Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Rex Williams 1969 (From Jimmy Cole)


Rex Williams 1969, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

These are the concluding Jimmy Cole pictures.

Posted by Buckles at 9/16/2009 05:47:00 AM

11 comments:

Jimmy Cole said...

This was taken in Orlando, FL on the last day of the season in 1969, which would have been the end of the Rex Williams era on Beatty-Cole. Notice in the background a brand new white big top. The show always set up the replacement tent for the next year on the last day of the season. Sometimes it wasn't used until the Philadelphia date which was later in the Spring.

16 September, 2009 07:19
J.C. Hall said...

Jimmy once again I kinda thought that Logan had jumped ship to the Beatty show in 69?
I had been with the Sells and Gray show in 67. At the end of that season I had gotten a new 1968 IH truck. We then made the winter dates for Don Francisco then off to Circus Maximus. At the end of that tour I rode with Gibbs to Hugo. He had just lost a punk elephant named Donna. She had a bit of a reputation, I think she came from Peoria, Ill. I recall while out front of the old bunk house at W.Q. Freddy and DR. were having a rather heated conversation. Gibbs gave me the high sign and we headed to town. I asked Gibbs what that was all about? He told me that Logan did not get his raise and DR just found out he was heading to the Beatty show.
After that my family was off to Circo Atayde via Leo Grund for Arena Mexico's winter run. Our first time with Atayde. Also the same year my brother was drafted into the army. I also recall some of the advance crew from CBCB. visiting Atayde and mentioning that Logan would be with them.If you are right ???? I must have my wires cross some where?????
PS. My reference point being the S.G.Show in 67 and the 68 IH.

16 September, 2009 15:36
Jim A said...

Can't speak for Rex or Logan but I took a memorable trip with Gibbs in February 69 to Gene Holter's place to pick up a young elephant. The elephant was to replace Donna, a former resident of the Glen Oak Zoo in Peoria, IL. Bobby picked me up in STL and we headed for Dallas by way of Miller, MO and Hugo. Dallas to Bloomington, CA to Mission, TX. Big time for a zoo guy.

16 September, 2009 17:24
Jimmy Cole said...

Jimmy Hall, Both this photo, and the previous photo of Freddy Logan on Carson & Barnes were taken during the 1969 season. I keep a very accurate file on all my photos, with the year taken clearly marked.

16 September, 2009 19:10
J.C. Hall said...

Jimmy Cole
What year do you have Logan joining CBCB???
Maybe DR.and Logan cut a deal for another year or so.
I am just thinking we returned with Atayde a couple of years later. Maybe
that is when the CBCB crew visited Mexico????
Do you have Logan joining CBCB
in 70 or 71 or possibly 72 ??? I know we did not do Atayde two years in a row.

17 September, 2009 02:11
Jimmy Cole said...

I remember sitting with Rex having a coffee in Nov. 1969 and he told me that a deal had been made for Freddy Logan to come over the next season (1970)to take over the elephant dept. He seemed happy for him.

I also recall you being in Hempstead, NY in the spring of 1970, and the Beatty show being in Commack (Long Island) at the same time,about 30 - 40 miles away. I caught both shows the same day.

17 September, 2009 06:35
Mike Naughton said...

Leo Grund, now there is a name from the past.

1977, Don Francisco had a mini-circus booked in a New Jersey mall. Unfortunately, Don dropped dead when he stepped off the plane in Newark, New Jersey. He had moved to Hollywood, Florida from Colonia, New Jersey.

I received a call from his wife, Mary that I was to handle the business dealings in Jersey, I was 21.

Leo and his International Attractions agency booked the acts, so on pay day Leo made a trip to the show to pick up his commissions.

In the brief case of Don Francisco was proposals for several major Shrine dates for the following year. He had several others already signed.

Mary and her son, Frank, asked if I wanted to pursue those dates with them. Totally inexperienced with that end of the business at the time, I declined.

That was the end of Don Francisco's Pan American Circus (a/k/a Frank Mijares).

17 September, 2009 08:52
Harry Kingston said...

Fred Logan joined Beatty Cole in 1970.
Visting Beatty Cole one day in Louisiana and being in the ticket wagon and always on the hunt for circus history I asked Mario Jo Logan why Fred left Carson and Barnes. She told me Harry here is why we all left. We drove it down the road, we put it up and we performed and then we took it down and headed down the road for another town and day. We were not making any money or getting ahead. So Fred was offered the job as Rex had been a bad boy.
Dorey found out and begged Fred to stay and offred him $25 to stay. You know the answer was no and the Logans all headed to Beatty Cole.
Also at the end of the ticket wagon was Harry Hammond, and it was a alow time and what a jack pot sesion we had.
Harry Kingston

17 September, 2009 10:56
Chic Silber said...

Jimmy Cole...

For several years there were two

Long Island Easter dates (as well

as Big Bertha in the NY Garden)

"Island Garden Arena" owned by

a major demolition contractor

named Whitey Carlson had a few

producers including Fleckles

(where I 1st met the Zebinis)

and "Long Island Arena" the

ice hockey home of "The Ducks"

where the Beatty Show would open

each season (often in the snow)

Island Garden was a strangely

layed out affair with a major

grandstand taking up half of the

floor leaving the other half for

the show setup (and a stage)

Commack on the other hand was a

standard sports arena that had

permanent seating on both long

sides and the front end (kinda

like Venice but better) and the

show looked great in it

I recall 61 as the 1st year of

Commack and my 1st circus work

17 September, 2009 11:39
J.C. Hall said...

Jimmy Cole
We most surly were in Hempstead LI. with LN Fleckles, Guy Gossing cats, Kokomo and Paul Kelly's Elephants and Zoppe's riding act to name a few. Me and my brother headed over to the CBCB to visit with Logan. As we arrived there they were in rehearsal with the elephants. When they returned to the picket line, Freddie informed me that just before we had gotten there either Bee or Gyp had rousted one of his crew.On another historical note; it was the first time I was introduced to Little Bobby Cline by Robert Dale Cline.
PS.I feel confident that your photo dates are more accurate than my thoughts. However I will keep trying.

17 September, 2009 11:54
Chic Silber said...

Once again NO SPELL CHECK

It's ZERBINIS (not Zebinis)

Charley.. Stella.. Louis..

Rita.. Piero.. and ??

17 September, 2009 12:15

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