Wednesday, June 09, 2010

From Richard Reynolds #1


!cid_X_MA1_1275947496@aol, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Richard Reynolds says - -

This is a Howard Tibbals photo of the set up on the Chicago lot in 1941.

We see that the Horse Fair is connected to the menagerie. The gorilla top is in its place between the menagerie and big top.

Note the different colors for the canvas. Menagerie - - red top and blue side; Big Top - -red above and blue below (note the silver air conditioning ducts); Horse Fair - - red top with red and white striped side; Side Show - - - yellow top and blue side, though the yellow looks almost red here (I've seen movie film of it, and it was definitely yellow); Dressing Room - - khaki top and yellow side.

At the lower center-left is one of the over-the -road tractor/trailer rigs which formed part of the 5th section

Posted by Buckles at 6/09/2010 06:00:00 AM

12 comments:

Buckles said...

Wow!

09 June, 2010 06:03
Anonymous said...

Thank you Buckles and Richard, what a great way to start the day!
Bob Kitto

09 June, 2010 09:42
Frank Ferrante said...

Does anyone know where the lot was in Los Angeles prior to going inside? ~frank (I'm thinking the L.A. Coliseum?)

09 June, 2010 10:06
Richard Reynolds said...

I inverted the color description of the big top canvas - -obviously it is blue on top with red side walls. It was that way in 1940 as well. The use of different colored canvas for the other tents came in 1941.

09 June, 2010 11:00
Ole Whitey said...

Richard: Excellent commentary on great view. Someone (maybe Joe Bradbury?) has said that the menagerie top started the year red and later was changed to blue. Any thoughts on this?

Looked up in the first of Joe's two-piece treatment of the '41 season (May-June, 1978 WT) to find out where the show set up in Chicago that year. I didn't get enough clues from the pic. As you know they used one or more Grant Park sites opposite the Hilton/Stevens and also both inside Soldier Field and south of same.

On p 23 Joe says that the billing was changed at some point from "Lake Front" to read "South of Soldier Field, Lake Front." Actually Joe says "Soldier's" which you sometimes see.

09 June, 2010 11:09
Anonymous said...

As with most of you I have seen photos similar to these over the years, but for some reason this morning's viewing was a religious experience, ie. as I scrolled down I kept saying, "Jesus, Jesus!"

Great thanks once again,

Paul Gutheil

09 June, 2010 12:44
Harry Kingston said...

Richard,
This was like a holly ghost revival seeing this great color shot of Ringling in 1941.
Thanks goodness someone put good old Kodachrome in his camera and got elevated and took this great photo. If it had not been Kodachrome the color would have been faded badly since 1941.
And Richard your excellent descriptions always add to what ever you run on Buckles.
This made my day and I know many others.
A million thanks.
Harry in Texas

09 June, 2010 14:59
FRANK CURRY said...

Words cannot express my emotions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

09 June, 2010 18:36
Chris Berry said...

In response to Frank's question regarding the primary circus lot in Los Angeles: from the early 20th century until the early 50s shows like Barnum & Bailey, Sells Floto and Al G. Barnes set up at the corner of Washington and Hill Streets - just a stone's throw from the current Staples Center where Ringling-Barnum now plays in downtown LA. Ringling-Barnum also played a lot on Crenshaw Blvd in 1941, Gilmore Field (where CBS Television City now stands) in 1948, and a lot on LaBrea Ave in 1949. The Clyde Beatty Circus was the last to use the lot at Washington and Hill.

09 June, 2010 20:30
Mike Naughton said...

This might be of interest because it is from the same era. A home video of RBBB, indoors, 1943.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioliXZU0od8

09 June, 2010 21:46
Frank Ferrante said...

Chris -

Thanks, very much. My grandparents home was located just one mile east of the Hill Street lot off of Washington & Central. The animal walk would always go north on Washington, even when they moved to the L.A. Sports Arena in the early 60's. ~frank

10 June, 2010 09:34
Richard Reynolds said...

We all neeed to thank Howard Tibbals for locating and preserving this great photo.

10 June, 2010 11:36

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