Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Blue Show 1970 #14


Ringling 100-30, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Rogana

Posted by Buckles at 4/15/2009 06:11:00 AM

12 comments:

Dick Flint said...

One of the classy acts--different and elegant and sells great to the audience. Isn't that Frank Foster, Jr., Rogana's husband, standing beyond the ring in a tux?
Dick Flint
Baltimore

15 April, 2009 07:11
Jack Ryan said...

That's Frank.

He had this great bit -- at a certain "perilous point," when Dora looked as if she might fall, Frank quickly removed his expensive watch and stashed it in his pocket. So as not to damage Dora OR the watch. I always loved that.

And, yes, it was a very classy act. She had a half-dozen or more elaborate feather headpieces, each more amazing than the last.

15 April, 2009 11:13
Frank Ferrante said...

This looks like the same outfit that Cher wore when the show played the Fabulous Forum in Inglewood, CA - She was the Honorary Ringmaster and came in on one of the elephants at the start of the show. ~frank

(More than likely, Cher's was a Bob Mackey design.)

15 April, 2009 12:06
Anonymous said...

When I saw the show in Madison Sq. Garden, Rogana was performing in an end ring, not the center ring.
Never understood why. Thought it was a mistake. Thought she belonged in the center ring.
Didn't matter, however, where she performed. I noticed that in the Garden, all the heads were turned, and all the eyes were focused on Rogana in the end ring. --- ToddP

15 April, 2009 15:24
Jack Ryan said...

That is interesting, ToddP.

I never, ever saw The Remarkable Rogans (whom i christened "The Baroness of Balance") anywhere but in the center ring.

15 April, 2009 17:14
jerry digney said...

i think the last year or so with the show she worked in Ring 1--don't know why; i loved her act--total class and she could really sell it--as could Frank, who hammed it up great! Lovely people--we later worked on some indy dates...lost track of them years ago.

15 April, 2009 18:16
Jack Ryan said...

The Fosters are alive and well and living in Nokomis, Florida

15 April, 2009 21:40
Mike Naughton said...

Rogana,

Dora Foster and her sisters performed as THE ROGGE SISTERS and were well-established stars in Europe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RyblyDRAgg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dX2I59BXlWA

Copy and paste and play.
Then play them again to see a real star and a woman who knew exactly what she was doing.

16 April, 2009 19:16
Jack Ryan said...

GREAT vids, Mike!

Thank you for posting.

16 April, 2009 19:36
Jack Ryan said...

ToddP and Jerry,

You are correct.

I went back into my not-so-organized files and found that Rogana was indeed in Ring One in the 100th Anniversary Edition. I cannot imagine why. A perch act that I have no recollection of was in Ring Two.

Dora and Frank must have been on the outs with the Felds or something. To put a circus star of her magnitude in any place but the center ring boggles the mind.

After she left the Ringling show, she starred at Radio City Music Hall and then was a headliner with Circus Vargas.

No matter what ring you put her in, Rogana ruled the display.

16 April, 2009 20:59
Jack Ryan said...

ToddP and Jerry,

I went back into my not-so- organized files and found that Rogana was indeed in Ring One in the 100th Anniversary Edition. I cannot imagine why. A perch act that I've never heard of was in Ring Two.

Dora and Frank must have been on the outs with the Felds or something.

To place a circus star of her magnitude in any place but the center ring boggles the mind.

After she left the Ringling show, she starred at Radio City Music Hall and then was a headliner with Circus Vargas.

No matter what ring you put her in, Rogana ruled the display.

16 April, 2009 21:00
Anonymous said...

Rogana also was featured in the Palm Springs Follies at least one year as the guest "circus" act, and her picture still appears in their program. Now, that's Staying Power!
Neil Cockerline

17 April, 2009 18:54

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