I remember Cap Jacobs telling my father that this was only done in the Garden and his Cage Man would yell what cat was coming in and where it was seated.
If you will notice that the information on the bottom of the photo looks like a Edward J Kelty photo, but his business like the photo on his business card was "Gone in the Wind" in 1939. ( Kelty's business card was a knock off of Margaret Mitchell's 1936 book)
This photo was taken by the famous theatrical photographer James J Kriegsmann when he was about thirty years old. He was not know for his circus photos, but there are a few early photos he did of the Wallendas in their early years.
Most of Kriegsmann's photos are studio work and bet he was surprised to get a call to take this photo of Jacobs in MSG.
The man called the cats' names for Jacobs, since before long the cage was so full, he couldn't tell who was coming in. This man was "Haywire", among those we have all known who is essential to the act on the outside. John Ringling North was appalled that Haywire went out there barefoot and in bib overalls, and demanded of Jacobs that he put the guy in uniform. Jacobs replied uniforms didn't fit his man, and without him there would be no act. Haywire continued as before, and RBB got the next Big Act since Beatty left in '34. Judy Jacobs told me her father carried 55 cats that season of 1939, and worked between 35 and 52, allowing for the variables of the steel arena.
This cage is the largest on record in this country. They expanded the ring curb to accommodate the 50-foot arena.
7 comments:
That's a whole mess of fur
Running them in & getting
them seated must have been
half of the routine
I remember Cap Jacobs telling my father that this was only done in the Garden and his Cage Man would yell what cat was coming in and where it was seated.
If you will notice that the information on the bottom of the photo looks like a Edward J Kelty photo, but his business like the photo on his business card was "Gone in the Wind" in 1939.
( Kelty's business card was a knock off of Margaret Mitchell's 1936 book)
This photo was taken by the famous theatrical photographer James J Kriegsmann when he was about thirty years old. He was not know for his circus photos, but there are a few early photos he did of the Wallendas in their early years.
Most of Kriegsmann's photos are studio work and bet he was surprised to get a call to take this photo of Jacobs in MSG.
p.j.holmes
Did the MSG have a dirt floor as stakes were driven to hold the cage up?????
I would have though it was a concrete being in New York.
The "old" Garden (#3) Harry
between 49th & 50th Streets
had a concrete floor from
at least the early 60s if not
always (would be my guess)
Both Gardens have (or had)
threaded inserts for bolted
ring plates to tie to & many
were added as needed
The man called the cats' names for Jacobs, since before long the cage was so full, he couldn't tell who was coming in. This man was "Haywire", among those we have all known who is essential to the act on the outside. John Ringling North was appalled that Haywire went out there barefoot and in bib overalls, and demanded of Jacobs that he put the guy in uniform. Jacobs replied uniforms didn't fit his man, and without him there would be no act. Haywire continued as before, and RBB got the next Big Act since Beatty left in '34. Judy Jacobs told me her father carried 55 cats that season of 1939, and worked between 35 and 52, allowing for the variables of the steel arena.
This cage is the largest on record in this country. They expanded the ring curb to accommodate the 50-foot arena.
Thanks for the info Roger !
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