Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Mills Bros. Circus 1947/ Buffalo Ben and Jack Hoxie

Posted by Buckles at 2/07/2006 06:49:00 AM

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mills Bros. 3-Ring Circus
(Hobby Bandwagon, Vol. 3, No. 5 (Jun), 1948, pp. 9-10.)
Mills Bros. 3-Ring Circus opened their 1948 season April 17th at Circleville, Ohio, where they had wintered and was proclaimed by CHS and CFA members present as the greatest improved motorized circus of 1948. Jack and Jake Mills, the genial co-owners, have done a grand job in producing a top-notch circus.

The big top is a 100 ft. round top with three 40's, but a 120 with three 50's is expected to be delivered next month. They also carry a menagerie top, side show, cook house and dressing top and travel on 100 trucks and trailers. Equipment makes a flashy appearance, but a larger big top is needed to handle the crowds and performance. Harry Mills, a brother of the owners, is manager of the concessions.

Doc Waddell, the only pastor of the big top, is again traveling with Mills Bros. and is as much of the circus as the big top itself. Doc recently received world-wide publicity.

Robert A. Mills, no relation to the owners, heads the big top band which is composed of talented musicians, such as Jack Sweetman, the snare drummer, who has travelled with many famous Minstrels including Al G. Fields.

The performance is very strong and will compare with that of the much larger shows with leading acts booked by Hans Lederer of New York. Big Burma, worked by Frank Noel, is the finest single elephant act of the road today.

Other members of the staff include Rose Mills, sec'y; Ida Mills, treas.; Ted Edlin, general agent; Charles B. Schuler, press agent; Burt Wallace, equestrian director; I. B. McCoy, announcer; Robert E. Boyd, cookhouse steward. Side show - Paul Hubbard, manager; and L. E. Collins, inside lecturer.

Mills Bros. Circus Program

Display 1 - Opening Spectacle: On the Beach at Waikiki.

2 - Big Burma in Hula Dance, presented by Frank Noel.

3 - Introduction of Buffalo Ben - a man who is synonymous with our early American history, Buffalo Ben - the last of the original scouts, who was with Buffalo Bill in 1876. Ninety-four years of age. 4 - Riding Dogs and Monkeys. Ring 1, Capt. Burt Wallace. Ring 3, Ed Mason.

5 - Hand Balancing. Ring 1, Joe and Annette Dobas; Ring 2, Willie Clark; Ring 3, Bruna and Yolanda.

6 - Single Trapeze. Ring 1, Josephine and Silverlake; Ring 2, Myrna Silverlake, assisted by grandfather, Archie Silverlake; Ring 3, Jonnie Mae Snyder.

7 - Clowns: Hair-Growing Gag. Roy & Joy Thomas producing.

8 - The Cathalas Troupe: May, Charles, Tony & Henry, from Copenhagen, Denmark, making their first American tour.

9 - Spanish Web. Ring 1, Virginia Noel; Ring 2, Ellen Knight; Ring 3, Georgia Sweet.

10 - Performing Dogs. Ring 1, Donna Drew; Ring 2, Josephine Silverlake; Ring 3, Jeannette Wallace.

11 - First Concert Announcement.

12 - Swinging Ladders. Ring 1 Willedean Black; Ring 2, Martha Ali; Ring 3, Margie Butcher.

13 - Clown Wedding.

14 - Teeterboard and Acrobatics. Ring 1, Rubyatte, acrobatics; Ring 3, Cathalas, teeterboard. Concluding with special announcement for Rubyatte, doing cartwheels around entire hippodrome track.

15 - Tight Wire. Allen and Ellen Knight. Featuring a blind six foot high jump.

16 - Clown Crazy Number.

17 - Liberty Horses. Ring 1, Spotted Horses, Jeannette Wallace; Ring 2, Dapple Grays, Capt. Burt Wallace; Ring 3, Black Horses, Ed Mason.

18 - Clowns Number: Jargo. Presented by Brownie Silverlake.

19 - Unsupported Roman Ladders. Rings 1 and 3, Girls on Ladders; Ring 2, Famous Medini Family: Bruno, Bruna, Yolanda Michael and Petromille. Five high on unsupported ladder, completing a triple somersault from an unsupported ladder.

20 - Second Concert Announcement.

21 - Clown Band, Brownie Silverlake leader.

22 - Flying Rings and Cloud Swing. Ring 1, Allen and Ellen Knight, flying rings; Ring 2, Jonnie Mae Snyder, cloud swings; Ring 3, Silverlake Trio, flying rings.

23 - Clown Walkaround.

24 - Pony Drill. Capt. Burt Wallace. Presenting on hippodrome track Jimmy, hindleg walking pony.

25 - Joe and, Annette Dobas, Perch Act. Featuring Annette, only woman in America supporting the perch.

26 - Menage Horses. Ring 1, Georgia Sweet, Margie Butchers, Martha Ali; Ring 2, Jonnie Mae Snyder, Jeannette Wallace, Donna Drew; Ring 3, Ellen Knight, Eddie Mason. Concluding with dancing horses on the hippodrome track: Waltzing, Jeannette Wallace; Scotch Highland Fling, Georgia Sweet; After The Ball, Capt. Burt Wallace.

27 - Big Burma - America's largest and fastest-performing elephant. Presented by Frank and Virginia Noel. Concluding with and featuring Virginia Noel in a head carry on the hippodrome track.

Equestrian Director: Capt, Burt Wallace.

Clowns: Roy and Joy Thomas, producing (Joy one of two female clowns now active in America); Willie Clark, Brownie Silverlake, Steve Crowe, Marcus Silverlake, Franklin Silverlake, Melvin Silverlake.

Concert: Featuring Buffalo Ben, 94-year-old original scout with Buffalo Bill. Lloyd and Willedean Black, knife-throwing and Australian bullwhip manipulation; Cowboys and Cowgirls.

07 February, 2006 06:56
GaryHill said...

What a great shot of the kids! Little girls in dresses, boys wearing sailor hats and the look of Wonder on their faces. Good Old Days! Gary

07 February, 2006 08:29

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