Thursday, July 08, 2010
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26 comments:
Tommy Baker? ~frank
Henry please tell us when you
1st started performing and are
you performing in New Zealand
or just as likely in management
It just dawned on me that we must
be about the same age
Henry do you recall how many
animals & people came over to
RBBB from Williams in total
Franz Althoff
Billy Baker first came over in 1971 and was on the red show. I don't believe his son was presenting an act the first year Billy was on. This may be an Althoff (I don't have my program near at hand).
Dick Flint
Baltimore
This is Franz Althoff
Chic, Henry arrived with Gunther's contingent in late 1968. The Circus Williams people first appeared on the (Red) show in 1969.
Jack
Looks like Franz Althoff
I believe this is Franz Althoff, the son of Adolph Althoff. But Jack Ryan who wrote the fabulous 100th Anniversary Program would know for sure. --- ToddP
Of course Jack it's apparent that
I just wasn't paying attention
Ironically Henry & Franz (Jr)
might just be cousins
Thanks to Dick and Jack for the correction, all I based my guess on was that he was tall and slender. - frank
Chic,
You are right. Henry's mother was an Althoff.
Jack
tHIS WAS YOUNG fRANZ aLTHOFF. hIS WIFE eVIE presented the tiger riding the horse. They returned to Europe at the end of the season of the first years 100 anniv. show and I would replace him with the horses and MR and I would also incorporate our acts as replacement of Mickey Antalak acts, etc. Mr would work the liberty act from Evie as well/.
For both years of this tour this was no doubt the biggest of all Irvin fELDS SHOWS. wITH 3 RINGS OF RIDING ACTS, TEETERBOARD, LIBERTY, dogacts, exotic acts, paau de deaux, acrobatic voltage, big web with Elvin Bale. three cage acts with Dickie Chip and Baunann, Seitz-Mendez high wire. Otto Griebling and Dougie Ashton plus, Hugo with huge three ring elephants, lephants, twenty; Huge opening, spec and finale. Bill Pryun with fabulous music arrange, Harold Ronk, plus, plus , What a great show. We had 22 grooms on ring stock dept.
Good morning John & showfans
The tiger & horse was trained
and brought over by his dad Adolph
who presented it the 1st year or 2
Evie was Irvin's idea when he saw
Franz in rehearsal when Adolph
went back to Germany and a most
elegant gown was aquired for her
She was both very nervous and
hesitant at 1st but gained much
confidence fairly quickly and
was the perfect choice
Col. Herriott,
It WAS a huge and marvelous show. Bill Pruyn's musical score was, I think, the best collection of circus music I've ever heard -- every tune just perfect for the act.
And, lest we forget, it was the year that Don Foote made his official Ringling debut with a truly magnificent wardrobe collection.
Jack
I was a guest of the Pruyn's at the end of the season that year. They were very gracious and kind.
The thing that amazed me the most was how much musical knowledge the entire family had. Bill would ask about some forgotten piece of music and some member of the family would pick up on it, hum a few bars and go to the exact file cabinet where the sheet music was located. ~frank
Yes indeed folks that was an
incredible production in every way
Jack please tell us if that might
have been the 1st year that they
had the Mattel checkbook or was it
just the Wells Fargo money
Bill Pruyn did many dates for Bill Kay's Shrine dates.
My career rose up the ranks, I worked in the alley, was producing clown and made my debut as Ringmaster on these dates.
Bill Pruyn's arrangements provided a constant and exciting pulse to the show in a seamless sequence of the greatest music, both popular and traditional.
As a green as grass announcer, Bill would instruct me on when an announcement WILL be presented with the band silent and WHEN the announcement would be a "voice over" with the band playing at the start of the act.
In the beginning he instructed me to stand by the bandstand and he would conduct me and the band at the same time.
He would be looking at his music stand and cue me with "announcement", then when the announcement was finished he did the downbeat with the band.
"Together" was the cue to for me and the band to start together. He gave me the tip to spread out the voice over announcement, such as "In the apex of the arena" count 5 "astonishing aerial artistry" count 5..."The Duo whatever".
He made me look a lot better than I really was.
Everything he taught me I still use today.
He was a fantastic educator and a fine person.
Oh, how I wish I had used a tape recorder on those dates.
Chic,
The 100th Anniversary show was conceived and produced in 1969 (to debut in 1970).
The Mattel deal didn't happen until 1971.
Jack
Chic, I was born in Circus Williams
at the Winter Quarter in Cologne and stayed with the show until 1956.From there we went to Circus Adolf Althoff and stayed with that show until he closed it and went to Ringling. Then I went to Circus Franz Althoff and after to Circus Williams. On Ringling the first year I did the roman riding act, Gunther only did the last part of it for the first year, and the rest is history.
Here in New Zealand I started with Weber Bros.Circus as a trainer for horses and a dog act. No wild animals in NZ. Later on I trained a barn yard act and then went in to management,first as fleet manager then office manager then office and tour manager.
Now I am retired and do some work for Weber Bros. if the need something that requires my skills and I manage my model Circus Althoff and play with model trains.
Since my last posting I've been thinking about Bill and some of the great music of not so long ago.
Of several standouts was Dubsky's Royal Palace Leopards; the music was from "Kismet" and featured these tunes: "Baubles, Bangles, Beads", "Not Since Ninevah", "Stranger In Paradise", "Night of My Nights".
It was one of the "count 5" announcements and it was very dramatic. If you closed your eyes you would think you were in a Broadway show.
I don't know who wrote the original charts for Dubskys, but I will find out.
Wonderful Bill Pruyn, thanks for these posts and bringing back very fond memories.
Mike, that sounds like Bill's score for our 1978-79 Blue Show elephant number.
Thanks Henry it all adds up to
a great life and you should know
that I always admired your style
& performance manner (although I
never learned to speak German)
You had a comforting way with
performers & animals alike
It seems unusual that you chose
a country half way around the
world to take retirement in
I only visited Aukland 1 time
for 3 days about 20 years ago but
never saw the rest of the country
If you ever have the chance to
visit Sarasota you would be
welcome to stay with us
Although I could retire at this
time I'm too stupid to quit
I spoke with Antonietta about the music for The Royal Palace Leopards.
The act started in 1970 and Clem Toca did the charts in 1972.
It is no wonder that two circus virtuosos, Bill and Clem, would select the score of Kismet.
It doesn't matter who did it first, but it is a shame that nobody is doing it now.
When I read what my dad wrote about the talent that year, it was incredible! I still remember it as a child. Sure not the same today!
Also, one of the highlights of my performing career was doing my single trap act (during a Big Apple Circus Break in the mid 80's) for Bill Kay in Jax, Fl and Bill Pryun was the bandleader with a full band. I worked alone and the music was "Comin from the rain" and "McArthur's park". I can still remember the awesome feeling today of just enjoying the heck out of the music and doing something I loved! They (the Pryuns) were great folks
Hi Heidi
As I mentioned on another posting
the correct spelling of names is
optional (just poking you in fun)
but I know exactly what you mean
having never been a performer I
have still been entranced by the
music while watching some of my
favorite acts & performances
It can enhance or detract & it
must be exhilerating to have
the support of a real live band
especially with the right leader
while you are performing
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