Thursday, May 14, 2009

RBBB 1953 Phila. (From Dominic Yodice)


RBBB 1953 Phila. Lot-1 - Copy, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Hello Buckles,
I thought the group might enjoy seeing this photo of RBBB in 1953 at Philadelphia.
The photo was made for Billboard. As you can see the the circus is literally surrounded by carnival rides.
What's interesting about the photo is that this is the same lot that 2 years earlier, Cecil B. DeMille photographed the raising of the Big Top. If you look at the upper left of the photo you can see the drive in movie screen (red & white stripes) that appears so prominently in the scene.
DeMille probably positioned his camera slightly right of center and at the edge of the lot. The 1951 midway was also positioned slightly different that this photo.
Regards to all,
Dom Yodice

Posted by Buckles at 5/14/2009 06:09:00 AM

7 comments:

Hal Guyon said...

Does anyone know what carnival this is? It`s definitly a railroad show, kind of looks like the old World of Mirth. I can`t see any titles painted on the wagons and they look like they are lighter than red and could be orange. Also WOM had the 4 Eli Wheels around that time. The front gate also looks like WOM.

14 May, 2009 08:40
Hal Guyon said...

I feel like a fool, just read the caption and see that it`s the Strates Shows. That`s what happens when you get old and get ahead of yourself.

14 May, 2009 08:42
Anonymous said...

Coincidentally, Ringling's red unit (Zing, Zang, Zoom)is playing the Wachovia Spectrum, May 13-25, which is located in the same spot as the big top of 1953. Area today is a sports complex, that also includes Phillies Citizens Bank Ballpark (across street, Pattison Av.)from circus lot, & Wachovia Center in area once occupied by John F. Kennedy (formerly named Municipal)Stadium, long-time site of Army-Navy football game. Overall site is in deep South Philadelphia along Rt. 611, just north of I-95 interstate. We caught many Ringling performances in this location. -- Bill Hall

14 May, 2009 13:05
Anonymous said...

Wonderful photo. The tents on the middle right side of the photo, is that part of the Ringling cook top or is that part of the carnival?

14 May, 2009 16:04
J Goodall said...

For those having trouble reading the small print under the picture, it says:

Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus at Philadelphia, May 25 - 30, 1953. Almost surrounding the circus, beginning in the lower left of the photo, are the James E. Strates Shows; the 100,000 seat Municipal Stadium; auxiliary tented units of the circus; the John H. Marks Shows; the Barney Toussell ride unit; a permanent Kiddieland; a drive-in theater turned into a parking lot for the circus showing; and the Penn Premier Shows in the upper left-hand corner. Independent concessions were set up in lines equal to four blocks. (Billboard photo)

14 May, 2009 18:09
Anonymous said...

Yes the tents are the cookhouse and dining tents. Crew must have been hungry by the time they reached the dining tent.
Just above the cookhouse and at the edge of the lot you can see the two horse tents placed end to end. A strange set up to say the least.
Dom

14 May, 2009 18:31
4pawfan said...

Below the cookhouse you can see the canvas trucks and below the dining top are the cats and donut lined up.
The show bus is parked in front also.
To all the new readers of the blog, you can click on the photo and then click to the orginal photo size to blow up these photos. Will bring out alot of detail.

14 May, 2009 19:37

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