tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8897242.post7210220767467639850..comments2023-10-30T06:50:17.036-04:00Comments on Buckles Blog: Ringling-Barnum TIGER MOON-MSG (1944)Buckleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06114738213931098664noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8897242.post-21450952530725325912008-09-27T16:31:00.000-04:002008-09-27T16:31:00.000-04:00Chris, I enjoyed the circus poster exhibit that wa...Chris, I enjoyed the circus poster exhibit that was curated by Greg Parkinson at the Big "E" fair in West Springfield, MA. Those of us attending the Circus Historical Society convention enjoyed it. Noted that you loanded a considerable number of posters. Many thanks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8897242.post-76591603542033483832008-09-27T11:50:00.000-04:002008-09-27T11:50:00.000-04:00A footnote to Merle Evans and his "radio days"...i...A footnote to Merle Evans and his "radio days"...in 1942 a five-year contract between Ringling-Barnum and the American Federation of Musicians expired and the circus band was ordered to strike on the last day of the Philadelphia stand (June 13, 1942). The musicians were out of work and recordings of circus music (including Stravinsky's "Elephant Ballet") were played for the rest of that season, and Merle and the boys were out of work! For a period of time between the start of the strike and the opening at Madison Square Garden in 1943 (when he returned to the bandstand under the direction of Robert Ringling) Merle took a job as the band leader for the NBC-Red "Fitch Bandwagon". The radio show - and the band that Merle led each week -originated from Rockefeller Center in New York. (A little radio history here - the "Fitch Bandwagon" also had the great fortune to be heard at 7:30 on Sunday night - sandwiched between Jack Benny and Edgar Bergen/Charlie McCarthy. It was a comedy/music-variety show that evolved into the Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show in 1946 and finally ended its run on NBC in 1954)Chris Berryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11881618556060225490noreply@blogger.com