Wednesday, April 29, 2009

John Daniel II #7


!cid_X_MA1_1240868653@aol, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.


Miss Cunningham with John Daniel II in the RBBB backyard in 1924.

As soon as the season ended in Greensboro, on Nov. 2, 1924, the circus trains headed back to Bridgeport WQ. From there Miss Cunningham and her pet left the show and returned to England.

The two were not away from show business for long, however. They were booked for the winter engagement of the Bertram Mills Circus in London's Olympia, beginning in December, 1924 and running into 1925. For that John Daniel II was brought into the ring on a light lead, the first time a gorilla had ever appeared as a part of a circus performance, though he did not do any tricks in the usual sense of that word.

John Daniel II then toured the European Continent in 1925. He died in London in 1927. End of story!

1 comments:

Dick Flint said...

Richard,
Remarkable story and incomparable presentation of photos, research and text!
At what age do gorillas become difficult/risky to handle or be around? I've heard of women with strong-armed, protective bodyguards but this takes the cake.
Dick Flint
Baltimore