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Friday, November 03, 2006
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23 comments:
In 1970, John Herriott was the Assistant Performance Director on the Ringling Red unit. He got me permission to do close up photos of Gunther, who was only in his 2nd year on the show. Thank you again John!
It looks like that rubber matting is laced together with some pretty wide openings. On would think that would be an open invitation for the big cats to grab onto! Also looks as though one could easily trip and fall on it.
Eloise tripped on a lump in the matting. It caused her death.
That was the original rubber and would be replaced with thicker rubber that didn't need to be laced. That was only in the rings. The other rubber remained on the track, etc. But during a lengthy engagement the ring rubber still had to be reset at times. It was taped underneath but would get little crack openings and cause what happened to Judy. It happened to others as well but not that serious. I believe the serious injury to Dom Martinez was getting hung up on track rubber while tumbling.
Here is perhaps the most famous animal trainer of all time,.....and we're all talking about rubber?
When Eloise fell her elephant charged and gored her while she lay there on the matt.
as has been pointed out before, with all due respect to gunther, clyde beatty was much better known in his heyday and for many, many years afterward; his reputation for bringing in the crowds has never been surpassed and in all likeliehood never will be. however, gunther is without question the most famous animal trainer since clyde beatty.
Buckles:
"Junior" was on the show when Eloise was killed. His book, "In A Big Cage" gives a complete tale of her death, including the fact that the ring carpet was all wet. (no rubber!) She had tossed two of three batons to the male elephant working and he missed catching the third one. She bent over to pick it up, turning her back on the bull, and he killed her then. (She didn't fall!) The book - which I hold the copyright on - goes into complete details of her death, including Morgan Berry's trip from Woodland, Wash.to Canada to take over the three remaining elephants (all adult bulls) and Eloise's cat act.
Please someone correct me if I am wrong about this. I had always heard that the only tiger that Gunther came over here with, was the large male that was used in the elephant/tiger act. The group tiger act was an after-thought, and was put together here at Ringling WQ in the winter of '68 - '69, and that he had some assistance from Charly Bauman??
This blog site can be a valuable learning tool for non professional circus animal act historians such as myself. Especially when we hear from pro's like John Herriott, Jim Clubb and Buckles.
Rebecca,
Eloise was working on a one ring tent show in Canada when she was killed. I worked two years up there, same show, the following two years; never a ring mat at all. Also saw the horrifying police photos of accident; recall grass around her body in the ring. Management told me that bull just took her...
On this photo comment, Gunther was FANTASTIC! one of my heros
Eloise was killed on a French-Canadian show called Cirque Gatini, run by Leo DuPlessis. After her death, Kay Rosaire bought Eloise's wild animal act without the bears and goat. In 1979 the act was booked on the same show, worked by Patricia White, who at that time was still married to Roy Wells.
All do respect to others with infomation about Eloise. Giovanni was there and did damage control with the public. He also wrote a book [in French] about the event. We have been writing and discussing this for two years. His book has pictures. He was with in five feet of the ring when it happened. If he should read this blog I do wish he would comment. I trust his word. Of course management would have a different story. They always do.
about jimmy's comment about Gunther coming here with one tiger. when I
Worked for Gunther in 1975 I got to listen to the german's that came over with him
I remember them telling me that Gunther came over with a six act of tigers and then put the tiger on Congo's back once here in America.the tiger that rode Congo in 1975 was named Prince(that was in spec,I think)
the mixed act in the show was Congo (african elephant),Blackey &
Knucklehead (light draft horses) and 2 male tigers named Prince and Buffy (Buffy had a bent ear),the 2 males that also rode on the swing with Gunther,the 3rd tiger in the mixed act was a female I think her name was Natasha.but I wouldn't swear to the name of the female but I think it was Natasha, she was the female that rubbed up against Gunther's leg before joining the laydown
I think the elephant with the Tiger in Germany on Circus Williams was an Asian Elephant
John Herriot may have better recollections of Gunther's acts on his arrival to America
another comment on working for Gunther.Not only did I learn much,being his butcher,helping him feed like they were talking about earlier,he would open the door and hold the tiger back as I through in the meat,chunk horsemeat on the bone. I was also the front doorman for the act
He was also one of the fairest bosses I ever had.
Thanks Larry for clarifying that. You now have my curiosity in full gear, time to break out "Rings Around the World" from the video drawer. Gunther is in that with the tiger / elephant act on Circus Williams.
Yes, I do recall it being about 6 cats the first tour, but it didn't take long to get those numbers up considerably. Towards the end of his career, I think I counted 20 in the ring. Many super large males in that group.
We toured with Circus Williams in Germany in 1967, I can assure you that at that time Gunther was working with a Two elephant and one tiger act. (Congo & Tyler) that came over to the States.
This act was changed in 1975 to One African elephant (Congo) Two horses and three tigers.
Towards the end of the season in Germany (1967) Young tigers arrived and Gunther was starting to train them at that time, I can't remember how many tigers but I think it was at least six..... In 1968 season we were with Circus Knie in Switzerland.
We met up again with Gunther when we all come over to the GSOE at the same time, December 1968.
I think Gunther worked a tiger and two elephants, an Asian and I assume Kongo, in the arena when he first came over. In following years he added another tiger or two and added the horses.
Also in the first year's tour tiger act, three tigers did a "monkey roll" (I think that's the name). The cats rolled over while another jumped over -- wasn't real smooth but it was different. I don't recall seeing that treick after the first year.
Jim we called this trick a figure eight. With three tigers, one jumping over the one rolling under in the opposite direction. Never seen this done before or since. Maybe Jim Clubb may have input on it's origin or if it was an original trick
One of the most dangerous rubber floors to work on was at the Garden in NYC when they set the show up on top of the ice for hockey games. The whole floor would slide when the elephants ran on it. Buckles may remenber this experience as well.
the "monkey roll" was definitely in in 1975
Thanks Larry, thought that trick had to be around in the mid seventies as I remember seeing it done.
Gunther put the tiger act together in Europe prior to coming to Ringling. Feld and Rhodin told Carola Williams they wanted to book a tiger act along with the stuff from Circus Williams and Carola and Gunther Put one together. Seven tigers and the jump and roll routine was in the act. The act with two elephants and one tiger was just great and Gunther had it in Europe as well. Congo the African and a real tough female asian named Tyler. Only Dave McMillian and Gunther could get around her and finally had to be disposed of.
I am only a fan, but I would like to add a couple of comments. I took photos of Gunther riding with a tiger on Congo in spec in 1977. During that same show I took photos of him working what I count to be 14 tigers in one half of the performance and 14 leopards in the other half…all this plus horses and elephants – a joy I will never forget. I also have a number of slides I took (not my best pics) of GGW in 1969 in the Garden. I’ll check these out as I am able.
I cannot tell all you wonderful people how much I genuinely treasure all your photos and comments….thank you sooo much!
Paul Gutheil
PS - to Buckles: Great seeing you at the Kelly Banquet (photos coming).
- to Sue Lenz: Many thanks for the Norman Barrett photos – met him and chatted with him a number of times when he was on Big Apple – like you and Rudi he is a dear and accomplished person.
PPS Shannon still waiting for the picture of the three boys on Halloween.
Diane
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