Sunday, April 23, 2006

The Greatest Show on Earth 1930's #5


I once asked George Werner how big the tent was in 1951 and he said 206' across with four 59' middle pieces. It was wider than this tent as seen in LA in 1934 because it had to accomodate Concello's seat wagons but this is a mammoth spread of canvas.
To get the proper perspective, the menagerie tent in the center was 150' across, the standard size big top for the competitive circuses.
This was not a 5 ring circus but actually 3 rings and four stages since there was enough room between the end center poles and the first row of quarter poles to place smaller stages, thus a seven act display. The stages on each side of the center ring had to be heavy enough to accomodate an elephant act so they could have five herds working at once.
And of course, the track wide enough to present chariot races before the show closed with the Zacchini's double cannon.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

I can't imagine the effort it took to erect these tents. There were no fork lifts in those days. What must they have weighed?

Buckles said...

In those days they had wagons of wood and men of iron.

GaryHill said...

Buckles I see so many smaller tents spotted around all the other large ones. OK you have THE Big Top, Menagerie, PieCar or Cook tent, Clown Alley,Blacksmith. What other tents and their use? Thanks, Gary

Anonymous said...

Wardrobe and dressing rooms were also in tents Gary. For once I am going to keep my thoughts to myself on that one. SEE! I am getting better with my People Skills! Makeing an effort anyway.

GaryHill said...

Good for you Dutchess!

Anonymous said...

Morning Gary. No Horse event today? You know you would miss my REAL comments. I'LL be back. Its good that some new circus folks have joined in the comments. Most I don't know but they know people I do. It just keeps getting better and better!

Buckles said...

Actually I had to crop out a number of tents, including dressing rooms, ring stock tent and baggage horse tent so the picture wouldn't shrink too badly.The cluster of tents at the bottom are all petaining to the cook house (they head to feed over 1,000 people three times a day)one smaller tent would be for the range wagons, another for the dish washers, food storage, etc.
The elephant men had their own trapping wagon and tent,as did the menagerie hands, big top crew, ushers, etc.
Then over by the horse tents would be a blacksmith shop, barber shop,doniker tops. A regular city.

GaryHill said...

I figured that was what all of it was, but its always nice to read your discription of things! Dutchess, I'm fixin to head out to work cows in Corsicana. Home of Black Diamonds Head!

Anonymous said...

I can't begin to imagine feeding 1000 employees 3 meals a day everyday without Sam's and Superwalmart. I am the purchasing agent on Kelly Miller for the cookhouse and we feed 80 people 2 meals a day 7 days a week. I usually fill 4 grocery carts at Superwalmart where there is an abundance of food.

Anonymous said...

Buckles, what about Shorty on the Big Apple? I had a wonderful thanksgiving Meal with the Big Apple out in Queens year,

The food quality varied with Shorty. I wonder if he is still around?

GaryHill said...

4 carts for 80 people ain't too bad. Back when Venice was WQ's and we had Mickey ie Gargantua the Second. I filled 2 carts a week just for him. Lots of vegs and canned goods and lots of fresh fruit and so forth.

Anonymous said...

The finest example of what "The Greatest Show on Earth" looked like on the lot is Howard Tibbals -Howard Bros. Circus - model in the Tibbals Learning Center at the Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasosta. Don't miss it.

Buckles said...

You must mean Pee Wee. He is driving the elephant truck with the Beatty Show.

Anonymous said...

Sorry Buckles, it was Pee Wee. The mind goes ya know. Three Score and ten, etc. etc.