Wednesday, May 09, 2012

More Cat Acts! #1

Chet Juszyk by bucklesw1
Chet Juszyk, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

Posted by Buckles at 5/09/2012 05:26:00 AM

6 comments:

Wade G. Burck said...

Roger Smith,
I didn't realize Chet used a cross draw. Were there any other folk's from that era that used the cross draw, that you know of? Do you recall the time Chet was mauled pretty bad at the compound. Lou told me about it one time, but I forget the details.

Wade Burck

09 May, 2012 07:03
Roger Smith said...

Everyone tries something to distinguish their wardrobe, but Chet's is the only cross-draw I recall.

For a Sunday show in the Big Stage Arena, at Jungleland, on February 28, 1965, 35-year-old Chet was working 5 male lions and 4 lionesses. Brutus, then 12, swung a paw at Chet, hung the claws in his right rib-cage, and pulled him close. Chet fell, and Brutus descended on top of him. He sank his fangs in Chet's torso, and ripped him open from the sternum. Dick McGraw, then 27, entered the cage with a chair and a hickory pole, shouted into Brutus's ear, and fought him back. By this time, the other lions were coming down from their seats. Dick demanded for someone to drag Chet out--he couldn't manage a man Chet's size and hold off the lions alone. Lou Regan came in, got a grip on Chet, and drug him into the Safety Cage. Dick signalled a young kid, who will remain nameless, to take the lions through the tunnel door as he sent them out. The kid froze, and the lions began circling Dick. He told me he didn't think he was going to get out of there. Benny Bennett arrived to knock the kid back, and ran the door to unload the arena. Outside, they stood Chet up, and he was able to breathe. A doctor from the audience administered first aid. But Chet quickly collapsed, and was rushed into surgery at Conejo Valley Community Hospital, in Thousand Oaks. Over time, we lost count at 9 operations Chet endured for the damaged rib cage and internal injuries. He never worked again as a trainer. When I arrived just 4 months later, even the old-timers were still shaken by Chet's attack, and were decidedly reluctant to further my career as my mentors. But Bennett paved the way, and mine was the last apprenticeship there.

After a protracted recovery, Chet became an animal dealer, and brought me 2 young lions, and Bert Pettus two baby elephants, on the Castle show. As a sideline, he located and sold rare animal books.

Chester Juszyk was born in 1929, in Syracuse, New York, and died at 81, on Sunday, January 9, 2010, in Peoria, Arizona. He was an accomplished trainer, and to everyone he was a great friend.

10 May, 2012 06:05
Roger Smith said...

Correction: Chet Juszyk's date of death was January 9, 2011. I had inadvertently written it as 2010.

10 May, 2012 06:08
Roger Smith said...

Chet took extra steps to show great pride in his tools of the trade. This is the whip he showed me at his home, then on Los Feliz, in Thousand Oaks. He had covered the twisted stock to the hilt with soft leather that he meticulously hand-lasted with Barbour's flax.

The quilted covering on his pith helmet designates the style known as the Pigsticker, and was worn by certain British officials in the tropics.

10 May, 2012 06:19
Jimmy Cole said...

I never met Chet in person, but I did have many enjoyable phone conversations with him in his later years. As I understand it, he once had a winter quarters here in St. Cloud, FL, just down the road a bit from where I live now.

10 May, 2012 06:54
Wade G. Burck said...

Jimmy,
Chet used to stop in at winter quarters in Edmond for two day's each year to see Lou. Almost 48 hours of non stop jackpot's about the "Oaks" and animal training back in the day. For a young guy like me, just getting his foot in the door, those are memories that are priceless. As I get older, I am now starting to realize how truly blessed I was.

Wade Burck

10 May, 2012 09:16

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)