Tuesday, May 14, 2019

JUMBO #2


Posted by Chic Silber at 5/14/2019 10:39:00 AM

6 comments:

Chic Silber said...


Rosie was the original leading lady

14 May, 2019 10:49
Roger Smith said...

The mahout here. to the best of my old photo comparisons, is Rudy Mueller. For years, he and his wife had the Powers Elephants. I knew him in the late 1960s at Jungleland.

14 May, 2019 18:40
Chic Silber said...


This photo is from 1935 Roger

You likely mean the fellow in

Jumbo #12 of Sid from 1962

14 May, 2019 18:50
Roger Smith said...

Yes, it was Rudy Mueller (sometimes seen as Muller). He was with the elephants on Rose's 1935 JUMBO, in the late NYC Hippodrome. There, he worked with Jimmy Durante, Ken Murray, Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra, and Donald Novis. Rudy and his wife Anna became friends with Rose, who was instrumental in propelling their career. Louis Goebel brought the Muellers to his Thousand Oaks compound in 1946. I'll scan photos from the Thousand Oaks News-Chronicle.

History of the Powers Elephants can be found in 9 postings on Ivan Henry's "The Circus Blog".

In the Compound, on December 20, 1949, Mae Kovar was attacked and instantly killed by Sultan lion, whose fangs snapped her neck. Knowing Kovar had died, Rudy entered the arena and fought Sultan off the body he was mauling. He ran the lion down the tunnel, and covered Kovar's remains with his jacket.

Rudy died the first week of February, 1968. Arky Scott and Mabel Stark both died the following April.

15 May, 2019 20:45
Roger Smith said...

Rudy Mueller was the owner and trainer of Rosie. Scans to follow.

15 May, 2019 20:48
Chic Silber said...


Sorry to 2nd guess you Roger

It just seemed like to great

a spread in years to me

15 May, 2019 21:50

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