Friday, October 12, 2018

POLES #2


Posted by Chic Silber at 10/12/2018 12:25:00 AM

5 comments:

Chic Silber said...


Unfortunate male costume

Theme is no excuse

12 October, 2018 10:29
Roger Smith said...

My great friend Pablo Martinez balanced their pole on his forehead. Then his wife and sister-in-law spun in opposite directions some 20 feet aloft, all without gimmicks. Pablo was built like a bull, and his strength was astounding. During the twin spinning, Pablo would fold his arms across his chest, maintaining the balance with just his neck muscles. He knew I stood amazed at this, and when the girls came down and he dropped the pole for their style, he'd look over at me and wink. Stunning trick.

12 October, 2018 18:29
Chic Silber said...


Pablo & Chatta bacame good friends to me also

They were responsible for me to work a few

Christmas dated for Atayde Bros as well as

my building some effects equipment for them

They were also the chaperones for teenage

Margarita Vasquez when they brought her up

She was barely 17 when she came on the show

They watched her like a pair of hawks

I remamber that very well (get it?)

Pablo also headed up the teterboard troupe

12 October, 2018 19:16
Chic Silber said...


We also had Rita Ferriera

with a shoulder perch with

Elba & Francine up above

Rita's husband "little Mike"

was in Kenny's clown alley

Elba married Dennis Walker

who had come with Dave Hoover

& ended up in the front end

grease & grab joint trailer

with the best corn ever made

They were both lovely people

He came down with some nerve

affliction that caused him

great difficulty & shortened

his life

12 October, 2018 19:27
Roger Smith said...

Pablo told me he had been a star baseball player in Mexico. The Atayde family were passionate about baseball, and brought Pablo over to organize, and coach their show team. He immediately assimilated into circus life, and as we know, excelled in an array of acts. On the Castle show, in '72, his son, Arturo, like my cat act, and Pablo and Chatta dressed the boy in a duplicate of my wardrobe. This was an honor to me. More than that, Pablo and I shared a love for Big Band music, and enjoyed his collection of LPs in his trailer, while Chatta kept us supplied with taco chips and her own special hot sauce. They were among my closest friends over there.

In '81, Dennis Walker had the Big Top, and drove Hoover's #78 cat wagon. During that year, he was diagnosed with a neuro-muscular disease, possibly ALS, if memory serves. Hoover's family had connections with the best specialists, and got Dennis a very hard-to-get appointment. When the time came, Dennis chose not to be seen, and this decision, indeed, shortened his life. Mark Fitzgerald, until then the Side Show Canvas Boss, was next in line for the Big Top.

14 October, 2018 18:16

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