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Monday, May 08, 2006
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8 comments:
Never been in with one but I've heard from more than one trainer that they act more like a big cat. The big bear cage act was a Cuneo production that several trainers worked on. It eventually was reduced to approxmately six bears as a stage act, the Paramount Bears -- including the polar bear who rode a motorcycle.
Joe Frisco Sr. was around the act in his youth and told me several tales about it. If you check pg.284 of Durant's Pictorial History of the American Circus you can see a young Frisco assisting with the bears. On the following page there's a photo of the polar bear rolling a globe.
Eloise had the polar bear and a few others, some I'm sure she trained, on Polack in 1966 in a stage act (not the mixed group).
Dion, polar bears are one of the most difficult animals to work with. Very intellegent, but cunning as well. Got to spend alot of time around Ursula's bears at CW and on RBBB. Was always picking Manfred's brain about bears. Spent a summer earley in my career around Mr. Hall's bears and got to watch him working with a group of young bears. Very facinating animals.
Darryl, were you at CW when we knocked down her bears and shaved the hair between their toes? We doctored their feet and got them back in good shape. BIG feet with BIG claws!
While working the Bear stage act I got THE LOOK. I had no pocket in my wardrobe to hold the vanella wafers that the bears received after a trick. Just before the motorcycle trick with "ZERO" One of the brown bears did his thing and I held my hand out to give the wafer. Crumbs fell through my fingers. I shrugged my shoulders and put him in his seat. I worried about that poor bear and when we got back to their den I gave him a slice of bread. I would bet I have half a dozen treat pouchs now.
Gary, I was there for one of the feet shavings by Dr. Dan the business man or the Jet Set Vet as Buckles liked to call him. But not sure it was when you were there.
Also got to spend alittle time with Albert Rix. This was time well spent, but way to short.
Eloise pulled into Jungleland one day, in I think it was 1966 or '67. Many acts stopped over with us to pick up food and bedding for their animals. A bunch of Compound folks walked out with Mabel and I to visit. One former Gun Boy, whom I'll leave nameless, claimed he broke every animal act in the business, was goofing around Zero's cage on Eloise's truck. She told him he'd better watch his hands around that bear--half of one hand was already torn off. He loudly replied, "What do you mean? I broke that bear, remember?" Eloise quietly turned and fixed him with a stare and said, "No (Gun Boy), Joe Walsh and I broke Zero when you were a bear boy with the Paramount Bears. That's what I remember." And Gun Boy slunk away thoroughly put in his place. Eloise reminded us you don't make a career claiming the accomplishments of others.
To this day I credit Eloise for every thing I have accomplished. When I am so tired I can hardly move I say to myself, would Eloise stop before every animal was taken care of and all the chores done. Some how I manage. Then there are times I think I am done and I say to myself, What would JC find to bitch about. I then do a little more.
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