Tuesday, February 26, 2008

From Dominique Jando


Houcke Gilbert, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.


I have seen Charly Baumann, and I have seen Gilbert Houcke many times, too. Charly Baumann was indeed a great cat trainer, but as an artist, he was not in Houcke's league. This is what made the difference. Houcke had an amazing charisma, the sort Gunther had, but with more elegance. He was very quiet, always smiling, very sure in each of his moves. Nothing brisk, ever. His act was choreographed like a ballet. In its final version, Houvke didn't have other props than large stools in the cage -- like low profile elephant stools -- on which the tigers could move and lie. In some way, the act looked like a first-rate liberty act, but with tigers. It was gorgeous, and nonetheless spectacular. It just showcased the sheer beauty of the animals.

But there was something else with Gilbert Houcke, too: I always noticed that when he entered the cage, before his tigers, the audience was mesmerized; you couldn't ignore his presence, his extraordinary charm. I remember him, too, when he was in his Tarzan costume. I was perhaps 10 years old when I saw him for the first time; my mother whispered, when Houcke entered the cage, "What a built, this man!" (in French...) I guess that for every woman in the house it was, "Tigers? Which tigers?"...

I am a big cat fan, and I have seen all the great cat acts I could get a glimpse of, here, in Europe, in Russia, and even in Asia. Baumann was Houcke's replacement with the group of tigers he originally brought here. He surfed on Houcke's wave for a time, but never reached his predecessor's fame or impact on the audiences. Keep in mind that in Europe, audiences actually watched the acts (in a one-ring circus, it's difficult to do otherwise) and were pretty savvy. In Paris, where you had until 1963, two permanent circuses that changed their program every month, the audience saw a great quantity of acts, and was able to judge the difference between one and the other. Houcke was a star, who actually could draw an audience. There was a reason to this. Other cat trainers may have done the same tricks as Houcke. Few did it with such remarkable artistry.

Dominique Jando

(Photo from Mike Naughton)

51 comments:

Buckles said...

Odd how that works out.
The better the elephant man, the less he is noticed.

Casey McCoy Cainan said...

Wade,
I am taking the $50.00 offer off the table. I have decided to go ahead and drop a couple hundred into my "paper hanging" campaign. I am considering dropping another couple on some dance lessons. Top dollar paid to anyone that knows how to make a loin cloth look good, on a tall, skinny, fat guy like myself.

Anonymous said...

Casey, steroids and the gym next winter and in '09 you can wear a loin cloth AND bat 75 home runs. You might want to change your performing name to "Mowgli McCoy," then you can claim that you were raised by tigers after things with the wolves didn't work out.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Jando,
Don't think I don't have a few thought's. It may be a bit, though because I am on a lap top at the moment. I need to get to a printer, and print your heading, as that nonsense need's to be addressed carfully. There is that much chaffe. I don't want to keep going back to see if that is what you really said. I will address that shot across the bow at America, before I go though. To start, we watch our cage act's here, working alone too. Just one more thing, "you all" are not so good at. Then just like a queen's coronation(you guy's like that stuff), we kick into grand lavish, three ring display's. Our thought's of grand and beautiful don't usually run along the lines of 10 act's and 8 to 13 family member's and turn away crowd's because 2000 seat's are full. That's not a straw house in this league, Pal.
Don't go away,
Wade Burck

Anonymous said...

Ben,
That's good. When you get done with Casey's campaign, I might be able to use you. I can't pay you what Casey is, because he's performing, and I'm just running tigers into the cage, but I think I have a lot more material for you to work with. We shouldn't have to "stretch" like Jando did. Kinda like, but not the same, similar to but different, sleek, but not to seek, elegant, but in a sophisticated way, nice leg's but not like any leg's you've seen before.
Wade Burck

henry edgar said...

i would have used the same words jando used to describe houck to describe charley baumann, whom i have always considered the most elegant of the european cat trainers. though charley's act never resembled a liberty act -- i always reviewed it as the best tiger act in the world, every time he performed in the hampton roads area of virginia, but i don't think charley would have sold many tickets in a loincloth.
wade, when he was on ringling, maybe, but not charley! even after charley started putting on weight, he was still the classiest tiger trainer i've ever seen.

casey - i've never seen you work but ben's advice sounds good to me. i think the same advice should be mandatory for many of today's younger performers. the last time i saw ringling, i felt they did away with the glamorous costumes because even kenny feld couldn't afford enough spandex to cover some of those bodies.

on the other hand, sarah houcke, who always seemed to be covered from the neck down, looked as if she could have followed her uncle's lead and appeared as jane to his tarzan. she was certainly as elegant as her uncle has been described and is easily without a doubt the most beautiful woman i've ever seen in a cage with tigers

Casey McCoy Cainan said...

Thanks Mr. Trumble,
I will buy when KM gets to your neighborhood. I am leaning away from the steroids at this point, but the gym thing might work. Mowgli McCoy has a cutesy ring to it. This just might work. All I need now is a good press agent, an open tab for Mr. Woodcock at the club (Gift certificates to Chuck E's are an optional bribe as well), and a good photographer. Now then, how does one get a hold of this Jando guy to write copy?

Casey McCoy Cainan said...

Wait a minute....
Henry, have you seen the Frosted Mini Wheats version of RBBB? I may not know anything about what tricks are great or who had the greatest tiger act, but I know something about the subject of purdy girls. Your choice is purdy, but I couldn't say "easily" or "without doubt", thats pretty strong.

Anonymous said...

Mr Cainan. Ideas are free, except for elephant guys because they've got all that ride money. KM doesn't play my neighborhood, but I may run into you by chance at Wal-Mart the next time I'm in Hugo. Buying tube socks and teeshirts is so much easier than actually doing my laundry.

Anonymous said...

Casey, see my comments posted Feb 25 under the mediocre photo I took of Houcke in 1969. I quote Baumann who bemoans his own boney body. His autobiography than goes on to tell how he improved his appearance through the directions of the lady who owned Circus Roland (whom he subsequently subjugated). If you don't have the book, I'll share my copy when Kelly-Miller is in this area. Looking forward to seeing you as well as that loincloth you’ve got to make. I think Baumann says his first was of dyed rabbit skin but that didn’t work at all. Check K-M’s route to asess what critters might roam the lots and then decide what nights to set your traps after teardown. When do you play mountain lion territory?

Finally, I'll again quote what the great Louis Knie said about Houcke--that he created "acts of remarkable beauty which explored new territory" where the tigers were "free similar to horses without many props." Both trainers were top notch in all regards, without question. I have stronger memories of Baumann because I saw him so often and, yes, who will ever forget those tigers on the mirrored balls, an incredible theatrical effect!
Dick Flint
Baltimore

Anonymous said...

I am flabbergasted at your remarks. Putting Charly, and comparing him in a loin cloth, is like Clark Gable and Johnny Weismuller. By the way Gable did make a great jungle picture "Mogambo" and was never scene in a loin cloth. Charly was featured with the GSOE for some 13 years, even during the Gunther saga and believe me his act was always the best of the best, and as to charisma with the ladies, in the Sixties he was one of the most handsome, smooth movements of all our showbiz personalities, and when he back up to a tiger on its seat and the tiger4 proceeded to lick and kiss him, believe me all the females in the audience would love to relate nto Charly, and nno doubt a few males as well. Charly Baumann was never second rate to any of his contempories or those before him.

As to selling tickets the greatest circus person and greatest presenter of wild animals for center ring stardom for 42 consecutive years and had circus titles in his name for some 50 years and Ringling Delayed the opening of their great Hagenbeck-Wallace for some two weeks as he was so sensational in Madison Square Garden, and as Wade remarked it seated over ten thousand people, a few more than the one ring circus tents, and to further make you aware of your obvious misconciption of Americas three and even five ring circuses, Mr. Beatty worked all alone. I think you need to do some homework.

Anonymous said...

For future referrence, Tarzan Zerbini followed Clyde Beatty in Detroit- Cleveland, Etc. and he was a sensation in his loin cloth, and he had the Tarzan yell down pat. When you follow Beatty you have to be pretty good. He road out on Tommy [King Tusk], give em the Tarzan yell and went to work without Gun, whip, chair, etc. band was the first cat act in America [other than Beatty with his own show] to get a grand a day..

Anonymous said...

If you wear a loin cloth for wardrobe it is obvious that you are trying to emulate, "Tarzan king of the jungle". However Tarzan was aproduct of Africa and I note Haucke working with tigers, whereas Tarzan Zerbini worked with only lions, both male and female, and yes he even put his head in their mouth. tO THIS DAY HE HAS A BEAUTIFUL ONE ring European circus tent [all first class par excellence] and know as the "Tarzan Zerbini Circus". I only write this to keep everbody honest and was the Equestrian-Director announcer on Mills Bros. to introduce him to Amrerican audiences for his first in America, in a purple style tuxedo also from across the waters, as The World"s youngest wild animal subjigator [five lions, three females and two males] and yes he did put his head in the lions mouth, as Jon Zerbini, and he was off and running and certainly Alo Dobritch and Tony Diano were part of that history.

Anonymous said...

Henry Edgar,
Act's have not been European or American since the 50's, when Hagenbeck had baby polar bears in a buggy, wearing a tux, and Beatty was using a gun, and wearing jopher's and boot's. When the gun was holstered and the bears grew up, it became individual's and personal style and not nationalities. "European" and "American" are publisist's word charm, Henry. Charly as well as Gunther, Court and other's, became famous AS Europeans, after Ringling bought them 20 animals on their arrival, instead of the 7-8 that they were noted for. It's that bigness thing that offend's some. My paternal grandfather came from Germany, are you suggesting that mine is a European style? My maternal grandparent's came for Norway. Might that explain my love of the water and boating? Come on. Out of respect, I quite using the term "European style", about 20 years ago, when it started being used to describe an act that didn't do much, the trainer couldn't use a lash whip, instead opting for the "gentler" buggy whip, and there was a lot of kissing of the animals(yawn), and telling of nature tales. That's how much I respected the talented "individual's" and "their Style", regardless of where they were born. Forget about where they lived most of their lives. In 33 year's of studying it pretty close, the only, and I mean only difference I have noted is they put their pedestal's around the front of the arena, and we put our's around the back. Our pyramid is in the middle, and their's is in the back. That's a fact, and there is a reason it is done that way.
Henry, did you ever see Susan Lacey perform? If not I have some tapes, you can look at. I'll bet you'd throw some of those "easilys" and "without a doubt's" her way.
Wade Burck

Anonymous said...

Buckles - This is off the topic but I received a call from Kip Dingler that his mom Ann Dingler, Wife of Red Dingler (deceased) passed away last night Feb 25th, 2008. Red and Ann Dingler were on the King-Cristiani Show in the early fifties when Johnny and Mary Ruth Herriott were over there. Red did Aerial Bars and Ann did web, ladder, rode lead horse in Spec, and styled for Truzzi, world renowned juggler. After retiring from the circus Red started a Parade Float Business - which his son Kip kept going expanding into two units. Thought a few people on th Blog might remember the Dinglers and would want to know. Charles Hanson

Anonymous said...

I've heard no mention in the difference in venues, American Vs. European, other than "mine is better than yours"
Gentlemen, I propose that 20,000 seat arenas compared to one ring tents is like trying to compare the silver screen to the theater, it just doesn't compute ! You cannot compare a venue where you need to work to the cheap seats with large grandiose movements and attractive long distance choreography to a venue where you can use nuances like the tilt of your head or the serene look of a saint with the insinuation of a wink!
It really is Apples and Oranges
In America we work the small tent shows like we are trying to build acts for the larger venues that pay us more. In Europe they work the hell out of the small tents.
An Artist that can "work" both venues to their advantage will get the most recognition.
Artists like our humble blogmaster and his family were strong in both venues. I remember Barbara Woodcock riding Anna Mae at the head of a line of 20 elephants with a packed arena and every man in the house said "What elephants?"
And every man in the Big Apple tent hoping that those flasing eyes would pass their way..........just for a moment !
So rather than just argue these points for argument's sake, I hope these discussions inspire each one of you to get in front of a full length mirror and develop your art.
I'll get down off my soap-box now and hope that those big smiles in the ring are from having such a good time !

Anonymous said...

And what happened to a trainer's consistency being a part of the discussion, not I did a good trick in a town in Indiana
just like photos, even video doesn't tell the whole story !

Anonymous said...

Mr. Jando,
The act you tell about, with the low pedestals, and no prop's, looking like a liberty act. Could you describe it for me, as detailed as possible. It sound's unique, and most interesting.
Wade Burck

Anonymous said...

Mr. Jando,
While you are at it. "Baumann replaced Houck, and for a while surfed on his wave!!!" I'd say, "pipelined all the way to the Greatest Show on Earth." I replaced Mr. Baumann when he retired in 1983. Would you suggest that I surfed on his wave? When I took over Mr. William's act in 1991, when he retired, would you offer, "just some more hang ten." I won't say it was an honor to replace them, because it wasn't, and they weren't. It was terrible. Their presence is forever missed in the arena and the AMERICAN Circus.
Wade Burck

Anonymous said...

Casey
I'd ask Tarzan Zerbini. He worked that "fat guy" business out fairly well, for a while.
Wade Burck

Anonymous said...

Casey,
You can't lose weight if you go to Chuck E's for dinner every night.

Anonymous said...

Hey Casey,
you sayin them Pages girls is Purdy ?
well Only one thing to say there ;
Yep !

Anonymous said...

WB "Then just like a queen's coronation(you guy's like that stuff), we kick into grand lavish, three ring display's."

Man, you'll have to tell me where to see THAT show. The closest thing I've seen to lavish lately has been a couple dozen performers walking around 3 empty ring curbs toting flags taped to pieces of conduit. The treaded K&N show is the last arena show to attempt any kind of "lavish" and they get ripped a new one every time their names are mentioned.
So Wade, please tell us where to find the spectacles that we Americans love so much (rock shows and monster trucks don't count). All I've seen in the last few years is 2 rings of hula hoops to justify the space those extra ring curbs take up in the truck.

Anonymous said...

I think LAD nailed this one in suggesting that it's about how nuance is perceived in a given space. A well made point.

Casey McCoy Cainan said...

Larry,
As far as the beauties of the steel arena, I figured I may have found something we all agree on.

Mr Trumble,
If I see you in Huggo, I will spring for the lunch special at Angies'

Mr Flint,
Easy,,,easy,,,no loin cloth this year. I am saving that for when I add the four lions this year. I appreciate the offer on the book very much, but I have a copy. See you in the summer.

Wade,
settle down, I lost interest in this act and the whole low props, work like horses thing, when it was mentioned the cats could lay down on them, and did. Also, I am not just concerned with my beer gut, I need a "cover up" for my pasty white skin. On the issue of European v. American style act, I could not make up my mind which way to go, as you will remember I have two pedestals in the front (european go away from me cats) and two in the back (American come to me with teeth showing cats) I didn't realize until tonight that I had created a mix of the two styles. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

Anonymous said...

hey Casey next time you are in nebraska or driving by stop and we will have some good low carb low cal low greasy low gas mexican food . that will take care of the weight problem . ill make sure you leave with some venison tamales for the road .CleanRaul

Anonymous said...

Mr. Jando,
Like you I have seen most of the act's in my country live, and have had to enjoy the one's from oversea's by video. Not the same, I can assure you. A year ago, while in Germany I had the good fortune to see 2 of the best cage act's I have seen in 15 years presented by Martin Jr. and Alex Lacey. The act's are very different from each other. One is a fast, wild, running, crazy lion act, much like Beatty's with out the gun, but with the finest showmanship of young Martin Jr., I have seen in a long time. The other act was a slower mixed act, more precise, with some of the best GGW tricks I have seen ever, much like Robert Baudy only with lion's and tiger. Both of these good young trainer's were born in England, but have spent most of their career in Germany. For my understanding, would they be European act's because they are in Germany? Although they are much like two American act's I have mentioned, or would they be American act's because similar act's were trained by American's. They both are English? Is England considered Europe? Your thought's, Dominique.
Wade Burck

Anonymous said...

Casey,
Swing by and pick me up on your way to Nebraska. I love venison.
Wade Burck

henry edgar said...

wade -- i used the phrase european because at one time american cat acts were automaticaly in the fighting style where european were not. my admiration and respect for clyde beatty as the greatest circus superstar of all time is well-known but that doesn't mean i don't consider baumann the best of his style. by the time you came around, i guess the fighting act was a thing of the past. as far as i am concerned, your act was the best of it's time and i think you were short-changed by the powers who failed to make you a household name. in my book, you're a superstar and if you had been around in the days of the star-making publicists, i have no doubt that you would have been the top arena attraction of your day. if i had been doing your press at that time, i would have busted my butt pushing you.anybody who doubts your charisma, that extra something known simply as star quality, has only to look at you with the picture of the stuffed lion. that was a potential superstar and knowing of your experience with horses and elephants, i believe you could have been the hero to younger trainers that ggw was to you and later graham thomas chipperfield and mark gebel might have also been.

i agree that susan lacey was beautiful, sexy and exciting, as was also trudy strong. having only seen pictures of the pages girls, it looks like they are also beautiful and incredibly sexy -- and talented. however, i think sara has a classic beauty, a grace kelly/kim novak beauty, that puts her in a class of her own. maybe most beautiful was a little strong since beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it's so much a choice of chocolate, vanilla or strawberry.

Anonymous said...

Henry Edgar,
I would appreciate, and look forward to your thought's on the subject.
Your friend,
Wade Burck

Anonymous said...

In the interest of history and tradition and with respect for the intent of this blog
I submit that European vs. American cat act styles is a matter of history. For an activity that has only been going on for a couple of hundred years,how many generations since 1837 ? I believe the largest difference began about the time Hagenbeck started doing the quietening style of training in Germany and at about the same time Clyde Beatty was institutionalising the tradition of the fighting act. These diferences became accepted as the main differences of the circuses of the 2 continents. As generations went on all trainers learned more from each passing generation. In the last few years many Europeans came to America and exposed American Audiences to the more genteel style. Beatty being the pinnacle of the fighting style there were only a very small group of men who could bring out that much excitement from a cage act. Clyde Beatty, Terrel Jacobs and Pat Anthony were among the few men who brought that type of exitement to the great cage. I believe that most of the excitement came from the personalities of those 3 men and not many could follow in their footsteps. As opposed to the more sophisticated tricks and group behaviors that came from the other side of the pond were more easily studied and imitated as they called for more involved training techniques.
Culminating in the last couple of generations of trainers trying to outdo each other with more and more sophisticated behaviors,culminating in a present generation of trainers who are very concerned with who's better and which trick is more difficult. And seemingly losing sight of the actual goal, which is to be entertaining.
And as entertainment, no matter how artistic and/or sophisticated we have all become, it has not been since Clyde Beatty performed in the great cage that women (and a few men) actually fainted from watching a circus act.

Anonymous said...

Ben Trumble,
I am having a hard time following this nuance thing. Could you elaborate. Thank's
Wade Burck

Anonymous said...

LAD,
I attempted to respond to your consistency question, and I think I agree. It isn't important now as that is not the issue. It can wait for another day, and another comment opportunity.
Best wishes,
Wade Burck

Anonymous said...

Col.,
I am having a hard time figuring out where you stand on this Tarzan deal. A couple of day's ago you were pretty adament about copying somebody, and if you were any good you would do your own thing. Is it only okay to copy if you wear a loin cloth? Or is it only okay to copy if you don't copy GGW. Houcke, Baumann, Zerbini, wore loin cloth's. Whoop, let's not forget Bruno. Did they all copy or did they not copy at all. Wait, I get it. Houcke, Baumann, Bruno had tiger's so they copied each other. Who should get the message, as it was relayed to me? Tarzan was the innovator because he only had 3 tigers, and 11 lion's. There's that African thing again. Got a problem here.
Best wishes,
Wade Burck

Buckles said...

This loin cloth debate brings to mind a comic who did a routine as an Indian Warrior with a Brooklyn accent: "All Right you guys, the massacree at the white settlement is all set for 14:00 hours."
"The uniform of the day is your OD "lern clotts". War paint is optional".
"What,mascara?.....Get that guy back in the tee pee!"

Anonymous said...

Henry Edgar,
WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, easy Dog. I suggested you may want to throw some "easily's and without a doubt's" in Susan's direction that's all. You sound like you want to be hooked up. LOL. It wasn't neccessary to hang paper my friend. I think she is all of that and more.
But I do appreciate the kind word's and thank you.
I think I understood your poste to mean that you are starting to see my point on this absurd Europe/American style issue. It is almost like profiling Henry, and I feel it has done a great disservice to many, many great trainer's here in America(somehow their effort's arn't as good.) You usually don't hear about elephant's or horse's, or bears or chimp's etc. trained in the European style as opposed to the American style. Odd, until you realize where it started, and why it continues today.
I can hardly wait for Mr. Jando to explain to us what the Lacey boy's style is. Maybe it will tip you Henry to see how screwy it is.
Best wishes friend,
Wade Burck

Anonymous said...

Casey,
When you want to learn something, I don't ask people not to tell you. I want Mr. Jango to tell me exactly what the "liberty horse like tiger act", on the elephant like pedestal's did for Gilbert Houcke.
Lad say's that the "sophisticated trick's and group behavior's(Col's. gonna be pissed) came from the other side of the pond, and are more easily imitated." I think he is wrong about that pond thing, and I know he is wrong about sophisticated trick's being easy to train. If you have trained a lot of them, you know they aren't easy. What do you think, Dr. Marcan.
I agree with him 100% though on the "goal should be entertaining" statement. That's why the last couple of generation's of trainer's were trying to outdo each other with more and more sophisticated behaviors(he's pushing the Col.), culminating in a present generation of trainers who are very concerned who is better and which trick is more difficult.
So please tell Mr. Jango you didn't mean it. I NEED THAT INFORMATION!!! I can't ask Louis Knie. I'm already using his old gold prop's, and I used his old cavalletti to train the corbett and asking for information about the liberty like tiger act might be taking advantage.
I hope you have a safe trip to Tulsa.
Be safe,
Wade Burck

Anonymous said...

Lavish,
I was responding to Mr. Jando quote,"in Europe, audiences actually watched the acts(in a one ring circus, it's difficult to do otherwise) and were pretty savvy. In Paris, where you had until 1963, 2 permanent circus's". The quote suggested to me that in America's 3 ring's we really don't watch the act's, and therefore aren't quite as savvy. How do you interpret it? I responded to his 1963 date, by reminding him that our cage act's also work alone, but that we prefered to follow with a three ring spectacle, in 1963.
I agree the flag's are tacky compared to finale's of the past, but at least they are American flag's.
I too have alway's questioned why Ringling Bros. is so criticized, and rarely defended. Maybe they are trying to get to a more manageable, cheaper, one ring show, that is obviously well regarded worldwide, and might work here. Yet when issues were raised about a festival in Europe, half the world reacted, and half of those were American's. European's seem to be proud of anything and every thing Europe. In a effort to be with it and for it are we really that inept and embarrassed as GSOE comment's seem to suggest?
Although hula hoop's may not be your cup of tea, they have them in Europe also. And I would suggest to you that 2 of a kind beat's 1 any day, and 3 of a kind is even better.
Sincerely,
Wade Burck

Anonymous said...

Daniel in the lions den. Our American public still likes to see the man over beast and the bravery of the person entering the cage and that the animal might chew him up right there. That sells tickets, plus the Canonball, sway pole and other dearing features. The other domestic animal acts and kinkers are appreciated, but don't sell tickets unless its comedy like a Poodles or Gaylord.

I believe in America it began with Vanamburg entering the cage of jungle Killers and of course tricks were never the major part of Beattys act and if he put down the whip, gun and chair and proceeded to "move furniture" he would have lost his audience and he was no doubt aware of that. To close I would suggest that Beatty sold more tickets than Alfred Court.

Anonymous said...

Wade -- You sit in a little club listening to a great guitar player and you watch his complicated finger picking and you turn to your date and you say, "That's the best guitar player I've ever seen." A week later you're in the nosebleed seats in a stadium listening to a hugely popular rock band. The lead guitar player's fingers move like lighting, his arms windmill, the sound is tight, and loud, and so electric it gets under your skin and you think, "He's the best I've ever seen." Who was the best, the guy in the club or the guy in the stadium? Maybe they both were for the respective space they played.

Larry, I like the historical context. We can't know what the Frank Bostock acts looked like in motion. What's left are the photos of highly staged poses. We've heard more about the Roth trained acts and I suppose Mabel Stark was his best remembered pupil. Beatty comes along and it's like everything before him is forgotten. He's such an enormous star that most circus audiences don't even remember Court, and they recall Jacobs because he was "in the style of Beatty." But ten years after he's gone the whole fighting act concept, or 25 cats in the arena seems comic to audiences who have fallen in love with GGW. I'm wondering if the whole distinctly "American" style wasn't limited to a relatively small number of trainers working in a brief 40 year window? If the Europeans and their pupils haven't always been the dominant mainstream?

Maybe I'm not old enough to remember? In that window after Beatty were there ever any real crossover acts distinctly demonstrating both styles of presentation -- which would certainly highlight the "training?"

henry edgar said...

mr. herriott -- i wasn't around in beatty's heyday, but i understand that he was very under-rated as a trainer. i've heard stories about him doing some remarkable things as a trainer that i think may have been lost because he did them so well and so consistently he made them look easier. he was also an early advocate of traing without using force or cruelty, based on his books. as a circus superstar, he was the greatest and i'm sure his name sold more tickets than any other performer in history. as i'm sure you know, he was the first to have his name on the madison square garden marquee over the ringling title, and that was at a time when the shows were filled with incredible performers.

Harry Kingston said...

Johnny, I am with you on what you said that Clyde Beatty sold more tickets than Court.
For Ringling to use him at two of there indoor dates and back to HW.
Adkins and Terrel to use him when they started Cole Bros.
Beatty had the name to draw the public and he sold the act to the public. He made it an exciting experience as I remember seeing him when I was young and I was on the edge of my seat and hoping he came out of that den of fury alive.
His name appeared more circus posters than any one else.
The world will never see the likes of Beatty again as he was a true circus star in the steel bound arena.
I guess we have Peter Taylor to thank for inspiring Beatty.
There were many cat act's in there day but how many had us on the edge of our seats?
Harry

Anonymous said...

Ben,
Thank's. Now I understand, and it is an excellent point. I can see only one down side, and I was glad I was in a large venue in 2004 when my "I didn't want to admit I was 50 way to tight spandex pant's ripped in the crotch."
Crossover act's off the top of my head I would have to say the Lacey boy's, mentioned earlier. Both have great bouncing lion's, plus great trick's (shoot, they scared me and I've been known to take a hit). But until Mr. Jando get here to clear up this dumb European/American style discussion I don't know if they qualify. I'm optimistic that other's have started to see the insaneness of this label. Casey has a valid case also, in the placement of his pedestal's. I hope Mr. Jando get's here soon.
Realizing that you are on Casey's payroll heading his PR campaign, am I right in assuming that the greatest guitar player you have ever seen in a small club is Casey Canine?
My best,
Wade Burck

Anonymous said...

While I sure if he didn't have a day job with those cats Mr Cainan would ascend to the upper ranks of guitar players, I'm afraid that passing the likes of Link Wray or Roy Buchanan would be tough, though I'm not sure that Mr. Buchanan ever played in a loin cloth, and to the best of my knowledge no one has ever tried playing Bob Dylan's "Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat" with an actual leopard draped over his shoulders -- a "trick" that might convince even Cirque to add a cat act.

Anonymous said...

Col. Herriott,
How about that American Circus!!! No way are we giving them Charley and Gunther back. Not after 40 years and an American citizenship. It was a fair and honest tranaction. Some would suggest similar to buying Manhattan from the indian's, for $16.00 worth of rhinestones and bead's. Regardless, a deal is a deal
Wade Burck

Anonymous said...

I've stayed out of this melee for long enough. I think a fighting act today would still pack the seats, but AR would shut it down fast. Look what Americans are watching, Football, NASCAR, UFC, and more that have the chance for blood and mayham. We would still go to watch the galdiators fight to the death if it was available. So Clyde Beatty battled the animals for mastery with the chance of death and GGW and Bauman and others showed off the grace and beauty of the animals. You want to talk about overlooked trainers, how about Jewel New. He trained and presented a group of male lions ranging from fifteen to seventeen animals. With no big cat experience, he put this act together. Only Charly Baumans advice over the phone to help. To me this is a great trainer that can give advice over the phone to correct problems. Not a big list here, Marcan, Wade? Who else. Seen this with Smoky, Rex, and Buckles first hand. Training is more than just tricks, but that is over looked by so many. After years of working around animals and great trainers, it seems to me that circus cage act training is all about tricks and the show. That;s the purpose, but when you handle animals on leashes with claws intact on movie sets or in close contact with the public you do not have the benefit of twenty feet of error time, so you have to read the animals behavior in a second, so does that make a better trainer? I don;t know, but it has shown me alot over the years that I would have never learned in a cage.

GaryHill said...

Not to mention Pablo Noel and Wolfgang Holtzmer? I loved watching both of these gentlemen every time GSOE played my home town as a teen. Having worked for Charly for a while, Jewell for quite along time before and during his career and Buckles the one thing that really hit me as I stood outside their cages and ring curb was the skill that each trick that their animals did was always a "clean" performance. Buckles elephants always trunked up and on hind leg stands and such their front feet were up and you could see the pads of their feet. Charly and Jewells cats always looked good sitting up paws extended. None of these men said "all right" until the trick was correct. I watched GGW as much as I could during Winter Quarters and videos or TV shows and his animals just didn't do the tricks as clean? I really believe
Gunther kinda stole the "Hug" he did with his leopard from Jewell and Kenneth the motorcycle cat! Kenneth was a really neat and differant Lion. He actually hugged Jewell back and was a great cat to work with. He loved to ride anything, hated walking! I feel very Lucky to have worked for all three of these gentlemen!

Anonymous said...

Darryl,
Where did you read melee into the thread? That's usually start's with an anonymous name.
We are waiting for a gentleman, named Dominic Jando. He's apparently pretty versed, and he is going to explain to us the difference between a European trainer and an American trainer.
You and Gary made me think of something I want to ask him. If Charly's was a "European" style, and he helped Jewel, who was an American over the phone, was Jewel an American trainer, or a European trainer. If Gunther copied something from Jewel, which one had the American style, and which one had the European style?
Wade Burck

Anonymous said...

Well put Wade about the trainers pedigree. I choose melee as part of the entertainment, lol. assisted on a male elephant some at zoo in Florida years ago, with Smokey giving advice from California. He knew what the animal was doing sight unseen.

Anonymous said...

Darryl,
As I was. Wasn't sure though as people interpret thing's very different. Subject was difference between American cage act's and European cage act's.
First person I was around was Lou Regan, and he had a trained act and feed tubed Nebraska brand. Never saw a piece of beef, same at the African Safari with Roy. Fist day in Hawthorn's door, they handed me a pouch filled with 1 inch square pieces of beef, and I have worn it for 30 year's. First "European" I was around refused to carry beef in the arena, instead opting for a bucket of 1/8in. thick, 3 in. wide, 5in.long pieces, outside the arena to be put on his stick, as he stuck it through the arena as needed. Many "European's" who came to work for Hawthorn over the year's initially frowned on the idea of carrying meat in the arena, but evenually "changed" their style, as did "American's" who came to work for Hawthorn. Lou Regan strapped on a coffee can, but very seldom but meat in it, just sometime's, as he didn't like the idea.
I saw a "European" training 2 young cat's with the bucket of meat inside the arena on the floor, and I questioned it's safety. He said "I have control", and I let it go. His meat was also long thin strip's. I saw one more "European" in a training session, and he had a half dozen stick's around the arena facing inside with pieces of meat on them, taking one as needed, and putting the stick back to be reloaded. His meat was also long skinny type cut's, and he had another person in the arena helping him.
The only difference in the 2 style's I have been able to fiqure out is some wear our meat strapped on in 1 in pieces, and they have their's outside in a bucket, or on the floor, as "Mr. Contol" did or around the arena on many meat stick's and help inside the cage. One in. pieces, or skinny napkin like strip's. Wearing the reward or getting it from someplace else. THIS IS THE ONLY DIFFERENCE I HAVE NOTED in 30 year's. That and the size of the act's, and the large group trick's American audience's seem to like, and the size of the performance venue has a lot to do with that. Before somebody wrongly assume we give less reward's because of the size of the reward, allow me to explain. In doing large group behaviors(like 16 animal situp's, they eat the treat faster, and less chance of fighting. Not a great concern in doing one/two animal behavior's, or fast rousting lion act's.
Other trainer's what difference's have you noted. There are a lot of you out there. Even those who never look at the blog, but occasionally "peek", weigh in please.
Wade Burck

Jerry New said...

i dont know who was a better trainer , but i do know , one day jewell did a rehersal because the cats were timing the music during a show and if the band finish the song before the trick was over the cats would go back to thier seats and jewell was hot ,so he did a rehearsal and laid all 16 cats on the ground and made them laid there ,came out of the cage and set down over in the stands had 2 cups of coffee and a couple of cigs. was there about 25 minutes got up walk back in the cage and made them go to there seats on comand and they all scattered to there seats,now the real truth to this story was somebody made the comment to jewell that those cats didnt listen so he made a bet with the guy and show him that those cats did what ever he wanted them to do,I wouldnt have belive it had i not seen it plus we spent the hundred he won at the bar