Thursday, November 15, 2018

RINGMASTER #3


7 comments:

Charles Hanson said...

Col. Harry Thomas.....Saw him on Floyd King's King Bros Circus...Can still hear him Saying...Ortans Cristiani will now perform a somersault to a four man high (teeterboard) landing in a chair....Watch her....Ortans Cristiani....Of course, the drum rolls and excellent announcing added to the excitement of the performance. Believe, that earlier in her career, she had performed a double or maybe a triple somersault to the chair.

Charles Hanson said...

When on the Cole Bros Circus he was married to Neena Thomas who later married Merle Evans.

4pawfan said...

Col Thomas was also a model builder. For those that saw the miniature circus at the Hertzberg Museum in San Antonio years ago, that was his work. Col Thomas took 13 years to built the miniature and sold it to Hertzberg before he pasted away in 1940. Local San Antonio fans built the platform for it to be set up in the museum in 1943. Frank Updegrove, a Ringling teamster, carved the horses, elephants, etc. There are films of Hertzberg with friends at his home on Euclid Ave and I have wondered if Col Thomas was one of his guests. Oklahoma Heritage Society has saved a large group of Hertzberg's films. p.j.holmes

Charles Hanson said...

With due respect, I do not think Col. Thomas passed away in in 1940 as I saw him announce the King Bros Circus in early fifties in Macon, Georgia.

Charles Hanson said...

Believe he was on the Cole Show in the early to mid Forties when the Cristiani Family was over there......

4pawfan said...

Harry Hertzberg passed away in 1940.

Charles Hanson said...

My apology....I misread....Thanks