles and if they're worth that much, maybe I can talk him into writing a few more and we can sell them!"
The guy of course explained that this letter was unique since it had been written at a point in time when all the participants were alive.
He added, "Today the Park is dead, Scheiman is dead, Feld is dead and if only Woodcock would die I could get fifty!"

GaryHill said...

Capt I have a letter with this stationary from you when I was in NJ. You wanted to trade Tago and Moodo for a couple of my baby Africans. I treasure it and it is in an album safe for my kid to sell one day after I am dead and gone!

Anonymous said...

I was very surprised to see a letter that I wrote in 1974 sell recently on eBay. It was batched in with a Tim McCoy, which is no doubt why it sold.

Wade G. Burck said...

Buckles,
Another classic for the "Jackpot Hall of Fame." LOL
Wade Burck

Anonymous said...

Ole Whitey: I think I'm the one that bought that lot of letters. It went cheap too! The Tom Mix is worth more than I paid for the entire lot! Thanks!
Neil Cockerline
Minneapolis, MN

Anonymous said...

Wade: These are not Jackpots. This is a Scholarly Seminar.

Chic Silber said...

If this is a full credit course

and there is a final exam

I (and some others) are in big

TROUBLE

Chic

Buckles said...

I remember that about the first week we were at the park, a young staff member was watching us water the elephants and introduced himself.
After chatting for a while he mentioned that he had been hired away from a park in Calif. Disney?
Part of his deal was to have his furniture transported to Florida. He was shocked to learn that this matter had been turned over to Dick Brown who sent an animal hauler.
He said that when it arrived the elephant smell was so bad that he had to throw most of it away.
Maybe Jerry Digney might remember this event.

Wade G. Burck said...

Prof. Pricky,
I'll give you seminar, but scholarly is a real stretch. Maybe Jaclinc(jackpot clinic) is appropriate.
Wade Burck

jerry digney said...

sounds like Dick Brown who ran a transportation operation out of Venice winter quarters, which he treated like his private fifedom replete with "armed" guards. Fortunately, although i spent many weeks at quarters during rehearsals, i never had a run in with Brown but i know many who did. as i recall, his wife ran the coffee shop in quarters and also catered the opening nite parties. Brown's crew also ran trucks between the traveling shows delivering equipment, animals, concessions, you name it. when Irvin was at quarters, Brown was all over him with a posse of security reminiscent of the secret service.

Little John said...

Do y'all remember the Circus World "T" shirts that were given to us on our birthday?

Chic Silber said...

Dick had been with some police

force prior to becoming the

"General Manager" of WQ

He had several responsibilities

Including transportation of

nearly everything for ALL the

shows then under Feld control

as well as system wide security

He did a remarkable job with

the situation and conditions

of the time period

Most recently he was the bridge

tender for the "Circus" bridge

at the south end of Venice

For many years "Schwartzie"

Alvin Schwartz ran the north

end bridge (nickel knowledge)

Chic

GaryHill said...

Capt that truck that had all the furniture in it is the one I loaded Bonnie (Konti) the African that came from World Of Animals in Dallas. I remember she also punched about 100 holes in the sides of the trailer with her tusks. She was one mad elephant! The driver put a deadman in the center of the floor and the front part of the tailer had Mattel furniture and some toys? She was the first elephant I ever loaded and well the driver only had one chain in the floor so I chained her to it!