Buckles Blog: 01/01/2013

Thursday, January 31, 2013

A closer examination of this image shows that the stake driver operator is using another tent stake and his foot to hold the stake in place while it is being driven into the ground. As shown in the film, each time the stake is hit, the impact causes his foot and leg to jump. (Over time, those repeated jolts probably didn’t do his knee and hip much good!)

1948 Cole Bros. Circus #20

1948 Cole Bros. Circus #21

1948 Cole Bros. Circus #22

1948 Cole Bros. Circus #22A

1948 Cole Bros. Circus #23

TO BE CONTINUED

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

From Henry Penndorf

Hello Bill,

It is short notice but tomorrow at 6:00 P.M. January 31 at the Bard Graduate Center (38 West 86^thStreet), in New York will hold a panel discussion on “The Future of the Circus in America”.

The panel discussion is part of the circus exhibition currently at Bard Graduate Center Gallery (18 West 86^thStreet). The gallery exhibit will be ending on February 3^rd.

Maybe some of your readers in the New York City area would be interested in attending. It sounds like it might be an interesting discussion. A copy of the notice for the discussion is attached.

The notice outlines topics for discussion and who will sit on the panel. I think there are additional issues that are facing the circus in America that should also be included in this forum. Issues like, when did the circus become politically incorrect and no longer is considered wholesome family entertainment and how that is affecting the future of the circus Then of course there is the larger issue of the animal rights lobby and their agenda of putting an end to circuses exhibits performing animals.
This past Sunday I attended the gallery's exhibition, “Circus and the City: New York, 1793-2010. I enjoyed the exhibit and thought it was quite good, but it was not as extensive as I had hope it would be.

The exhibit did have some great memorabilia on display. There was a large selection of vintage photograph's and original circus posters. I saw Clyde Beatty’s pith helmet, whip, and chair, complete with teeth marks. There were costumes from Karl Wallenda, Merle Evens (along with his coronet) and Barry Lubin’s “Grandma” costume.
There was also a nice section devoted to P. T, Barnum. A little disappointed that there was no mention of Gunther Gebel-Williams.

Note…anyone considering going to the panel discussion, on Thursday night from 5:00 to 8:P.M. there is FREE admission to the Bard Graduate Center Gallery.

Barry “Grandma” Lubin will be making a special appearance with the Royal Hanneford Circus when it appears at the Westchester County Center over President’s Day Weekend. I have my tickets…Saturday, February 16^th, 2:P.M.
I hope all is well,

Henry

1948 Cole Bros. Circus #1 (From Eric Beheim)

In 1948, the Cole Bros. Circus appeared in yet another informational film intended for use in the classroom. Entitled CIRCUS DAY, it was produced by Barr Films (a Los Angeles-based outfit) with the filming taking place in Pasadena. Augmenting the Cole Bros. footage were some additional scenes filmed on the Clyde Beatty Circus, presumably that same year and on the same lot. During filming, sound recording equipment was used to obtain “on location” audio of the train being unloaded, the big top being set up, conversations going on inside the dining tent, the sideshow band playing on the midway, the big top band playing during the performance, etc. By the late 1960’s, many children were more familiar with circuses that appeared inside sports arenas, so the film had to be updated. While the 1948 footage was retained, a new narration track explained that it showed how circuses were “back then.” A few years ago, Buckles posted a few “thumbnail” frame enlargements from this film, which showed the train being unloaded. Here is a more complete look at CIRCUS DAY, and this time the frame enlargements are bigger and the color has been restored back to its original appearance. Many of you are familiar with both the Cole Bros. and the Clyde Beatty circuses from the late 1940s, and your comments as to who and what we are seeing (and which scenes were filmed on which circus) will be greatly appreciated by the rest of us.

1948 Cole Bros. Circus #2

1948 Cole Bros. Circus #3

1948 Cole Bros. Circus #4

"To the unknowing, these baggage horses traveled overnight wearing their harnesses so they could immediately start to work as soon as they were unloaded.
They slept during the day then late in the afternoon were returned to the crossing to begin the cycle again by reloading the cook house wagons, stake drivers, etc."
Buckles

1948 Cole Bros. Circus #5

1948 Cole Bros. Circus #6

1848 Cole Bros. Circus #7

1948 Cole Bros. Circus #8

1948 Cole Bros. Circus #9

1948 Cole Bros. Circus #9A

1948 Cole Bros. Circus #10

1948 Cole Bros. Circus #11

1948 Cole Bros. Circus #12

Eugene Scott

"We had left the show by this time and in 1948 my Dad worked Dolly Jacobs elephants "Modoc", "Empress" and "Judy" her alimony from the divorce from the Lion King.
I remember traveling across Eastern Canada with Garden Bros. Circus (an indoor show) and one day skipping across the border into upstate New York to catch a performance of the Dailey Show.
Later in the year in Minneapolis we caught the Ringling show and my first vivid recollections of that opry."
Buckles