Shorty Sylvester and "Jargo".
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Monday, April 21, 2014
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10 comments:
This is a great display of photos of a real American overland show of which there were many in those days and also nice to see alot of people that we knew in those days. I noe this "Gargo" I was the ass end of Dime Wilsons on Barney Bros. when I was 6 yrs. old and remembered my part of the act. thanks for the post. johnny
This was once a standard routine but had disappeared by my lifetime. Can someone tell us more?
Dick Flint
Baltimore
Hi Dick
Big Apple Circus did a version of this routine with a two-man dromedary that was very well received. We found a puppeteer who made us the camel so that his mouth opened and closed and his eyes rolled. Definitely a winner.
I was a candy butcher on Big Bob Stevens' Robbins Bros. in 1949 and saw Brownie Silverlake's Jargo twice daily and it was very entertaining, lots of dialogue.
The act worked in an end ring while they were taking down Gladys Gillum's cat cage (aka Killum Gillum a former lady wrestler married to boss canvasman Johnny Wall).
Two of Brownie's sons worked inside the suit, Marcus in front and Franklin in the rear.
One day as they passed each other in the back door Gladys said "Hello Jargo you son of a bitch! pulled out her pistol and popped a cap close to Jargo's ass that ignited the suit.
Franklin had to be rushed to the Hospital.
Just occurred to me, it might have been the same Jargo suit seen above.
Jimmy Silverlake was just a little kid running around the lot.
And the other might be Melvin Silverlake.
Harry in Texa
Not Brownies Jargo suit Raymond Duke had one too. I worked the rear end of Brownie's Jargo many times most times with Myrna in the front. That was in the 1960's He was my father in law at the time.
Under "Dressing Room Gossip" in the Jun 4, 1949, Billboard, Robbins Bros. correspondent Jim Conley reported how "Gladys Gillem, so accustomed to shooting at lions, shot Jargo in the pants, sending him to the hospital for first aid." And Buckles, that's the week the Brownie Silverlake family joined as the show entered Pennsylvania. Do you remember Myrna Silverlake celebrating her 19th birthday that same week?
Dick Flint
Baltimore
P.S. I'm just checking up on the accuracy of your stories!! If you read it in the Billboard ...
Myrna was a cute chick in those days. I remember her when the family was living in, I believe Flora, Ind. johnny
Myrna was sister. Mel, Jimmy, franklin, archie,etc. Brownies daughter. Her mother was daughter of Veterinarnian Dr. Fischer and her sister was Ruby Haag. Harry Haag was her husband. I believe it was Medora, ind.
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