Thursday, April 21, 2011

From Dave Price #1


Buckles07a, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

There were actually two window-size posters of Harriet and the tiger-on-elephant that the Beatty show used.
Forrest Freeland made up this terrific half-sheet upright in the late forties and then Majestic came up with this second design during the fifties. This second one was later given the Beatty-Cole title and as such we used it long after the act had ceased to exist. In addition to these, Colorcraft made up an 8-sheet largely inspired by Chris' Cole Bros bill; it was only used a few years in the early fifties.

Posted by Buckles at 4/21/2011 05:48:00 AM

5 comments:

cbfield said...

In the early 1960's Cal State University Fullerton originated and held Elephant Races. I posed with an elephant named Bertha. The photo shoot might have been at Jungleland. Is it possible to learn if Bertha is still living and where she might be. I certainly remember her!

22 April, 2011 02:34
Buckles said...

Only elephant I ever heard of with that name was the celebrated "Bertha" featured for over 30 years at the Nugget Casino in Sparks, Nev. starting in 1962.
She would go out on publicity gigs but I can't imagine her being involved in races with other elephants.
Your elephant smacks of Gene Holter's Racing Elephants, Camels and Ostriches "The Pride of Southern California".
Unfortunately I don't have "Bertha's" death date, she was still at the Nugget in 1995 the last year I kept records.

22 April, 2011 07:40
john herriott said...

Having worked with Beatty and knowing him in a small way personally I have been a big Beatty fan. One thing that stands out is that his being a "circus super star" did not distract from putting on a real good show. Under his banner-ownership over the years he always had a whos who of the great American circus acts [hanneford, wallenda, etc. and excellent wardrobe production [Jacks of Hollywood, Barbette] great clowns, fine elephant herd and horses [ Cristiansen, Jack Joyce, Johnny Cline]. Just read some of the program run downs over the years. He was a class act and he always did a good act, either the Garden or PoDunk. Johnny

22 April, 2011 10:17
Anonymous said...

Mr. Woodcock,
We are getting ready to publish the definitive Gene Holter history book, and were wondering if you would be interested in writing the forward for us. LOL

Doubleday Book Club

22 April, 2011 10:52
Ole Whitey said...

Peggy MacDonald said Bertha died late 1999 at age 39.

22 April, 2011 11:13

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)