Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Joe Zoppe, Hempstead, NY 1970 (From Jim Cole)


Joe Zoppe, Hempstaed, NY 1970, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Dammit I missed this picture, I try to enter them in sequence. Sorry Joe!

Buckles

11 comments:

Jimmy Cole said...

NYC area circus fans had 3 circuses to see in the early Spring. Ringling in the Garden, The Hempstead, Long Island date, and the Beatty-Cole opener in Commack.

Jimmy Cole said...

The Joe Zoppe "Indian Fantasy" riding act was one of the most entertaining and popular circus acts of that era! I see Roger at the Showfolks club frequently...in fact he owes me a beer for posting this photo!

Chic Silber said...

With all due respect

Whitey Carlson's "Island Garden

Arena" was in WEST Hempstead and

"Long Island Arena" was the real

name of the Commack building

Jimmy Cole said...

Chic, Correct on both counts. No wonder I got lost trying to find those buildings!

Chic Silber said...

I recall that "Island Garden" had

several show producers over the

years including Fleckles and maybe

Whitey doing the booking himself

Chic Silber said...

Whitey (Charles) Carlson was

primarily a demolition contractor

and his great prize was when he

held the prime contract to tear

down the 64 - 65 NY World's Fair

Anonymous said...

Jim, How in the world do you get to all points of the compass and in between?

Great photos, enjoyed them very much.

I'm embarassed to aask, but do you still want youth Circus photos from me? If so, of what nature?

Keep those great pics coming and thanks.

Paul Gutheil

Anonymous said...

when bareback riders showed tremendous skills!
Carl

Roger Smith said...

I remember Joe Zoppe somersaulting horse-to-horse, both years we were on Castle together, '72 & '73. It was quite a sight, and I realized how big this trick was as the only previous rider I'd seen do it was Lucio Cristiani on the Beatty show in '64. Joe, Peggy, Roger, Dennis, and Denise worked to music from "Lawrence of Arabia", and had knockout wardrobe enhancing the theme.

Lucio and company were working as the Franconis that year. With him were wife Gilda, Rex Williams, Kathy Brooke, and I believe one other male rider whose name escapes me.

Chic Silber said...

That was Raphael "Franconi"

The name he used anyway and he

claimed to be a relation of

Tito Puente

Roger Smith said...

CHIC: Thanks for this good information. Rumor had it that the Cristiani name was in certain conflict then, so Franconi titled the act. I had not known of the source, and knew better in those days than to ask.