Tuesday, November 21, 2006

From Jim Cole



This photo of Dr. J.Y. Henderson also shows an air calliope on the Ringling show for the red unit tour of 1981/1982. I don't recal if it was used in the pre-show (there was no pre show as we see today) or was used in the "circus street parade" themed spec.

You can see from the picture that this calliope is genuine, and not a prop. A much different style than shown in today's Conroy Bros. photos, but it got the job done. Posted by Picasa

Posted by Buckles at 11/21/2006 10:45:00 AM

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

When I took that photo of the great circus veterinarian, Dr. Henderson in 1982, he had long since been retired from the show. But I was very surprised how few people around the show even knew who he was.

One of the show directors told him that he needed a pass to be back stage, even after Dr. Henderson had intoduced himself!

21 November, 2006 11:56
Anonymous said...

From Eric:

I can remember an air calliope being used for the Red Unit's pre-show in San Diego in 1983. It was mounted on a cart pulled by a pony (or ponies), and as it made its way around the track, it would periodically stop, and a female clown would play a selection. Then it would be pulled a little further down the track, stop and another selection would be played. One of the selections I can remember hearing was "The Whistler and His Dog."

As for the treatment accorded to former Ringling employees by the Felds, in the early 1970s, Merle Evans drove up to the Venice winterquarters to visit some old friends still with the show AND WAS DENIED ADMITTANCE! A circus spokesperson later gave out a wheedling statement to the effect that, with two circues and all the animals, people, equipment, etc. on hand, winterquarters was too busy, too crowded, and too dangerous a place to allow visitors.

21 November, 2006 12:44
Anonymous said...

For lovers of mechanical music there's no place like

http://www.ragtimewest.com/index.html

Some day when my wife isn't looking I'm going to buy one of their air calliope kits

21 November, 2006 13:38
Anonymous said...

Doc Henderson was virtually unique around there, almost a lost soul in the Feld era, in that unlike them he was a genuine and thoroughly decent man. I was grateful to have known him most of 30 years.

Never enough good has been said about Maestro Merle Evans. He was known and respected by everyone who ever played a note of music. Both these men were beloved figures around that show and the whole circus world. They, along with Pat Valdo, shared a reputation for never having an enemy.

The eventual cold disregard of the Feld element for these men and many greats who returned for visits was not for business, security, or safety. It was the baldfaced exercise of arrogance.

21 November, 2006 15:27
GaryHill said...

I have Doc to thank for all my Circus memories because he is the one who hired me in Texas to come to Winter Quarters. He said Jewell could come to and he'd find something for him? So funny Jewell became a Lion Trainer and I still to this day have shovel in my hands!

21 November, 2006 23:07
Anonymous said...

ROGER SMITH SAID:

The eventual cold disregard of the Feld element for these men and many greats who returned for visits was not for business, security, or safety. It was the baldfaced exercise of arrogance.

Roger, change that arrogance to ignorance!

22 November, 2006 09:43
Anonymous said...

Calliope pictured with Dr. Henderson was played as a red unit pre-show by clown Jim Vogelgesang, who purchased the instrument upon leaving Ringling. He & wife Barbara, also an ex-RBBB clown, still own & operate the calliope at certain events. We use them, their entire family (4 clown-garbed youngsters) & calliope in annual Glenside (PA) Grand, Glorious, Patriotic Parade (104th annual in 2007) each July 4, when they are a popular & colorful feature. -- Bill Hall

22 November, 2006 10:26
Anonymous said...

To George: Agreed, but ignorance can be excused. Arrogance, never. With the Feld bent for blending the two, one becomes as bad as the other.

To Bill Hall: Are you the gentleman who wrote the Pat Anthony article for the March-April, 1960, WHITE TOPS? William Shoop just inquired of me about Pat, and I referred him to this story.

22 November, 2006 13:22
Anonymous said...

one time Jewell told me his lion name J Y was name after doc henderson if any one out there knows diffrent i like to know please Clean raul

22 November, 2006 17:50
Anonymous said...

Hey Raul, As far as I know that was what Jewel named him after.

22 November, 2006 20:34
GaryHill said...

I can confirm that.Buddy was named after a friend of ours in Texas, and we brought him with us. Kenneth, the motorcycle riding cat was named after Kenny Feld, and Murphy, was named after Murphy James from CW.

22 November, 2006 22:34
Anonymous said...

Responding to Roger Smith's inquiry, I did interview big cat trainer Pat Anthony when he was performing with a 17 lions/tigers cage act at now-gone Willow Grove (PA) Amusement Park (now a mall) in suburban Phila., & that did result in feature story running in THE WHITE TOPS. Can't say, some 46 yrs. later, if 1960 was when story appeared, but do remember Pat (real name something like Anthony Vitanzo)as a colorful, earthy-type,ex-Army World War II combat paratrooper who had act of U.S. Congress authorize GI-Bill to pay for his animal training fees. He had a great action, fighting-type act. Back then, as an eager, fledgling journalist, we had an okay from WHITE TOPS' Editor Walter B. Hohenadel to provide magazine with lengthy show reviews & features (Trevor Bale, Albert Rix, the Blaszaks, Anthony, Charly Baumann... -- great achievers, fine folks with scores of interesting stories/comments).

24 November, 2006 08:06
Anonymous said...

According to old Compound records I discovered, and to Bill Johnston, Pat was born Anthony Patrick Vitanza, in Cleveland, O. I have no birthdate for him, and so far I haven't found anyone who has his date of death, or place of interment.

25 November, 2006 17:57
Anonymous said...

Bill Johnston told me that Pat worked a Compound lion act on the Texas dates as Tony Vitanza.

On another occasion Pat mentioned losing the act's money on that date in the Blue Room. It took him quite a while to work off the debt and cured any interest of gambling.

25 November, 2006 19:10

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