| 1954 was Hugo Schmitt's first year back with RBBB after four seasons with Mills Bros. Circus but his sole duty was to re-train and present the seven baby elephants that had been a disappointment the year before. |
Thursday, December 04, 2008
To Rick Faber
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24 comments:
Is there a protocol regarding the names the elephants are given?
Is it the show owners choice or the head of the elephant department?
Who came up with ICKY and what is its origin, seems like an odd name in American English.
Elephants #16 thru #20 were the five German elephants Hugo brought to the Ringling Show in 1947.
Best remembered name is "Minyak" from the GSOE film.
When Hugo addressed "Icky" it sounded more like IGGY!
When I was on the Ringling Show I named the elephants I trained whatever I wanted.
Today's newborn calves names have to be registered and OK'd by the Smithsonian Institution before they can be put into use.
In the film GSOE was it Barnes or Wallace Ruth that was told " Ruth, Don`t eat those papers" In the scene where Holly reads about the doctor killing his wife, just curious.
Barnes Ruth.
Appearing in movies was nothing new to her since the Al G. Barnes Circus furnished a lot of animals for films.
I remember one where she removed Tarzan from peril by means of a "leg-carry".
Thanks for the great information! I guess since they used only about 17 elephants in the rings that they carried the extra bulls for menagerie display?
Buckles,
I never knew that about registering names of elephant calves with the Smithsonian. What in the world does the Smithsonian Institute have to do with it, and why is it even an issue. Is there an astrix deal allowed if the elephants attitude/behavior ceases to be prudent as they mature, and you need to "improvise" something. I'm thinking of a scenario one day, where you have to yell, "get this so* of a b**** off me, and everybody just stands there and says, "who?"
Wade Burck
Wade
Arky was spoken of by name in GSOE, and it was he who delivered the admonition to Ruth not to eat the newspaper. He told me he got 6 months on the picture, providing a welcome chunk of Paramount change for himself.
I spoke in jest, I should have said the Central Intelligence Agency.
Wade and Buckles, thanks for the laugh re registering names. The description of the Situation Wade described is priceless and the image that came to mind when I read it was a combination of laughter and terror. I was an acrobat and aerialist but often found myself working with animals and how you guys can look at years old photo and identify specific elephants or tigers amazes me. I can still recognize a few that I worked with and around but your memory is amazing.
Wade,
Take the same question in regards to the tigers...what is the protocol for naming the little ones.
There is no protocol for naming big cats.
I knew a place where the owner had a paper with a list of tiger names to choose from; the names were cities in India, Hindu deities, emotions in Hindi, and the majority of names were nearly impossible tongue-twisters to pronounce.
Seemed kind of ridiculous to try and spit out four and five syllable names while working in the ring.
"Shamakalakhti, come here!" huh?
Other places, the trainer names the cats whatever they please.
"C'mon Fred," works just as well.
Mike,
Anonymous apparently doesn't have a clue. Most people look for an exotic name for an exotic animal, it is a respect thing, and yes Indian names are common, as African names are common for lions. The longer names are of course eliminated or abbreviated, ie. Shere Kahn becomes Kahn. The giving of human names to a beautiful exotic animal has always been disrespectful to me and I have never given an animal a human name. Of course some names may be hard for a foreign tongue, but they were intended to be used by Americans, and some names do become "bastardized" in that process. An owner can of course suggest names, and with show horses often will, attempting to combine the father and mothers name somewhere, but when you are butt deep in alligators you can call them what you want. It's all just a personal preference based on your philosophy and preference.
Wade Burck
Simply because someone disagrees does not make them "clueless".
Who IS clueless on the name thing is the cat; do you think he cares if he's "Fred" of "Kahn"?
Is it any less 'disrespectful' to name a cat after a city, just because it sounds fancy and foreign?
So you decide to name a tiger "Mumbai" instead of say,"Michael"- even though you've never been to India (neither has the tiger), yet someone you knew and liked carried the name "Michael". That's fine. Call him Mumbai.
But there is no disrespect to the tiger to name him for a person whom you admire, either. Or, to give him a name you just happen to like.
Your last line was correct, that it's a personal preference- which was my original point anyway.
Anonymous..Thanks to you..We are all clueless..As to the Author of your comments..that is!...For me the Champion of all Champion Name Givers was Rex Williams..and I'm refering to his help...Not his animals...
Anonymous,
No that was not your original point. This seemed like your original point: "I knew a place where the owner had a paper with a list of tiger names to choose from; the names were cities in India, Hindu deities, emotions in Hindi, and the majority of names were nearly impossible tongue-twisters to pronounce.
Seemed kind of ridiculous to try and spit out four and five syllable names while working in the ring." I may have wrongly assumed you were talking about Hawthorn, when you could have meant Marcan, because I have never heard of the "protocol" you mention, but I don't think he does it that way either. I have never had a tiger with a five syllable name and don't think I have heard of anyone else having one. Two is the norm, like Michael, and on a very, vary rare occasion three. That any name would be hard to pronounce that you would use, made me assume you were clueless. Sorry for the assumption.
Wade Burck
P.S. Would you really name an animal after a person you respected, besides a "barn" name like Little Gunther, or Little Buckles, or were you goofing on us?
Now that's pretty smug, telling me what my point was or was not.
May I also mention that some exotic names like Sultan, Rajah, Maharani, etc. are the names/titles of PEOPLE, so you're naming the tiger after a person anyway?
There are many people in the world who own tigers besides Mr.Hawthorne and Mr. Marcan.
Zych,
You are right about that. But you you also have to admit, he worked overtime to come up with "Hound" for his dog? LOL He was special, was he not.
Wade
Hey Wade,
Don't I remember JC drawing the line when the act in Japan sent home a bunch of babies named after the characters from "M-A-S-H"????
Easy on the MASH names,,LOL
We have had owned to ferrets in the Cainan household and both were named Sherman after Col. Potter.
This isn't about animal names but
if we are going to give credit to persons who excell in naming,I would like to throw the hat of The Clyde Beatty-Cole Brothers Circus Band into the ring.This was an excellent 8+- piece brass band in the day of live music
These guys ,if they found you "worthy" would give you a face name. Families could be a species or a food group. Here are some of my favs. Fodder(Canon fodder),Shoat(going to market pig),Egg( he had an egg shaped body sort of, Chowder(pale chowder like complexion)Slug( Lazy Wanted other bandmates to pass him a beer),Howdy Doody(He looked like him)Chicken,Bantee, Cock, Hen,Shank ,LAmpshade, Ding, Dong,Buns ,Dune, Colonel Bogie, Scooter,Matthau,Bonk, Tasty, Don't touch me ,Blob,Sneaker,Mouse,Stomp(had to touch everything with his feet),Hippo,.
J.P. Cunningham is the authority and archivist.Every name has a story.
Bill,
As well as Mr. T and a variety of other sitcom characters. As well as weather conditions like Blizzard, Icy, Snowy, Artic. I think the "names on a list" urban legend that anonymous "wasn't" making a point of, like many of the Hawthorn urban legends, may have been started in 1992 when things first started to get screwy at Hawthorn, in reference to ridiculous names for majestic animals, an "individual" as an excuse to do what they wanted said, "I don't know any exotic names." John presented them with a list of 100 the next day and said, "pick two or three." By the time the story got retold by 20 people who were not there to 30 other's who were also not there, it turned into the 10 commandments handed to Moses on the day you signed a Hawthorn contract. LOL
Wade
Casey,
We are talking majestic animals here. Not weasels. Name them Mork and Mindy if you want. LOL
Wade
Anonymous,
It's not smug. It's aware. But you are getting on the right track. General also sounds more dignified the Eisenhower, plus it doesn't have all those syllables you have problems with. Col. also sounds more dignified the Beaurgard, again that worrisome syllable deal, and it can be shortened on records with just a period.
So that you don't appear clueless, as we have already had that misunderstanding, it is Hawthorn with no e. Now if you would return the favor so that I don't appear clueless, who were you referencing, if not Hawthorn or Marcan?
Wade Burck
I remember all of Jewell News Lions but can't remember but a few of Charlies Tigers names.
Kenneth-motorcycle cat
Buddy
Reggie
Wayne
Murphy
JY- After Dr JY Henderson
Rudolph
Soloman-Head in mouth cat
Herc-short for Hercules
Travis
Monarch
Lancer
Mack
Posha
Charlie Baumann-after you know who.
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