Friday, February 10, 2006

Tom Packs Circus/ Josephine and Slivers (Claude) Madison


Originally trained by Mac MacDonald, we see "Tommie", "Jean", "Alice", "Penny" and "Shirley".
Presented many years by Slivers and Jo with the Packs Show and Jungleland in California appearing in numerous movies.
The elephants eventually went to Rudy Bros. and ultimately to Circo Bells in Mexico where Gene Garner worked them.
Slivers might be best remembered from his long tenure at the Nuggett Casino in Sparks, NV where he presented "Bertha".

Posted by Buckles at 2/10/2006 06:44:00 AM

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Jo Madison still lived in Sparks when I worked with “Bertha”. A very nice lady. During the last 16 years of “Bertha’s” life Jo only came to see me at the elephant barn twice. The void that was left by Sliver’s death was never filled and seeing the elephants again brought much sadness.
Jo told me he knew that he was seriously ill. On the day of Sliver’s surgery he insisted on stopping by the barn on the way to the hospital. He sat in a folding chair next to the elephants and told her to come back in an hour. Jo left him alone. After saying goodbye he was ready to go.
Don Bloomer

10 February, 2006 13:28
Anonymous said...

This story rips my heart. So true of so many circus people and their animals.

15 February, 2006 12:35
JENNIFER said...

My Great Aunt and Uncle. Angel the third elephant at the barn lives at the Fort Worth Zoo.

11 December, 2021 19:22

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