Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Kids on the Big Show #1 (1978-79)


Scan000010988, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Ready for the "Neptune's Circus" Spec.

Posted by Buckles at 3/18/2008 06:18:00 AM

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

A little dancer, a little prankster and a future big time hacker.

Neptune's Circus is one of the most memorable and creative "Spectacles" of the Feld era; in my opinion.

Did our fellow contributor, Jack Ryan, have a hand in the lyrics?
"the tiniest man since time began and Michu is his name..."

Do I remember correctly that Mr. Ryan was the lyricist for May All Your Days Be Circus Days...if so can these great lines be posted here?

I don't know why Ringling doesn't incorporate "May...Circus Days" into their play off music, it is a great signature tune. Bob Hope was smart enough to keep "Thanks for the Memories" as his signature tune for his entire career.

All together now, sung to the tune of Thanks for the Memories...ah one, ah two:

Thanks for the memories
of three rings all the time
elephants sublime
thrills and chills
some funny spills
The Greatest is now in decline
We thank you so much

18 March, 2008 08:06
Anonymous said...

Anonymous,
I agree it was one of the best. Followed only by Gunther and the Bicentenial Edition. Went with John and Herta Cuneo, and my 2 year old son, who now has a tiger act, to the show in Niagara Falls, and met the great Charley Baumann for the first time. I remember predicting to my son a great future in this deal? Didn't Jeanne Williams have the Cheetahs that year?
Wade Burck

18 March, 2008 09:22
Anonymous said...

Anonymous,
If you go back to 3/17/2008 you will see that historically, as Merlin pointed out to Arthur, even a crystal ball can as be wrong. That is the effectiveness of smoke and mirror's when you are gazing into it.
Wade Burck

18 March, 2008 10:01
Anonymous said...

To the best of my somewhat addled memory, here are the lyrics to "May All Your Days Be Circus Days."

I had come up with the "May All Your Days..." line to replace JRN's "Thank You and Au Revoir" at the end of the Program of Displays in the program book when John was no longer the producer.

I told the line to Dick Barstow several months before the show went into rehearsal. He loved it and decided to write a tune. As many of you know, for many years it closed every edition. The lyrics were a collaboration between Dick and me.

May All Your Days Be Circus Days,
A Merry Spangled World of Delight.

May All Your Days Be Children's Laughter, Ever After, In The Spotlight.

Troubles Begone, Swing On High. Join The Parade Before It Passes By.

May All Your Days Be Circus Days, One Hundred Thousand More.

There Will Always Be a Circus (wonderful Bill Pruyn-arranged vamp here), Forever And Ever More!

One final note: they no longer use my original line but rather today you will hear "May All Your Days Be Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Days."

Which, to me is not a tag line but a short story.

Best to all,

Jack Ryan

18 March, 2008 10:53
Anonymous said...

Thank you, Mr. Ryan for sharing those famous lyrics. Here we are 35 years plus and the phrase, "May All Your Days Be Circus Days" has been heard on many American shows at one time or another. I trust they'll still be used for many years to come.

18 March, 2008 19:43
Bob Karczewski said...

Buckles,
Did your children get paid for their appearances in the performances?

19 March, 2008 06:10
Buckles said...

Not from the show.
The great mistake I made was giving "Anna May's" act away. All I received during this six year period was Boss Elephant man's salary and as I have often said, I left the company with less money than I arrived with.
On the other hand, being raised in the circus business, you are always in the shadow of the Ringling Show and performing in Madison Sq. Garden with the Greatest Show on Earth was a lifetime ambition realized.
But more importantly, without the experience, this would be a pretty dull Blog.

19 March, 2008 07:12
Anonymous said...

Oh Buckles,

Tsk, tsk, tsk, children working for a corporation without renumeration is in violation of labor laws; not to say anything of underaged employment.

Wages, workmen's compensation and FICA (Social Security) were not offered to these, what were effectively, child slaves.

Legal action might be required. That is unless the feld3generation realizes the error of their ancestors and makes good on retroactive compensation.

It would be too good for the headlines to have the show that entertains children to be accused of exploiting children.

Misses Nicole and Alana can forward said compensation to the National Bank of Hugo (Ruskin, Florida branch / no drive-thru).

Suggestion: a little bonus for the Anna May act might be a nice gesture for the inconveince of this matter.

Yours as always,
Patch

19 March, 2008 07:34
Buckles said...

In all fairness to Kenny, when I returned to the show in 1994-95 after the train wreck, I was paid more money during that 15 month period than I received during the entire previous adventure.
Of course by this time Mrs. Woodcock controlled the purse strings.

19 March, 2008 07:51
Anonymous said...

I always wondered how the lovely Mrs. Woodcock was made a member of the Board of Directors of the First National Bank of Hugo, Ruskin branch, no drive-thru.

There is a God



and I guess he really is Kenny Feld.

19 March, 2008 08:23
Buckles said...

I hope I haven't given the wrong impression, I am indeed the master of the house. Over the years I have made all the big decisions such as who the next President will be, the next Governor of Florida and even the next Super Bowl Champion.
My wife in turn handles the minor things like the building of the house, the occasional purchase of an elephant and what kind of car we drive.

19 March, 2008 10:09

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)