Sunday, January 17, 2016

#1 1950's KM

This was the combined elephant herd in Hugo, Okla. the winter of 1949-50 that
would supply both Kelly-Miller and Cole & Walters circuses.
My father started right in on the seven young elephants at left that had just
arrived.

7 comments:

Bob Swaney said...

The Millers planted deep roots that continue to sprout today in the American circus world. What a tribute!

Chic Silber said...


Any idea of how many elephants are

in the combined Hugo herd nowadays

Chic Silber said...


Polk City will soon have about 40

Unknown said...

What were the names of the seven punks your Dad was training?

Buckles said...

Hattie- after their first elephant purchased in 1939.
D.R. told me the story of he, Kelly and their father Obert driving an empty truck out to California in 1939 and Cheerful Gardner showing them showing them elephants from the defunct Hagenbeck-Wallace show.
D.R. said having never owned one they all looked like they would kill you on a moments notice but Cheerful said, "Here's a gentle old cow that won't give you any trouble!" and they bought "Hattie" I think for $500.
I remember Obert telling my father his esteem for Gardner cause he could have unloaded anything on them.
Jennie- after D.R and Kelly's mother.
Kay- after Kelly's daughter.
Barbara- after D.R.s daughter.
Anna May- after the movie actress Anna May Wong of which he was enamored.
Norma- Many years with Herb Walters and struck by lightning while playing some mid-West town.
Sally- She was half grown and a real hand-full, went thru a few fences in Winter Quarters, my father named her after a popular song of the day, "Sally Ka Doola" managed to get it done tho and as I recall eventually wound up in that Clyde Beatty Park in Florida where she was highly regarded.

Ryan Easley said...

How many elephants did your father train ? Did he train Susie that's still down the road here ?

Buckles said...

I couldn't say. Quite a few!
They did a lot of training at Peru and Hall's place but of course not much during World War 2.
As I recall, Richard Shipley trained Susie.