Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Ringling_Barnum_GIRL_IN_ELEPHANT_TRUNK_(c_1933)_one_sheet_flat

From Chris Berry

During the mid-1930s when the Ringling-Barnum circus was in receivership and was being managed by Samuel Gumpertz several posters were created that carried the old Ringling Bros subtitle of "World's Greatest Shows". I have always thought it was some sort of a legal maneuver to protect the trademark - but it did coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Ringling's first circus in 1883 (The Greatest Show on Earth also appears on other posters from that same time-frame). Thoughts?

Posted by Buckles at 8/26/2009 05:31:00 AM

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't believe that RBBB was placed into receivership. What evidence exists for that statement?

26 August, 2009 09:05
Anonymous said...

1884 marked the first Ringling circus.

26 August, 2009 09:06
Jack Ryan said...

In 1882, the five Ringling brothers from Baraboo, Wisconsin, embarked on their first tour as Ringling Bros. Classic and Comic Concert Co.

26 August, 2009 12:35
Chic Silber said...

So Jack when was it 1st billed

as a "circus" and when did the

"GSOE" globe 1st appear

26 August, 2009 13:23
Jack Ryan said...

I have no idea.

Perhaps you should ask the experts in Baraboo.

26 August, 2009 20:40
Chris Berry said...

Re: My "receivership" comment - I was referring to the legal definition that a receiver is a person "placed in the custodial responsibility for the property of others, including tangible and intangible assets and rights." It does not necessarily have to be in the form of a court order - and can be a appointment made by stockholders. When John Ringling's note with Prudential came due in 1932 Gumpertz formed his syndicate "Allied Owners and New York Investors" which purchased the note. In exchange for agreeing not to force Ringling-Barnum into bankruptcy they were given 10-percent ownership in the show. At the stockholders meeting Gumpertz was appointed general manager and because he had custodial responsibility for the 90percent of stock controlled by John Edith and Aubrey Ringling, he (and Allied) are defined - for these purposes - as the "receiver".

26 August, 2009 22:03
Frank Ferrante said...

Chic - Greatest Show on Earth was the trademark of Barnum & Bailey before being purchased by the Ringling Bros. The Ringlings' trademark was World's Greatest Shows. That trademark was brought back to life when Gumpertz took over the show for Allied. (This was shown on the above poster.) Have a GREAT day! ~frank

27 August, 2009 00:07
Anonymous said...

1872--first Barnum show use of the slogan "Greatest Show on Earth," and in continuous annual use since then

May 19, 1884, Baraboo---first Ringling brothers circus

1923---first published use of the GSOE globe trademark.

27 August, 2009 08:52
Anonymous said...

The note upon which default occurred was held by the Prudence Company, Inc., an officer of which was William M. Greve. Hammarstrom's book "Big Top Boss" has it incorrect as Prudential, too.

Gumpertz did not have custodial responsibility for 90% of the RBBB Inc. stock. Each 30% block was voted for by its owner; John, Edith and Aubrey Ringling. John voted against the proposal for incorporation, etc., which was supported by Gumpertz. [Circus Kings, pages 225-226, assuming that Henry North got it correct; with which Bradbury concurs in his RBBB-Gumpertz era coverage in White Tops, based upon court testimony].

Gumpertz was appointed vice-president and general manager of the circus by the newly incorporated board of the circus. He did not control the three 30% blocks of Ringling family member-owned stock. As a minority investor, he only held some portion of the 10% share that the Kelley-orchestrated "palace coup" dictated as something of a payoff in establishing the corporation.

Gumpertz was not a member of the RBBB Inc. board, the 10% share was represented by associates of his. Thus, Gumpertz had no voting rights directly. His sole authority was as an employee, VP and general manager.

Ergo, Gumpertz was an employee of RBBB Inc. and a minority investor, he was not a receiver. He was under the direction of the board, appointed as VP and general manager of the enterprise. I don't think staffers entrusted with such responsibilities are considered receivers.

27 August, 2009 10:08
Chic Silber said...

Thanks for the details anony

but please tell us who you are

27 August, 2009 11:06
Anonymous said...

"World's Greatest Shows" hadn't been used following the 1918 closure of the Ringling show, so placement in 1933 might have been an effort to keep it out of the public domain. The Forepaugh-Sells title, dormant since 1911, was also appended to the Hagenbeck-Wallace title for the single season of 1935. One would think it was to retain active rights title to the title, rather than to suggest the grandeur of the 1910-1911 outfit had somehow been ressurected two and a half decades later.

When the Felds and Hofheinz bought RBBB, the old Corporation show titles and others, notably Buffalo Bill's Wild West, were included in the bill of sale, upon the advice of Tom Parkinson. Sells-Floto hadn't been in use since the 1932 tour, John Robinson since 1930, Hagenbeck-Wallace since 1938 and Sparks since 1929. The move created a link with the past and caused subsequent use of the SF and HW titles by the Feld organization. The others are likely in public domain.

Montie Montana chose to use the Buffalo Bill's Wild West title, which had last been used by SF about 1926, to which an objection was legally lodged. Montie lost the court battle, save for the right to use the title in one state. RBBB owned it everywhere else. It also bankrupted Montana.

27 August, 2009 11:39
Anonymous said...

Memory suggests that the JR title may also have had a short term of re-use in the 1930s, perhaps confirmed by another of Chris's great posters.

27 August, 2009 13:48
Roger Smith said...

In 1934, in commemoration of the 50th Golden Anniversary of RB, the show issued "Gold Cards", window cards with a gold tint, featuring selected star performers. It was a distinct honor to be chosen for them. I have one of Clyde Beatty on Hagenbeck-Wallace, of course a Corporarion show, owned by Ringling. I read of one with Dorothy Herbert, and I think Mabel Stark and Con Colleano were so acknowledged. Can anyone verify this, and name the other stars so honored?

27 August, 2009 13:52
Ole Whitey said...

Hold it !

We must have two different
"Anonymouses" operating here.

The old tried and true Anonymous would never forget that the Sells-Floto title was used on the Barnes show during 1937 and 1938, or that the Robinson title was likewise used on some 1938 Barnes material, or that the Sparks title was used on the Jimmy Edgar show of that name first on trucks and then on rails in 1946-47.

And Chris: it's okay, you can still drop by for a beer anytime.

27 August, 2009 16:50

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