| On the subject of the Strates Show, it was two years after this picture was taken that D.R. Miller had me run up to the Strates Quarters and check out the last of their elephants "Happy", "Sally" and "Queen", the former MGM bulls. |
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Venice, Fla. Quarters 1970
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
7 comments:
A complicated story? Isn't that what this blog is all about?
Share the details...do it in serial form if you must.
We want the story since the television writers are still on strike.
With the writers' strike does this mean we'll be spared from the gabble gabble narrative on the new Blue?
That Montana Show...wow...amazing how you can transform a chicken coop. These photos are very nice, indeed.
This is an historic photo...Buckles holding little Kenny Feld while touring the backyard. I can hear Buckles now, "Someday this will all be yours. Now don't F*CK it up."
Buckles,
Now you have teased us with the carrot in front of the horse and we want to hear about the complicated story.
And the $10,000 in cash from Mr. circus, the one the only D. R. Miller.
Tex Dreyfus and I went with D. R. one day in a small Texas town to buy $5,000 worth of quarters.
I just found out from Barbara Byrd that in the movie Circus World, D. R. tried to sell Hollywood the idea of the boat sinking in the
harbor. They just sat on it for about 5 years and used it in the movie for free.
Barbara said just think I could have been Claudia Cardinale.
There will never be another great like D. R. Miller.
Buckles, he must have really trusted you to send you $10,000 in cash.
Now lets here the complete story nothing left out, please.
Make it like a Republic serial in 15 chapters, jammed and crammed with action clear to the sprocket holes.
Harry
You are right, this yarn would take about three installations.
To start with, Steve Fanning had the elephants at some Tourist Trap up around St. Augustine. After receiving the initial phone call I drove up there on the "Q.T." to tip him off.
I figured that if this caused him any problems I would call D.R. and tell him they were no good but to my surprise he was delighted at the news and that it would be a blessing to be rid of them.
I might add that this park owned a half grown punk (I forget her name) that Steve worked during the day. The only elephant I ever saw turn around on a plank while still chained up.
Afterward I asked him about that and after giving me a funny look he pointed up the hill toward some trampled down fences.
Today that would be called a real "DUH" moment.
Harry,
They only let me have 2 or 3 grand at a time when I was buyer. Buckles must have been more trustworthy, or maybe there wasn't as much scratch when I was there. Incidentially, when I was buyer, I generaly had my own bank roll so I didn't have to go to the office every day to get cash for most of the day's purchases.
To Bob Kitto - we would like to hear of your experiences on the road with ???? Buyer for what circus??? Tell us more. Thanks
John,
I was buyer for 2 partial seasons on Carson-Barnes. I learned a lot about buying parts, oil, and a muriad of other things that the show needed. In Tulsa the first time I went to just about every Wal-Mart, Bingo parlor and Lowes for such a variety of items the it would blow your mind. The 2nd Year in Tulsa, my wife also went out buying and I returned to open the gate just in time to take the tickets. In Omaha I had to take one of the pickup trucks to the local dealer to find out what it needed and the next day went to get the truck back from the dealer because they wanted 5 grand for a new engine. They hadn't put it back together and it took 5 hours to get them to get it to run. Needless to say we didn't go back, instead, I ordered a short block from O'Riellys to be delivered to a town a few days later and the truck was running fine after 2 days.
I bought our nations flag I think it was about 24, food for the big cats and just about everything else, except people food.
One year My wife and I had to pick up some new small tents at DWF airport and it took the whole day. It was a lot of fun, but also very frustrating.
Regards, Bob
Post a Comment