Sunday, May 31, 2015

From Chic Silber #1


From Chic Silber #2


From Chic Silber #3


From Richard Reynolds #1



This map was drawn by Stan Watson, CFA of Hollywood, CA. It was published in the White Tops for Nov. 1936.
What is called on the map the "Olympic Stadium" was built in the 1920s as the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum seating some 75.000 (named "Memorial" for LA's World War I vets). With the approach of the Olympic games it was enlarged to seat over 100,000. It is the home field of the Southern Cal Trojans and has hosted the likes of the NFL Los Angles Rams (now St Louis) and the LA Dodgers when they moved to LA from Brooklyn for the 1958 season.
Just east of what is shown here as City Hall we see the site of the "Calif Zoo." It originated as the Selig Zoo, established there by movie producer William Selig. He used so many animals in his silent movies that he established the zoo to house them. He seems to have sold it to others in the mid-1920s and thereafter it operated under several different names. It finally closed in 1940.
The leopard lady, Olga Celeste, was long associated with the Selig Zoo and its successors.
The last and most famous animal resident was the male Asian elephant Billy Sunday. He became unmanageable and was shot on October 16, 1939 - - there was much coverage of his "execution" in the press.

From Richard Reynolds #2



Selig Zoo Lion Hitch

This unusual photo comes from Jack Badal. He says it was taken in Los Angeles' Selig Zoo around 1920. The lions are pulling a cart with feed for other zoo critters. Note the keeper passing out food.
It would be quite shock for the visitor who came across this hitch on the public walkways

Animal Farms #1


Animal Farms #2


Animal Farms #3


Animal Farms #5


Animal Farms #6


Animal Farms #7


Animal Farms #8


Animal Farms #9


Animal Farms #10


Animal Farms #11


Animal Farms #12


Animal Farms #13


Saturday, May 30, 2015

From Bob Cline



  I found this one photo in the Conover Photographic collection yesterday. It isn't recorded as to who took the photo, when or where. It appears to be you and Anna May with the James Bros. herd. Would that be Shannon on Anna May's trunk? Feel free to post it if you want. I put it on the Circus Historical Society Facebook page last night.

1970 James Bros. #1 (From Buckles)



Shannon and Becky Loter's little girl.

1970 James Bros. #2



"The Blog Master at age one!"

1970 James Bros. #3


1970 James Bros. #4



Just after this picture was snapped "Anna May" reached around with her hind leg and kicked her in the butt.
Old Granny didn't like that foolishness!

1970 James Bros. #5



"Jackie", "Anna May", "Ellie", "Lovie" and "Suzy".
I trained these three little guys the winter of 1969-70 at the show's winter quarters.
"Ellie" had been previously trained by Wally Ross.
Six years later when I was at Circus World I got a call from Sid Kellner saying these three punks were for sale so I called Kenneth Feld and a deal was made and they were delivered in Oct. of 1976.
Upon arrival I immediately changed their names to "Louie", "Sid" and "Juno".
I asked Kenneth how much he had paid and he said, "More than I wanted to but less than he was asking!" probably the same thing he said when he bought the Ice Shows.

1970 James Bros. #6


1970 James Bros. #7


1970 James Bros. #8


1970 James Bros. #9


1970 James Bros. #10


From Paul Gutheil



Received this picture from Paul last night with the following message:

"ANTHONY FRISCO DOING NICE JOB"
    FILLING IN FOR HIS DAD WHO IS STILL IN HOSPITAL
WORKING 2 WITH PATTY , VERY NICE, ALSO DOING RIDES."

I had heard that Tim was in the Hospital but I am so out of touch with things these days I have no idea what show this is or the elephant. Looks like a Carson & Barnes headpiece. 
Patty who?
Is Beatty-Cole up in New England this early?
Wish Tim a speedy recovery.
Buckles

Friday, May 29, 2015

From Chic Silber



 I just brightened up your 1st image today & here is another Christy pictorial.

From Dave Price


Here are the supposed Christy brothers as seen on some of the lithos. Some paper identifies them from left as John, H. A., Charles, W. M.and G. W. but some collectors have thought that was Buffalo Bill on the left with Barnum next to him.
  



More Christy Bros. #1


More Christy Bros. #2



George Christy and Ken Maynard.

More Christy Bros. #3


More Christy Bros. #4


As Advertised.....5 rings!

More Christy Bros. #5


More Christy Bros. #6



Little Bob Stevens.

More Christy Bros. #7


Lee Bros. Circus #1



This is George Christy's #2 Unit.

Lee Bros. Circus #2


Lee Bros. Circus #3


Thursday, May 28, 2015

Video suggested by Harry Kingston


Christy Bros. Circus #1


Christy Bros. Circus #2


Christy Bros. Circus #3


Christy Bros. Circus #4


Christy Bros. Circus #5


Christy Bros. Circus #6


Christy Bros. Circus #7


For some reason the Christy Show used a rectangular canopy for the menagerie.
My father used to say "The Wonder Show!.....I wonder what the Hell's going to happen next?"

Christy Bros. Circus #8



Giving the kiddies the thrill of a life time!..... Why didn't I think of that?

Christy Bros. Circus #9