Thursday, June 15, 2017

#15 Showmen


Posted by Buckles at 6/15/2017 05:02:00 AM

10 comments:

Patricia said...

I wonder when Mr. Miller switched from stogies to Red Man chewing tobacco?!

15 June, 2017 08:18
Bob Swaney said...

Fond memories of a wise man and his many stories. A living circus history book.

15 June, 2017 08:24
Jim Royal said...

Patricia, how did that line go....chewing Red Man sitting in his chair?

15 June, 2017 09:22
4pawfan said...

Circus owner for 62 years less the time he was in the service overseas during WW II. (1937 to 1999)

I can think of only one other person that owned one longer.

Patricia, I think it got easier to find Red Man in the many small towns then the plain (King Edwards ?) cigars that Dorey dry smoked (he chewed them).

p.j.

15 June, 2017 13:26
Patricia said...

Interesting ideas, thanks! Jim, I'm so pleased you remember. I had written a poem from which that line came for D.R. and Isla for Christmas, I think. Anyway, I guess he liked it as it ended up in the program the next season, his 50th anniversary as a show owner. What poem? Ok, here goes... *ahem*

***********************************************
The whistle blows, the brass begins
An overture by King
Performers tug at wardrobe
Then glide into their rings
But glancing toward the bandstand
Each one becomes aware
Of the presence of a legend
Chewing Red Man in his chair

He holds the weight of everything
Connected with his show
The trucks, the top, the cats and clowns
The wind that's apt to blow
An elephant that's off her feed
A black eye here and there
He contemplates each problem
Chewing Red Man in his chair

The great respect this man deserves
He's earned through fifty years
Of dedication, sacrifice
Each season's sweat and tears
Is a mudshow really worth it
Grief and joy beyond compare?
You bet- ask D.R. Miller
Chewing Red Man in his chair
***********************************************

I feel I've forgotten a line. Maybe not.
I was so honored when David Rawls read this at Mr. Miller's funeral in the Kelly Miller big top in Hugo. As you can tell, D.R. Miller made quite an impression on me.

15 June, 2017 19:20
Patricia said...

Well, nuts. I forgot the entire third stanza. It's like:

Something..something.. something...something
Through broken bones and hearts and dreams
Rewards that seem unfair
He glows with satisfaction
Chewing Red Man in his chair

Geez. Maybe some enterprising reader who has an old Carson and Barnes program from the mid-80's can fill in the blanks. I just hate it when that happens. Something I'm sure I'll never forget and then I go and forget to remember it.

15 June, 2017 20:02
Bob Swaney said...

To honor DR's military service, General Agent Doyle Milson and I worked with Senstor Don Nickles' office to have an American flag flown over the Capitol in DR's honor. It came by FedEx on the day of the funeral and it was nip and tuck getting it folded in time for the funeral. The Choctaw Nation Honor Guard presented it to Barbara at the graveside service at Mt Olivet.

15 June, 2017 21:06
Clown Prince said...

Here's the poem from Backyard Magazine commemorating DR...

http://www.circushistory.org/Backyard/Backyard15Sep1999.pdf

Here's the entire poem as printed in the above Backyard magazine...

The whistle blows the brass begins
And overture by King
performers tug at wardrobe
then glide into their rings
But glancing toward the bandstand
each one becomes aware
of the presence of a legend
chewing Red Man in his chair

The challenges that he must face
to open every spring
are handled with experience
a decade for each ring.
Through broken bones
and hearts and dreams
rewards that seem unfair
he glows with satisfaction
chewing Red Man in his chair


He holds the weight of everything
Connected with his show
The trucks, the top, the cats and clowns
The wind that's apt to blow
An elephant that's off her feed
A black eye here and there
He contemplates each problem
Chewing Red Man in his chair

The great respect this man deserves
He's earned through fifty years
Of dedication, sacrifice
Each season's sweat and tears
Is a mudshow really worth it
Grief and joy beyond compare?
You bet- ask D.R. Miller
Chewing Red Man in his chair

16 June, 2017 23:20
Clown Prince said...

Thanks for sharing, Patricia!

16 June, 2017 23:22
Patricia said...

That's it! That's it!
Thank YOU, Clown Prince! I've been racking my brain for the past two days trying to think of that missing stanza! You've made my day!
I so appreciate your taking the time to find this!
Hooray!

17 June, 2017 14:25

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