Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Human Projectiles #1 (From the Jim Cole collection)


Brian Miser in flight #1 in 2004.

Posted by Buckles at 10/31/2006 06:22:00 AM

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I always thought that the ARIANNA bow and arrow thing on Ringling not too long ago was a novel idea of the traditional canon act and it was well produced and presented. You see I am not totally negative.

31 October, 2006 10:36
Anonymous said...

I missed that act. Sound interesting. What happened?

31 October, 2006 12:28
Anonymous said...

For some reason or other, the Feld Corp. would not allow anyone to take photos of the Arianna Human Arrow act. Seating ushers were put on red alert. For that reason, I have no photos of that act. Yes, it was a very well done production number.

But so was the production number that preceeded "Bailey's Comet", as seen here. Brian Miser is to be complimented for totally engineering this "fire shot", despite claims made by a former Ringling cannon act performer.

This year, and I understand also the next two, Brian and his wife Tina perform a double cannon shot (without fire).

Both Brian and Tina Miser began their circus training at the Peru, Indiana Youth Circus.

31 October, 2006 12:37
Anonymous said...

They were hoping for Ariana to get the same sort of reaction as the living unicorn, and were trying to manufacture mistique, which is why they tried to be so secretive.

02 November, 2006 10:53
Buckles said...

I suppose so.
I was once chatting with a group of people who were mystified by the "upside-down" walk with Ken & Nicole.
Having seen the Dress Rehearsal I said, "Quite simple,each person wears a........." at which point Peggy Williams frantically sushed me.

02 November, 2006 11:08
Anonymous said...

Buckles, I would bet money I know exactly what you were going to say. Did it envolve an intamit piece of personal male clothing? With straps perhaps?

02 November, 2006 12:53
Buckles said...

Rebecca, being somewhat alarmed at what your suggestion might be, I will quickly explain that the performers were suspended from a thin cable that slid back and forth in a track built into the overhead plate.
I would like to think that each artist wore a harness.

And like Frank Buck of days past, a spec was built around this number. I only recall one elephant blanket and as befitting it's theme, was adorned with an inverted elephant.
During intermission I heard several people comment "Christ! Somebody put the elephant upside-down on the blanket!"

02 November, 2006 13:34

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