From Dave Price

Bob and Richard did a good job on African elephants but there's one more from the mid-Twentieth Century who ought to be mentioned. I snapped this picture of little "Colonel" (of course named for Colonel Woodcock) during the 1957 Kelly-Miller Chevrolet promotion (see the Chevy blanket next to Colonel). Colonel had been imported in late 1955 and died I believe in 1964. Today's readers are used to seeing African elephants but this was only the third I had ever seen, Sudan in 1943 and Emily/Abilee in 1950 being the first two. By the way, Ringling's "Diamond" was originally called "Louie" after Louis Reed.

Lords of the Lions #1 (From the Jim Cole Collection)

Chet Juszyk

Lords of the Lions #2

Andre Skerbecki 1983

Lords of the Lions #3

Fred C. Logan with the Al G. Kelly & Miller Bros. Circus.

Lords of the Lions #4

Gerd Siemoneit, whom Jimmy tells me is often called the "Clyde Beatty" of Europe.

Lords of the Lions #5

John Campolongo

Lords of the Lions #6

Prince El Kigordo (Photo by Eddie Motta)

House acts #1

Another of John Goodall's Ringling Press Picturtes. When the situation arises that for some reason, the show falls short on a three ring display, you can usually manage to put a "house act" together to fill out the number. In this instance we see Axel Gautier in 1976 with "Targa" and a scruffy little pony getting the job done.

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)