Thursday, October 11, 2018

JRN #2


Posted by Chic Silber at 10/11/2018 12:34:00 AM

6 comments:

Chic Silber said...


Ida was the only sister to the 7 Ringling Brothers

These are her 2 sons Henry "Buddy" & John "JRN"

11 October, 2018 00:53
Chic Silber said...


Ida Ringling North died in 1950 at age 76

She lived for many of her last years in her

estranged brother John's Bird Key Castle

11 October, 2018 00:59
Chic Silber said...


Ida also had a daughter Mary Salomé

named for her mother Marie Salomé

My baby tiger was also named for her

although pronounced "sul OH' may"

11 October, 2018 01:36
Chic Silber said...


In the final details of selling the show

Henry was kept on the payroll with title

for the rest of his lifetime

11 October, 2018 19:57
Roger Smith said...

I met HRN in '69, out here in Fresno. He was impressive in his gentlemanly elegance. For some reason, he knew I was at Jungleland then, and casually asked who else was there. When I mentioned Arky Scott, he at once denied knowing him. Buckles also tells this same story. When I gently reminded the man that Arky was RBB Elephant Boss, was in the DeMille film by name, and even had a speaking role, Mr. North again said, "No, no, we never had him with us." This was a little beyond belief, but he was set in, and I let it go rather than make it entirely awkward by telling him how wrong he was.

'68 had been a turning point for the new Feld era. Everyone over there was looking over their shoulder, waiting for Kenny to come up and fire them. On this new unit, all personnel had the shakes over who would be the new Boss Clown, the new Ringmaster, the new Performance Director, the new Bandmaster, etc. By '69, even with some of these positions given contracts, no one settled into a sense of security. But here was Henry Ringling North, devoid of any real voice in things, being treated like a grand old retainer, a holdover from the past, comfortably ambling on as Buddy North.

12 October, 2018 18:55
Chic Silber said...


Mostly correct Roger except that

in 1968 Kenneth (not Kenny ever)

was still in college & strongly

vowed on several occasions that

he would definitely not be part

of the circus as he had a path

for his future well planned

68 69 & 70 were strange years

everyone wondering how things

would shake out (both units)

That would be "The Blue Show"

& Circus Williams however a

few swaps were essential

At least Henry was treated

with the respect he deserved

by everyone involved mostly

understanding he had no say

Many folks know it was his

son that dabbled in circus

by purchasing part of K-M

He's not John Ringling South

12 October, 2018 19:42

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