Monday, October 06, 2008

Wolfgang Holzmair #1 (From Henry Penndorf)


Wolfgang Holzmair.18 - 2008, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.


From the French Circus Web Site, BurgusCircus, a recent picture of former Ringling Brothers lion trainer, Wolfgang Holzmair (picture by Christophe Roullin). I think he looks great. Although somewhat overshadowed by Gunther Gebel-Williams, they formed an incredible tandem for Ringling Brothers in the 70's. Do you or any of your readers know what he is doing now, or where he is living? I know that Mr. Holzmair wrote a book. Has anyone read it? I also read where he has served as a mentor to the Circus Pinder's wild animal trainer! , Frederic Edelstein.

The gentleman in the picture, to the left of Wolfgang Holzmair, is Remy Demantes, the founder and Director of The Museum Of The Circus And Illusion (http://www.museeducirqueetdelillusion.com/) in Dampierre-en-Burly, France. Mr. Demantes is very knowledgeable on the subject of the big cats and has a great passion for them. I believe he maintains a private collection of approximately twelve big cats, mostly tigers, on his private residence in France.

Henry

Posted by Buckles at 10/06/2008 06:16:00 AM

15 comments:

Raffaele De Ritis said...

Mr. Holzmair is happily living in France. He effectively helped as consultant-trainer for the big Edelstein-Pinder group few years ago, but I don't know how finished their relationship. His book is a memoir as cat trainer, written in French (the titles means literally "Of animals as you and me.
The other sir in the picture, yes, he has a woderful park with a dozen of cats.

06 October, 2008 08:37
Wade G. Burck said...

Henry,
Thanks for the picture of one of the greatest trainers/presenters ever. He is truly your one and only LION KING, Henry. In my opinion, Charly Baumann had the greatest tiger act of all time and Wolfgang had the greatest lion act of all time, with the finest, most masculine "gladiator" costume ever created, with enough action and charisma to actually make you look away from Gunther in awe. I so regret my young animal training son never got to see him in action. My descriptive words can't even come close to what he was. When people ask "what made you decide to become an animal trainer", I have only to reference Wolfgang, Charley, Gunther, Gerd, Knie, Bottcher, Chipperfied, etc. and the obvious answer is, "why would you NOT want to be an animal trainer."
Yes I have a copy of his book, although I can't read it, just enjoy the pictures. It is autographed to another "animal trainer" who gave it to me, as she didn't want it. Can you imagine that!!! Similar to a state governor disregarding a book signed by Abraham Lincoln.
Wow!!! I am starting to sound like an old timer, talking about the good old days.
Wade Burck

06 October, 2008 10:35
Raffaele De Ritis said...

And we won't forget Holzmair's immense talent with horses. He was a key trainer in the 60's with Franz Althoff,contributing with him to the creation of the large liberty ever presented, with the 60 horses hippodrome display.
With elephants, too, he was a master; in his French years he was the teacher to Vinicio Canestrelli (today's Lidia Togni director).
Too bad don't have never see him live.

06 October, 2008 12:45
Buckles said...

Wasn't it mentioned on the Blog some time ago that Mr. Holzmair was a good friend of Roland Kaiser and would regularly spend time visiting the Vargas Show?
Also that on each occasion, he was called upon to straighten out the pony drill, the only show owned act left.

06 October, 2008 13:08
Wade G. Burck said...

Buckles,
Wait a minute. People must have been goofing on me. I was led to believe Wolfgang's yearly sabbaticals to California were to marvel at the cage act. At least that's what I was told.
Wade Burck

06 October, 2008 13:14
GaryHill said...

Funny thing, I groomed for Charley and never got his autograph, But Wolfgang gave me his on a photo of a young lion!

06 October, 2008 18:28
Wade G. Burck said...

Gary,
That's why Charley's autograph is worth more today. LOL
Wade Burck

06 October, 2008 19:42
Anonymous said...

Wolfgang taught me how to tap dance. Everytime he saw me talking to Sylvana (his daughter) he would start snapping his wip at my feet. I would hop to miss the whip. He could keep me hopping for a long time. I have sooo many good Wolfgang stories.

06 October, 2008 20:27
Anonymous said...

I knew Wolfgang in the early 1970s.
Before I ever met him, I knew he was a great lion trainer. But one day, at the old Boston Garden, he brought in his scrapbook. And that's when I learned he also had been a terrific elephant trainer and horse trainer back in Europe. He even showed me a photograph of a mixed cat act (lions & tigers) he had trained for his wife as "a wedding present." In January,1975, in St. Petersburg, he had 20 lions in his main act, including (he said) 8 new ones. The huge male lion he carried on his shoulders at the conclusion of his act was named Teru (my spelling) and was about 8 years old. With pride, Wolfgang pointed out that all 20 lions went to their seats in the dark before he entered the cage: "You see this nowhere else."
---ToddP

06 October, 2008 23:34
Anonymous said...

From Pio Nocks obituary...

He appeared in America for seven years with "The Greatest Show on Earth", the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. During this time, Nock sustained a fall from 10 metres up on the wire. He fell directly into the wild animal cage containing a dozen or more fierce lions and lionesses and it was only thanks to the quick actions of the trainer Wolfgang Holzmair, who herded them swiftly out of the cage and back to their living quarters, that his life was saved

07 October, 2008 01:56
Anonymous said...

I was there the day that Pio fell into the cage. That was a messy run. We had quite a few accidents during that NYC run. We also had Atlas' bungee break after his handstand "from the APEX of the ARENA!" .

I do not remember who was more surprised when Pio fell... Pio, Wolfgang, or the lions. One got up and started towards Pio and Wolfgang threw a handful of sawdust at the lions eyes. Of course the papers ate it up... Pio was one tough cookie.

07 October, 2008 13:15
Anonymous said...

Wolgang kept care of the lions in one side of the cage and Gunther and I went in and got Pio out. A floor plate pulled out and the wire collapst in to the ring.Pio Jr. was lucky and endet up on top of the cage.

08 October, 2008 05:30
Anonymous said...

What was the extent of Pio Nock's injuries after a 10 metre (30+ feet) fall?
Also, wasn't Wolfgang a circus model builder?
Anybody have a picture of the clown gag that always followed the lion carry in case some folks never heard about it? Classic.
And what would have been the weight of the lion and just how far did he carry it? Amazing.
Dick Flint
Baltimore

08 October, 2008 08:21
Wade G. Burck said...

Dick,
Wasn't there also a wire act over Mark Gebels tiger cage in 1999?
Wade Burck

08 October, 2008 10:09
Anonymous said...

Hi Hank!

Dick... if you go to clownalley.com and type Jimmy Briscoe into the search engine I think you will see the gag that followed Wolfgang's act. Jimmy Briscoe carrying a foam lion.

One night Wolfgang lost the bottom of his costume just as he was about to do the 'lion carry' blow off. He had to finish in a pair of speedos. When the lights came up on Jimmy and his parody of the blow off he was only wearing his 'whity-tighty's!' A very fun night.

09 October, 2008 02:09

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