Friday, April 13, 2012

From Wayne Jackson #7

Scan000011259 by bucklesw1
Scan000011259, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

Rex Williams with "Mary", "Maud", "Norma", "Bessie" and "Konti" (Pete and Norma Five)
I asked Barbara where this might have been taken and she said either with the Cristiani Show or the Tom Packs Circus where the act was booked several seasons.

Posted by Buckles at 4/13/2012 05:18:00 AM

14 comments:

Chic Silber said...

Rex had a Maude & a Konti in the

herd on Beatty in the early 60s

Are these the same elephants

13 April, 2012 08:27
Ole Whitey said...

Same ones. When Steve had the herd Konti was often called "Bonnie" and she was listed in the Cristiani route book one year as "Connie."

13 April, 2012 09:28
GaryHill said...

Interesting that the Konti I had that Buckles got, he changed her name to Bonnie. After Kenneth Felds lovely wife tho..

13 April, 2012 11:30
Chic Silber said...

As I recall Maude was 1 of the 3

old ladies along with Kate & Helen

13 April, 2012 13:22
JIM ELLIOTT said...

Don't forget Ola!

13 April, 2012 15:08
JIM ELLIOTT said...

Don't forget Ola!

13 April, 2012 15:08
Ole Whitey said...

Chic:

The Cristiani show came back to the barn in 1959 hurting for cash. During the winter the giraffe and the Norma Five were sold to Beatty-Cole; Steve Fanning came with them.

That year they were the center ring elephant act but over time (and especially after Acme had the other two shows out and Rex took over the mother herd) the Norma act was broken up and new groupings were developed

13 April, 2012 15:09
Roger Smith said...

Maude and Konti were still on the Beatty show when I was there in '80 and '81, working for Freddie Logan. By then, Maude was on the road, but retired from performing.

13 April, 2012 15:35
Chic Silber said...

In the early 60s I recall Syd as

the "boss" elephant but after she

went to 1 of the other Acme shows

Pete became the lead & worked in

ring 2 with Bee Sue Gyp & Konti

Maude Kate & Helen were in ring 1

& ring 3 had punks Frieda Jewel

Topsy & Jackie (Frank's daughter)

13 April, 2012 17:22
Chic Silber said...

Pete & Konti seemed to be the best

allaround working elephants

13 April, 2012 17:23
Chic Silber said...

I don't recall an Ola in the group

13 April, 2012 17:24
Buckles said...

Helen, Katy and Ola were purchased from the Don Franklin Carnival in 1963.

13 April, 2012 17:46
Chic Silber said...

At some point there was a Dina

that might have started with the

punks & then replaced either Sue

or Bee in ring 2 (I think it was

Bee that nailed a couple of guys)

14 April, 2012 00:10
Roger Smith said...

Chic is right. I saw Bee trying to stomp Billy Cox to death, in Bridgeport, Connecticut, in '64. Her feet were pistoning down around him, as she turned trying to see how to nail him. Billy was on his back underneath this rampage, but he scrambled to safety. I saw him come out of it, and still claim it a miracle. I don't know who else Bee went for.

14 April, 2012 23:24

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