Sunday, September 23, 2007

From Ron Severini


Tim Holst, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Hello Buckles. This is Ron Severini. We worked together on the Ringling show.

In my early years, I was a clown and boss clown of the Blue Unit. Later, I took over as Director of RBBB Clown College, directly reporting to Irvin Feld, and then later working directly with Kenneth at Ringling, Disney on Ice, Siegfried & Roy, Circus World, Disneyland Circus Fantasy, RBBB Thrill Circus, Gold Unit/Japan, etc. and I still have a few projects that I work with Kenneth and Nicole on, still to this day.

Anyway, someone just sent me a copy of a posting that you had on your "Buckle's Blog" regarding Tim Holst. For the record, the article is a bit misleading. Tim Holst is very much still the V.P. of Ringling and still responsible for the Talent arrangements. Nothing has changed. I've known Tim since the day that he drove up to attend RBBB Clown College, back in 1971. Tim has been with Ringling ever since. 36 years. I only got to spend 20 years with Ringling. I have the highest respect for Tim Holst, both as a circus man, a business man, a father to his children and as a personal friend. Please set the record straight.

FYI, this is the first time that I've gotten a chance to view your site and it is an enormous wealth of circus info and photographic circus memorabilia. Thank you. Now that I'm aware of your site, I'll be sure to check out all your past and future posting. Great site!
Ron Severini

Posted by Buckles at 9/23/2007 08:58:00 AM

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

THANKS, RON FOR CLARIFYING THE SITUATION.

23 September, 2007 17:14
Anonymous said...

BRAVO....BRAVO...BRAVO...
RON...SEVERINI......VERY...GOOD...
INFO....THANK...YOU.....

23 September, 2007 18:26
Anonymous said...

BRAVO...BRAVO...BRAVO...
RON...SEVERINI....WE...THANK...YOU......

23 September, 2007 18:29
Buckles said...

All right Tim, you made your point!

23 September, 2007 20:15
Anonymous said...

Too Too funney, Buckles. Another classic comment for history. Wade Burck

23 September, 2007 21:12
Anonymous said...

I have no comment; Mr. Burck please take note for future historical documentation.

However, one wonders what tidbit of blackmail material Mr. Holst has on Mr. Severini.

24 September, 2007 00:28
Anonymous said...

does tim holt has his own blog ?i am sure he would have a few chosen followers or die hards of what has become the great K N show .Could not help laughing of what i was reading mr burck you could have not said better or we would say you hit it on the target . CleanRaul

24 September, 2007 02:34
Raffaele De Ritis said...

I think that Tim Holst deserves a big respect, as one of the great professionals in the circus world, as recognized in the five continents. I'm proud to have shared with him a difficult and exciting project, appreciating his talent.

24 September, 2007 15:36
GaryHill said...

Its had to compare to Harold Ronk, Lou Jacobs and Trolle Rhodin?

24 September, 2007 18:12
Anonymous said...

Hey Ron,

Welcome to the Blog. I thought that you popped in a few times a year or so ago, but I guess that must have been another Ron. I am back in the show, (a small Circus in a flee market) but I’m sure by this time next year word will have trickled up to you because some great clown stuff has been flowing to me, and I have the perfect venue to see what works. Ever notice that Circus folk have a trunk full of stories to tell, rest assure that my stories of you have always had the respect for you that you deserve. I am hoping that we can again clown together, we did a few moments clowning together back at Circus World and I could tell that you had IT. Thank you for that, and I am looking forward to our prime time as clowns.

Little John

24 September, 2007 19:47
Raffaele De Ritis said...

To Mr. Gary Hill,
Concerning Harold Ronk and Lou Jacobs, I don't see great sense in the comparaison, as yourself probably agree besides the hirony.
Otherwise, I would ask you if you consider better Pat Valdo or Grock, Fred Bradna or Lucio Cristiani,Eric M.Gillett or Michael Crawford, David Larible or Louis Armstrong.
But if you mention Mr.Rhodin, that I knew very well and I often happened to travel with him around the world as with Tim, well, I think that Tim Holst follows Trolle's steps in the best way.

25 September, 2007 04:42
Anonymous said...

At last I'm not the sentinel of controversy...I'm not naming names but there has been a lot of crap on the Greatest Show on Earth in the past few decades and somebody had to book it and somebody had to OK it. I include Larible the Terriblay on that list.

For those keeping score: About 1,000 "who booked that piece of garbage" vs. a few dozen "Wow, that is very, very good."


DING...Round Two has begun.

25 September, 2007 07:24
Anonymous said...

Mr. de Ritis,
With respect, I have always considered Mr. Holst's job one of the three worst job's in the world. The other two being a small town undertaker, and the "Turk" in professional football. Given the years of performance, either he has done a superb job, or nobody else want's the position. In Europe this winter, where "nobody" want's to work for Ringling, I saw him enter a building, and within 20 min. every performer had either genuflected to him, or kissed his ring. Jesus should be so welcome on his return. It was either great respect, or great fear. It was hard to read. Maybe it's the times, but I never saw the same reaction to Mr. Rodin. Even those who knew they didn't have an ice cube's chance in hell, groveled admirably. I am going to tiptoe into this next inquiry, and the question is for everybody, "who's been there, done that". For years there have been rumor's of "kick back's", and "special favor's" for the issueance of a sacred contract. Truth or sour grape's? Wade Burck

25 September, 2007 09:17
Buckles said...

It was once explained to me that a company was hired to estimate what the show's future income would be and the budgets was made accordingly.
The manager was given an estimate as to how much it was going to cost to take the show out and bring it back to the barn, should he bring it home under that figure he gets a PC of the amount saved.
The same with the Concession boss, if his per-caps exceed the estimate he gets a piece of the action.
The amount estimated for the performance would naturally fit into this category, the Talent Coordinator falls heir to some of the moneys haggled off the estimate.
I might add that this was not etched in stone but awarded in the form of a bonus and if you are a bad boy, it vanished like the two week hold back on the Mills Show.
Kick backs went out with high button shoes.

25 September, 2007 09:57
Anonymous said...

As a historian, I’ll remind people that it was John Ringling North who booked the marvelous Mr. Mistin (loathed by everyone I ever talked with!) and tolerated the sneeze mob. I’m just grateful that we have people that try their level best to keep the circus vibrant. It’s the small-time showman who burns up the territory that should be criticized, especially in this age of concern about animal welfare and other regulations.
Dick Flint
Baltimore

25 September, 2007 11:10
Anonymous said...

Mr. Flint, thank you for weighing in. Who was Mr. Mistin, and what is a "sneeze mob"? An act that has alway's been spoken about in revered term's, amoung others, was Ursula Bottcher and her polar bears, and justifiably so. As a historian of renoun, do you know how many pieces that pie was cut into, and what was the size of Ursula's piece? I'm hoping we can address this issue from a great, and skilled performers point of view. We might have another piece in the puzzle of "what happened here". Wade Burck

25 September, 2007 11:45
Anonymous said...

Mr. Burck, now we can have some fun! The little child styled Mr. Mistin garnered the cover of the 1953 program cover for his musical abilities and the sneeze mob merited a chapter that the publisher deleted due to potential libel in Henry Ringling North’s otherwise candid “The Circus Kings.” I’ll leave it at that for I’d rather hear the stories from Buckles, Col. Herriott, or others who were around at the time!

As to Ursula Bottcher, I know nothing and it would be complicated by what the East German government got! Maybe her biography, “Kleine Frau, Barenstark,” published well after the fall of the Iron Curtain, will tell more if anyone has read it.
Dick Flint
Baltimore

25 September, 2007 12:53
Anonymous said...

Lest we not forget that during the Kenny era we were favored with the appearance of N MOTION those three NEVER WERES that were conveniently not "optioned" for the second part of the two year tour.

Anna one, anna two...wunnerful, wunnerful...and here's our lovely Champagne lady...

25 September, 2007 15:40
Anonymous said...

Mr. Flint, that is not fair. Throw something out there, then with hold it!!!! If you were of a different sex, you would be called a tease. LOL. Back to the original question, which everybody historically seem's to dance around, "who get's what?" I originally refered to it as a "kick back". In another profession it would be called a "taste". This thing of our's has been documented brilliantly, yet the issue of monies and compenstation always seem's to float on the edge in a grey area nobody want's to touch. Yet we keep asking, "where are the great act's of yesteryear. Pointing to the "communist" government's of the past, and the Chinese government's of the present, may be a obvious, but wrong answer. In our own country, there is currently a producer who has his secretary call with dates available. If you want them, she get's a 20% "kick back", or "taste", if you will. An agent working for the interest's of an artist, performer, actor, athlete, etc. is an understandable service. Add a government taking a piece, a secretary/talent coordinator taking a piece, a producer taking a piece etc. etc. the "talent" is in a hell of a box. Not too far removed from the old "working for the company store mentality". Not pointing fingers at anybody, it's just that "I heard thing's", and this seemed like an appropriate poste to address them. And yes, I would understand anonymous comment's in this case. Wade Burck

25 September, 2007 16:54
Anonymous said...

John Ringling North's goof with Mr. Mistin in no way compares to the current regime of Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey. I usually see a half dozen bloopers and boners before intermission of the GSOE. Yes, there are some fine performers/acts but there's a lot of questionable "talent" that is annoying, like too much parsley on a salad bar.

I heard that in the Vaudeville Days a talent agent booked talent and a booking agent booked for the venue. Therefore the talent agent tried to get the highest price and the booking agent tried to get the lowest price. I have never verified this, but I was told by a very old-timer who played vaudeville.

Anybody out there with additional information?

25 September, 2007 19:26
Anonymous said...

Looks like someone will have to translate what "Pro-ratey" and what a "Larry" is once again.

25 September, 2007 20:18
Anonymous said...

Pro rata is short for Propotional Ratio...equal distribution...in show business terms: a weekly salary divided by 7 days and the act getting paid for the amount of days worked REGARDLESS of EXPENSES or MILEAGE involved in such an inequitable situation that ALWAYS favors the producer/promoter/shyster who signed the contract.

Courtesy of:
He who took Business Law in college

25 September, 2007 23:21
Anonymous said...

Part Two:

A Larry is slang for a defected novelty item.

Courtesy of:
He who worked in novelties when he finished college and where he got his real education.

25 September, 2007 23:24
Buckles said...

I think it was Mr. Friske of Frisky's Ponies who coined the classic Catch Phrase when he came to this country after signing a $700 a week contact with George Hamid.
He returned to his trailer with his first pay envelope $400 short and his wife asked, "What did the man say?"
"I think he said "Pro-Rata-Patata?"
He had just received his first Business College Degree.

25 September, 2007 23:41
Anonymous said...

My champion circus owner-boss, Gil Gray, told me, after he retired, yo always remember a simple lesson in arithmatic if and when I ever had to make financial sttlements With committes buildings, etc. that 25 per cent of 100 dollars is three dollars and sixtyfive cents.

My friend Bill Hill said that he found in the showbiz to always find a way to handle money because some of it is bound to stick to him.

Big John Walker said that when settling with some know-it-all jag he would always charge him unbeknowanced to the jag.

26 September, 2007 10:18
Anonymous said...

While not addressing the original question, I think we are beginning to see an interesting pattern of "creative larceny" here,(granted from a "towner's" point of view) which suprisingly appear's to be applauded. When addressing why something isn't what it used to be, or why it isn't working today, to get a realistic answer we need to study all "tradition's", and decide which one's we should embrace, and which one's we should bury. Keep the responses coming, I'm sure everybody has a "horror" story. This could be interesting. Wade Burck

26 September, 2007 12:42
Anonymous said...

On many visits to RBBB, it was explained to me that acts from the Iron Curtain countries got close to top dollar, but the individual performers only received a dismal $7 per day. This, and each government--Polish, East German, Bulgarian, etc., had a "Director", making certain a performer didn't save up enough from his $7 to defect.

Read Michael Burke's OUTRAGEOUS GOOD FORTUNE for a look at the Sneeze Mob. They were explained to me as Art Concello's top henchmen. Among them were Frank McClosky and Walter Kiernan, who had fought professionally as "Punchy Forbes". They had their own underlings, and if you sneezed on the lot, the mob knew it. There must be some veterans who can correct me and/or add much more to this.

29 September, 2007 01:25
Anonymous said...

Ron Severini is right. This comment comes a little late (just discovered the blog 7-8-08), but Tim Holst has dedicated his life to providing quality entertainment within budget under directives that RBBC is "for profit". If it wasn't for profit, it would go out of business and where would all the unique talent and jobs go? A lot of people would be unemployed.
FYI- "Kickbacks" in the corporate world are known as performance bonus - not always tied to keeping the budget, but that helps. Felds have always run the shows as a business - thus they are still in business, unlike smaller shows. To all the Tim Holst "haters", I'm sorry you may have been hurt by whatever outcome your contact with Tim was. I can say that he's never taken joy out of being the bearer of bad news. Thanks Ron for sticking up for Tim, as for me - I'm the mother of our wonderful children (1st wife and who raised them as a single parent while he's had his career), not a friend, but I do respect the work, talent and knowledge he has contributed to the good of the circus industry. So to all, Tim Holst is one of the last of the classic era. I'm sure as our generation passes away, the next generation may not keep all the circus tradition that we hold dear. Linda Holst RBBC 1974-1990(showgirl 1975-1981)

08 July, 2008 05:57

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