Wednesday, March 31, 2010

From Sue Lenz


!cid_X_MA1_1270050659@aol, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

"Rosie" #1 (From Richard Reynolds)


!cid_X_MA1_1269920231@aol, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Richard Reynolds says - - -

Rosie the elephant being used as a golf tee: Miami Beach, Florida (1927)

Developer and entrepreneur Carl Graham Fisher used the elephant Rosie to promote Miami Beach during the Florida land boom of the 1920s.

Fisher was a major player in the emerging automobile industry and helped develop both the east-west Lincoln Highway and the midwest- south Dixie Highway. Enamored of Miami Beach, he became one of its leading real estate developers and promoters. Wikipedia says this about his elephant.

Ever the innovative promoter, Fisher seemed tireless in his efforts to draw attention to Miami Beach. Fisher acquired a baby elephant named Rosie, who was a favorite with newspapers. In 1921, he got free publicity all across the country with what we would call today a promotional "photo-op" of Rosie serving as a golf caddy for vacationing President-elect Warren Harding.

"Rosie" #2


!cid_X_MA1_1269920311@aol, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.


Richard Reynolds says - -

Rosie the Elephant entertaining children in the 1920s in front of Fisher's Miami Beach Flamingo Hotel, on the site of what is now the Grand Flamingo apartment building. Florida Photographic Collection

Fisher’s financial world collapsed on him the late 1920s, first with the bursting of the Miami real estate bubble in 1926 and then the stock market crash in 1929. So, in April 1932 he sold Rosie to Coca Cola heir Asa Candler, Jr. for Candler’s private zoo on his Atlanta estate. They traveled in the same multi-millionaire circles. She arrived at Candler's estate on April 24th. The zoo opened to the public on August 13, 1932

"Rosie" #3


!cid_X_MA1_1269920372@aol, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.


Richard Reynolds says - -

Candler used Rosie to give rides just as Fisher had done. Here is Rosie at the Candler Zoo pulling what looks like the same cart that Fisher had used. It makes sense that Fisher also sold Candler the cart.



Candler decided to close his zoo in 1935. Around the beginning of April 1935 Rosie left for Honest Bill Newton's Walter Main show. She was supposed to climb into a truck at the zoo but balked. They would get her close but then she would toss her head and back up. So, the zoo foreman, the late Johnny Dilbeck, and others began a procession. The truck drove slowly along the roads with Rosie following. Every mile or so the truck would stop and they would try to load Rosie - -same result. This went on for many hours and some 15 miles with Dilbeck swearing loudly and profanely at Rosie (I can just hear him). Finally, the old gal gave up and climbed in . She was then off to Honest Bill's. Dilbeck told me this story himself.



Rosie was with was Honest Bill's Main Show through 1937, then Newton Bros. in '38, and Honest Bill in 1939. Ben Davenport got her for 1940 for his Dailey Bros. where she trouped until her death in 1943.

Melbourne Zoo #1

Buckles ...

Here are a few shots of the recent (?) baby born at the Melbourne Zoo.
Baby is Mali, mother Dokkoon ... no other details. Am sure the Ashtons
or Grants will have some info.

Mike

Melbourne Zoo #2


01 A Baby Mali 2, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Melbourne Zoo #3


01 A Baby Mali 1, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Melbourne Zoo #4


01 A Baby Mali, Dokkoon 2, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

White elephant (From Wayne Jackson)


White elephant 10 001, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Female White Elephant in Rangoon, Burma.

White elephant #2


White elephant 10 002, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

White elephant #3


White elephant 10 003, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

From Capt. Snug


March_2010_Florida_092, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Observed this pick up in Green Acres FL., and as long as the truck was running, the elephant's head was moving.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Pretty Nifty!


Scan12720, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Longfellow Gardens #1


Scan12728, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Minneapolis. Minnesota

Prof. R.F. "Fish" Jones

"What a handsome lion!
The Professor looks quite sharp too."
Buckles

Longfellow Gardens #2


Scan12726, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Bill Bernard

"The name above was all my dad wrote on this post card but it now comes to me that he used to swap pictures with a fan named Bernard.

Be that as it may, today's cat trainers don't quite have yesterday's flair!

Buckles


Longfellow Gardens #3


Scan12721, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Capt. Hart...... (Lindhardt)

Unidentified


Scan12722, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Louis Roth


Scan12723, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Thousand Oaks #1


Scan12725, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Thousand Oaks #2


Scan12727, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Thousand Oaks #3


Scan12724, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Melvin Koontz and "Jackie"

Hagenbeck Tierpark


SAVE1204, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

This is from one the catalogs of animal acts that were trained
and then sold world wide.

From Don Covington


c9799b_ltpBobbo032310, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.



Like a duck to water, Bello the Daredevil Clown provided stunts and laughs for Boston and Cambridge yesterday along the Charles River - giving a sneak peak of the fun to come when the Big Apple Circus opens for audiences next month.
Bello Knock and Grandma the Clown commandeered the Boston Duck Tours duckboat and picked up some passengers from the Museum of Science for a 20 minute tour that was more screwy than scenic as the clowns’ antics included Bello bravely wakeboarding the basin of the Charles River.
The 32nd season of the Big Apple Circus opens on Saturday, April 3 and will run through May 16 under the Big Top at City Hall Plaza.

Monday, March 29, 2010

Howes Great London 1920 #1


Scan12709, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

The previous year 1919, Jerry Mugivan and Bert Bowers, owners
of the John Robinson Circus, joined Ed Ballard, owner of the
Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus to form the American Circus Corp.
In 1920 both of these shows remained on 30 cars and a third unit
was framed on 15 cars and named Howes Great London Shows,
a title often used by Mugivan and Bowers in the past.
For the new show three elephants were purchased from William P.
Hall, "Lockhart Nellie", "Barnum Alice" and "Wallace Lizzie" plus a young male from Sangers Midgets "Toto".
Joe Metcalf was hired as elephant boss while Chris Zeitz remained
with John Robinson (10 elephants) and Bert Noyes with H-W (10
elephants).

Howes Great London 1920 #2


Scan12719, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Written on the back:
"Howes Great London Circus, Eastport, Me.
July 5th 1920."
Farrell

On an overcast day the Howes Show parade wagons
are lined up on the midway headed off the lot.
Buckles

Howes Great London 1920 #3


Scan12716, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

My dad wrote on the back:
"Howes Great London Shows- 1920
#1 Band Tableau, rebuilt from old Dode Fisk
Mirror Tableau."

From Otto Scheiman

Howes Great London 1920 #4


Scan12713, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

From Otto Scheiman

Howes Great London 1920 #5


Scan12712, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

From W.W. Tyson

Howes Great London 1920 #6


Scan12715, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

From Otto Scheiman

Howes Great London 1920 #7


Scan12711, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Howes Great London 1920 #8


Scan12718, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

"Mug Joint"

Howes Great London 1920 #9


Scan12717, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Pat Kelly


From Otto Scheiman

Howes Great London 1920 #10


Scan12707, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Every time I would look thru the Howes folder this little
picture, slightly larger than a postage stamp, would fall
out on the floor. On the back was written "Howe 1920".
Imagine my surprise yesterday when it turned out to be
the best of the lot.

Howes Great London 1920 #11


Scan12710, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Howes Great London 1920 #12


Scan12714, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

From Otto Scheiman

Sunday, March 28, 2010

From Bob Swaney


FHF presentation lineup, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Buckles--

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey is shining the spotlight on America's troops and their families in the DC/Baltimore area by donating to them complimentary tickets to Zing Zang Zoom and conducting several military-related special events. March 18th saw a Wounded Warrior tribute at the Verizon Center in DC. Wounded Warriors and their families also attended a special preshow before doors were opened to the public. During the special preshow, Feld Entertainment Chairman & CEO Kenneth Feld presented a pachyderm painting to the Fisher House Foundation (www.fisherhouse.org) to be auctioned off at its annual fundraising golf tournament. March 26th at the Patriot Center in Fairfax marked the eve of the Month of the Military Child where military children and their families were honored during the show. Also for that performance, an Air Force family served as Guest Ringmasters to recognize the Year of the Air Force Family. On April 14th at the 1st Mariner Arena in Baltimore, military children and their families from five military support organizations will be honored guests. During its current run in the area, Ringling Bros. will also present special children's events featuring show performers at two military installations. (photo courtesy OASD(PA).

Bob Swaney

Sailor Circus 2010 #1 (From Jim Cole)


a, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Opening night in Sarasota, featuring a live circus band

Sailor Circus 2010 #2


IMG_3009, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Sailor Circus 2010 #3


IMG_3034, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Sailor Circus 2010 #4


IMG_3035, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Sailor Circus 2010 #5


IMG_3084, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Sailor Circus 2010 #6


IMG_3099, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Visit to Kelly Miller #1 (Caroline Rice))


!cid_X_MA1_1269527773@aol, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Took some photos for ya Capt, I hope you and yours are well?

Gary Hill

Visit to Kelly Miller #2 (Mike Rice)


!cid_X_MA2_1269527773@aol, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Visit to Kelly Miller #3 (Casey McCoy)


!cid_X_MA1_1269528112@aol, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Visit to Kelly Miller #4


!cid_X_MA2_1269528112@aol, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Olga Celeste "The Leopard Enchantress"


SAVE2247, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

From Roger Smith
BRINGING UP BABY is among the lengthy list of pictures calling upon Goebel's Lion Farm (the title then) for trained exotic stock. The trainers got continual stints of studio work, but just about never got name credit other than that envied within the business. In this case, old-timers will not be surprised to know this animal was trained by the Enchantress of Leopards, Olga Celeste.

Photo from Buckles

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Bringing Up Baby #1 (From Eric Beheim)


BUB-1, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

One of the most famous films of all times is BRINGING UP BABY, a 1938 comedy starring Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant. The “Baby” referred to in the title is a leopard which was sent to Miss Hepburn’s character by her brother and which is initially seen running loose in her apartment. (Scenes showing the leopard roaming around freely were filmed on sets enclosed inside a huge cage, with the camera and sound picked up through holes in the fencing. Miss Hepburn was generally fearless around the young leopard who played “Baby” and even enjoyed petting it. The leopard’s trainer later said that she could have become an animal trained had she so desired.

Bringing Up Baby #2


BUB-2, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Cary Grant was less fond of working with the leopard. As a gag, Miss Hepburn put a stuffed leopard through a vent in the top of his dressing room. “He was out of there like lightning,” she later wrote in her autobiography ME: STORIES OF MY LIFE.

Bringing Up Baby #3


BUB-3, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

The film used a great deal of split screen effects and other optical tricks to minimize the number of scenes where the actors had to work in close proximity to the leopard. Here the leopard is rear-projected in behind the stars. (Cary Grant’s character was modeled on silent film comedian Harold Lloyd and Grant even wore glasses like Lloyd had worn.)