Sunday, September 30, 2007

No 186- Christine Samel With Circus Berolina 1979


Scan000010254, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Tiglons, ligers??? cc

Anonymous said...

When the Samels were on Ringling Blue Unit Christane would do this trick also covered with a python on two. I met them when she came over to the STL Zoo to buy some food (rats) for their snakes. The ligers maybe have been born in the US, I knew they had some on the way in September before they left for Germany. When they were unloading the train their groom, Dieter Ballentine (?), just about lost his leg when a cage slipped off the run. I would visit with him at City Hospital where he spent about 6 weeks before rejoining the show. I'm sure someone will come up with the official years they were here, I think 1975-76.

Christiane worked in an opticians' office before her circus career. Don't know about Erhardt, she spoke English very well and he was quiet. Their daughter, Yvonne, was about the age of our daughters, 4 and 5,and had no accent at all. Nice people, I think they have, or had, their own show. Hope some of our European colleagues can update me on how they're doing.

Anonymous said...

What on earth IS it with all these ladies and gents purposely flat on their back in the arena under big cats?! Remain upright! Upright at all times!

Yet, I've never heard of an accident with this type of trick; am I over reacting? Nah..

Didn't the Samel's have a teeter-totter in the act when they were on Ringling? Maybe a polar bear with- I can't remember. A lion?

Anonymous said...

I don't remember a tetter-totter in their act, but no guarantee. They did have a polar bear. They had two polar bears before they came over but one went to Ursulla Bottcher.

Joe Frisco Sr. had a tetter-totter in his mixed act in the mid 60s with a lion and a himalayan black bear.

Unknown said...

Greetings,
I found this blog when searching for an English version of a 2013 German Documentary about Christine and Erhardt Samel that I viewed on YouTube today. I thought you all would be interested so I am posting the link.
Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lL1SBGNqlY