House acts #2

The act looks much better in these Jimmy Cole pictures which now includes a llama and Robert Ridley. In the background we see Jeanette Williams with horses at liberty and I'm guessing that it's Tommy Baker in the third ring. So it turns out that they were short a liberty act.

House acts #3

A very nice picture of the display but obviously a different year, the act now includes "Targa" two ponies and two dogs while Ms Williams is working 12 horses from horseback.

House acts #4

This is Hugo Schmitt's most enterprising house act, a floating elephant ride. At the conclusion of the performance he would take an elephant to the closest exit and set up shop. Axel would load and unload the patrons, Hugo handled the proceeds which they would later divide. No howdah or platform, "Targa" would simply stretch out so the kids could be pitched on and pulled off also making the operation flexible enough to move from exit to exit.

Infant #1

Karen, these pictures taken about a month ago. Today Kay is amost 16 months old and James William close to 4 months.

Infant #2

Back in business!

A good time had by all but right at the most dramatic point of my speech, my cell phone suddenly went off and I had to stop everything and never managed to gain the momentum again. It was my ever lovin' wife who instructed me to pick up some milk and and baby food on my way home from the air port.

Ringling-Barnum 1941 #7 (Eric Beheim Collection)

Ringling-Barnum 1941 #7 (Eric Beheim Collection)

Ringling-Barnum 1941 #8 (Eric Beheim Collection)

Ringling-Barnum 1941 #8 (Eric Beheim Collection)

Ringling-Barnum 1941 #9 (Eric Beheim Collection)

Ringling-Barnum 1941 #10 (Eric Beheim Collection)

Ringling-Barnum 1941 #10 (Eric Beheim Collection)

Ringling-Barnum 1941 #11 (Eric Beheim Collection)

Ringling-Barnum 1941 #11 (Eric Beheim Collection)

Ringling-Barnum 1941 #12 (Eric Beheim Collection)

Ringling-Barnum 1941 #12 (Eric Beheim Collection)

Ringling-Barnum 1941 #1(Eric Beheim Collection)

Ringling-Barnum 1941 #1 (Eric Beheim Collection)

Ringling-Barnum 1941 #2 (Eric Beheim Collection)

Ringling-Barnum 1941 #2 (Eric Beheim Collection)

Ringling-Barnum 1941 #3 (Eric Beheim Collection)

Ringling-Barnum 1941 #3 (Eric Beheim Collection)

Ringling-Barnum 1941 #4 (Eric Beheim Collection)

Ringling-Barnum 1941 #4 (Eric Beheim Collection)

Ringling-Barnum 1941 #5 (Eric Beheim Collection)

Ringling-Barnum 1941 #5 (Eric Beheim Collection)

Ringling-Barnum 1941 #6 (Eric Beheim Collection)

Ringling-Barnum 1941 #6 (Eric Beheim Collection)

Astley's Royal Circus #1 (From Sue Lenz)

Astley's Royal Circus #2

Astley's Royal Circus #3

Astley's Royal Circus #4

A great weekend coming up!

I am flying up to Dulles Airport this afternoon and from there, driving on up to Hagerstown for tomorrow's banquet. This is a picure taken 24 years ago of my last appearance there. In my absence, Shannon will post about a dozen pictures from Eric Beheim of the Ringling Show unloading and setting up in 1941. My dad often said it was the biggest show ever to go on tour, moving on 110 railroad cars. These unique photos produced by TRU-VUE and originally appeared in 3-D.

More ladies of the steel arena #1 (Jim Cole collection)

Albina Beatty (Say) with the Pan American Circus 1966.

More ladies of the steel arena #2

Tammy Wallenda with the Donnie Johnson tiger act at the Tampa Shrine Circus in 2005.

More ladies of the steel arena #3

Kathleen Marcan with the Beatty-Cole Circus in 1992.

More ladies of the steel arena #4

Lilli-Ana Kristensen

More ladies of the steel arena #5

Kay Rosaire with Hamid-Morton Circus in 1988 (Photo by Eddie Motta).

More Ladies of the steel arena #6

Susan Lacy and the Hawthorne White Tigers with the Ed Migley Circus 1995.

The Greatest Show on Earth 1951 (Group 3)

Eric Beheim Collection

Albert Rix

The Riding Zoppes

Karl Kareff-Manus

Lola Dobritch

The Chaludis

Harold Alzana

Olga Astley #1 (Pictures from Sue Lenz)

These are pictures taken of my mother in the 1930's, the elephant she used to present was called "Rosie". After the family finished with the circus, she was sold to the Bristol Zoo where she gave elephant rides for many years. Mother also had a dog and pony act, as well as an act with geese.

Olga Astley #2

Olga Astley #3

Mother used the name Olga Astley until she married my dad, Freddy Yelding, also from an old English Circus family.

Olga Astley #4

Olga Astley #5

, originally uploaded by buckleswoodcock.

How about this?

Tape, originally uploaded by buckleswoodcock. Just got a copy of Dick Whitmarsh's latest Band Disc. I told Pat and Ryan I was going to dance on MTV and they were impressed.

What a day!

In order to get a full picture, FlickR seems to be the answer but it has turned out to be a 13 step proceedure and if the item is rejeced an additional 5 steps are required to re-apply the pass word. Shannon seems to think he can modify this, if not I will have to start getting up at 4:00 AM rather than 5. I must admit tho, the quality of these picures are about the best we have canked out yet.

Ladies of the steel arena #1 (Vol 1. from Jim Cole Collection)

mabrl, originally uploaded by buckleswoodcock. Mabel Stark from a Jungleland Post Card

Ladies of the arena #2

pat, originally uploaded by buckleswoodcock. Pat White and "Ceylon" with Carson & Barnes Circus in 1990.

Ladies of the steel arena #3

trudy, originally uploaded by buckleswoodcock. Trudy Strong and "Sush" from Cuneo's Animal Acts in 1993

Ladies of the steel arena #4

Jeanette, originally uploaded by buckleswoodcock. Jeanette Rix 1984

Ladies of the steel arena #5

scan0350, originally uploaded by buckleswoodcock. Eloise Berchtold with Rudy Bros. Circus 1973

Ladies of the steel arena #6

Ladies of the steel arena #5, originally uploaded by buckleswoodcock. Ada Smeiya, Ringling-Barnum Circus 1965

From Sue Lenz

From Sue Lenz, originally uploaded by buckleswoodcock. Shannon has come up with a new service (Flickr) to host pictures, maybe it will solve the recent problems. This first picture is from a set of about twelve, received today from Sue Lenz and I have asked Shannon to also include her accompanying message. Under this new system, to enlarge the photo, you click on the picture as usual and you are taken to a second page, then click on "all sizes". Hi Buckles As I noticed you are putting some pictures from the UK on your wonderful Blog, I thought that you might be interested in some pictures of my Mother taken in the 1930s. Her family ran a Astley's Circus in the summer seasons at Scarborough. At that time they had lots of British Circus families in their programs, Fossetts Cooks Rosaires Ginnetts and many more. Sadly there isn't many folks still alive from that era that could give more information but I do have some pictures that I will send with this as an attachment. Note the old wagons at the front of the Circus also the lace on the chairs. The elephant that my Mother used to present was called Rosie, after the family finished with the Circus, Rosie was sold to Bristol Zoo and gave elephant rides for many years. Mother also had an act with Geese, and a dog & pony act Mother used the name Olga Astley until she married my Dad, Freddy Yelding also from an old English Circus family, My Dad and some of his brothers were with Bertram Mills Circus riding with Billy, Dickie & Pat Baker as the Cumberlands, including one brother known as Victor Julian here in the States. I continued in their footsteps and the first act I ever presented was A Joey pony which was worked with Hugo Darty an Italian clown when I was 12 years old. I also did a Cowboy act with my Mother & Father, Three Corrals rope spinning ,whip cracking & riding, Later worked a dog act with Norman Barrett (first husband) presented a sealion act and worked in an elephant act on Robert Bros Circus. Met my second husband Rudi Lenz while working with Bertram Mills with my Pigeon act and thats how I got into the Chimp business. Just thought that if any time you run short of material (which I doubt) something different for your blog. I have tons of photos from the Fossetts, Yeldings, Bakers, Robert Bros Circus. Bertram Mills from the 1930s to 1970s, All the pictures that I have enclosed are of my Mother and her family Circus. Kindest regards. Sue Lenz.

Bertram W. Mills' Circus 1926-27 (Concluded)