Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Blue Show 1970 #11 (From Eric Beheim)


Ringling 100-27, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

"Bicycles Built for Two" aerial ballet

Posted by Buckles at 4/15/2009 06:16:00 AM

9 comments:

Buckles said...

I had forgotten all about this.
Both the aerialist and her web sitter entered on a tandem bike.
Must have been over 20 of those things going around the track as they entered.

15 April, 2009 06:36
Dick Flint said...

Nice photo that effectively shows the old (but then still not so old) rigging developed by Concello for the flying act and aerial ballet when the show moved into buildings. When did this finally get replaced? Likewise, when did the tradition of ladders—and more often web on Ringling—disappear? Did it largely coincide with the departure of Antoinette Concello? It doesn’t look like there are any lights that are hung. I assume the show carried some spots or did they rely on local equipment? I believe they used locals to operate the spots but this may have been local union rules. In other photos I see about three units of track lighting on the floor per ring on each side. It would be fascinating to see some images for subsequent years that show the evolution of the rigging and the emergence of the heavy truss system that carries all the lights today.

Eric, a nice group of images generally and thanks for sharing!

Dick Flint
Baltimore

15 April, 2009 07:43
Frank Ferrante said...

I think you're right, Dick - the web left when Antoinette left. I don't think there was anyone else who would take the time to show the girls how to do it. Wasn't the web part of the Menage production number? I seem to remember that there were four production numbers, Opening, Menage, Spec and Finale. It was a beautiful site seeing 24 ladies up on that web spinning as fast as the guy get them going.

15 April, 2009 09:21
Chic Silber said...

At one time "Aerial Ballet"

with 1 or more featured

aerialists was another

production number

I remember times when web

was coupled with either

spec or Menage

Antionette had the patience

of a saint Dick Barstow

could be brutal with the girls

(see my notes on lighting

in another column)

It was a combination of new

regulations & insurance that

forced the creation of trusses

to replace the simple & easy

hanging frames & outriggers

They brought in teams of

engineers to design & certify

Chic

15 April, 2009 10:15
Mike Naughton said...

Tommy Hanneford did an "HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD" aerial ballet, where the boy and girl entered on bicycles built for two; this was the early 70's.

15 April, 2009 11:51
Eric said...

The “Bicycle Built for Two” aerial ballet used a special Bill Pruyn arrangement of popular music from the early 1900’s: "Put Your Arms Around Me Honey," "Ma, He’s Making Eyes At Me," "The Man on the Flying Trapeze," "Oh, You Beautiful Doll," "A Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight," and "If You were the Only Girl in World."

15 April, 2009 21:41
jerry digney said...

the aerial ballet was a pretty good number and Harold Ronk sang a whole medley of old tyme songs that Bill Pruyn punched up; everyone wore 20's style costumes in shades of lime green and pink. in those days most of the showgirls, some of whom were quite short, were the wives of management or worked in other acts. Even Ethel Joyce (Jack was then performance director) was a showgirl in the anniversary show--from the seats you couldn't tell the difference, Charly Bauman's wife worked as a showgirl too and of course Antoinette choreographed the ballet which the bombastic Barstow staged, The web setters included a number of clowns.

16 April, 2009 01:02
henry edgar said...

elvin bale's awesome heel catch trapeze act was the center piece of this production

16 April, 2009 04:36
Anonymous said...

ANDRE PRINCE BROUGHT THIS PRODUCTION THE TO THE SHOW.

21 April, 2009 15:25

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