Monday, December 09, 2013

Dec. 9th Birthdays #3



MABEL STARK, THE TIGER QUEEN

Born: Mary Ann Haynie, on Sunday, December 9, 1888, Cobb,
Caldwell County, Kentucky, to Hardy Baxter Haynie and
Lela Pettipoole Haynie, the eldest of their 7 children.

Died: Saturday, April 20, 1968, at age 79, at her home in Thousand
Oaks, California. She ordered there be no funeral or memorial
service. She was cremated and her ashes were scattered, as she
directed in her handwritten wishes, "To the four winds, over the
Pacific."

Tigers were never more beloved to anyone than Mabel Stark, their
caregiver, trainer, co-star, and most benevolent Queen. Thank you,
Mabel, for our Jungleland years. Dear mentor, Rest in Peace .

Posted by Buckles at 12/09/2013 04:37:00 AM

8 comments:

GaryHill said...

My son Garrett is 25 today. 100 yrs to the day of Mable..

09 December, 2013 13:50
Roger Smith said...

Happy Birthday wishes to Garrett, also, Gary. He is certainly in good company with names like these.

In this pose, Mabel is in Japan. But on the back, in her unmistakable hand, she wrote, "Taken Easter morning--Me and mink--in China, and cherry blossoms." Mabel loved her Oriental tour. She was treated like a god by her employers and audiences alike. She was provided a private railroad car, with a personal maid, and a chauffeur-driven limousine. She was especially proud of this mink, as am I. Today, still in excellent condition, according to an appraisal by Dicker & Dicker of Beverly Hills, it resides with her trunk, 4 uniforms, and her photo albums, under my vigilant protection.

09 December, 2013 17:30
Roger Smith said...

PS: If anyone is stalled with arithmetic, like me, this is Mabel's 125th birthday.

09 December, 2013 17:33
GaryHill said...

Roger I ment only that he was born on her 100th BD. my bad...:)

10 December, 2013 19:26
Chic Silber said...


Roger how about a photo of you in

that mink standing vigilant

10 December, 2013 23:27
Roger Smith said...

I took the mink to my 1st speaking engagement at the Conejo Valley Historical Society. The actress who plays Mabel Stark for their tours, Mary Carrig, wept when I invited her to try it on. It was a perfect fit. Mabel's uniform jacket also fit Mary, even to the sleeve length. Photos were taken of Mary in the mink, and I beside her--with the mink, not in it.

12 December, 2013 03:17
Chic Silber said...


Roger how come your note says she

is in Japan but her caption says

she is in China which is it

Was it Sukiyaki or Moo Goo Gaipan

12 December, 2013 13:47
Chic Silber said...


I was curious if cherry blossoms

could indeed be from China so...

Cherry trees naturally grow in the middle northern or southern part of China, the area nearby the sea. However, the most famous cherry blossom parks in China reflect Japan's brief occupation of parts of China during the first half of the 20th century or the donation from Japan thereafter

12 December, 2013 15:54

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