Ringling-Barnum 1968 #5

Ringling_Hugo4, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. Even the elephants wore "Mod" hats for the "Carnaby Street" number; Notice clown and Gardner, Mass. native Duane Thorpe (who joined the show in the late 40s working wardrobe) in the foreground of one of these shots--Duane always got the creme drag roles from his best buddy, director Richard Barstow--he went on the RBBB Blue as a clown and back up announcer for Harold Ronk; Duane was one of the old timers (all the old school clowns were frugal with money) who held on thru the seventies and eighties (1986) and later he bought himself a condo in Spain--passed in 1995; Little side note: When Irvin started clown college, many old time clowns resented the new guys--but Duane went with it and embraced it all--good move!