Buckles Blog: 05/01/2009

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Clyde Beatty HUGO ZACCHINI half-sheet (1955)

Clyde Beatty HUGO ZACCHINI half-sheet (1955), originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

From Chris Berry

It was 54 years ago today (May 31, 1955) that the Clyde Beatty Railroad Circus chugged into the tiny Northern California town of Willows. On the Beatty show that year was Hugo Zacchini - the Human Cannonball. The Zacchini act was featured on a number of lithos over the years, starting when John Ringling first introduced the act to the United States in 1929, and while all of these posters are highly collectible - this particular half-sheet poster is quite scarce. While the artwork is simple, and the lettering seems misplaced, this poster was not widely distributed that season - in fact the only versions that I'm aware of have California datetags. I'm wondering whether any other collectors know whether this bill was used elsewhere during the 1955 tour (or at any other time). The poster was produced by Majestic of Los Angeles, and while it appears to be a "stock" image I have never seen it used with any other show title.

Epcot Circus #1 (From Tim Dane)

Epcot circus 1, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Epcot Circus #2

Epcot circus2, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Epcot Circus #3

Epcot 3, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Kiev Zoo #1 (From John Goodall)

article-1187125-051209E7000005DC-843_634x366, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

He might have preferred shocking pink, or a gold that would have twinkled in the sunlight as he lumbered along.

But since Boy the elephant was asleep during his pedicure he had no choice in the colour of varnish smeared on his nails - and ended up with boring dark blue.

His beauty treatment at Kiev Zoo, in the Ukraine, was a truly jumbo task involving a saw, power grinders and quite a few pairs of hands.

Easy does it: Boy has his eyes covered to prevent them being damaged by flying fragments of toenails.

Kiev Zoo #2

article-1187125-05120B77000005DC-892_634x725, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Sanding down: Vets file Boy's nails using electric sanders rather than an emery board

The pedicure was done for Boy's benefit, as his nails had grown too long for comfort. It didn't look particularly pleasant, however, as the German vet and his assistants hacked away at his tippytoes, clippings flying off into the air.

Thankfully the 12,000lb Asian elephant, who is 39, had been heavily sedated for the procedure.

Kiev Zoo #3

article-1187125-05120D2F000005DC-591_634x296, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Rise and shine: Boy got used to being pampered and it was rather difficult to wake him up after his time at the elephant beauty parlour.

Kiev Zoo #4

article-1187125-0510FBFC000005DC-253_634x365, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Up you get: Boy's keepers give him a shove to wake him up.

"There should be a 5th picture of the keepers running for the fence like striped-assed apes when he regained consciousness!"
Buckles

Beijing, China #1

Beijing, China.2, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Beijing, China #2

Beijing, China.1, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Dora Franklin pictures #21

RBBB Dora71b, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

RBBB 1

Dora Franklin pictures #22

RBBB 1, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

RBBB 2

Dora Franklin pictures #23

RBBB 3, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

RBBB 3

Dora Franklin #24

RBBB4, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

RBBB 4

Dora Franklin pictures #25

Spec 73 a, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Spec 1973 A

Dora Franklin pictures #26

Spec 73 b, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Spec 1973 B

Dora Franklin pictures #27

Spec 73 C, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Spec 1973 C

Dora Franklin pictures #28

Indian maid web, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Dora Franklin pictures #29

Dora King Charles, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Dora and King Charles

Dora Franklin pictures #30

RBBB 76, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Friday, May 29, 2009

1949 Grotto Circus-1 (From Beheim)

1949 Grotto Circus-1, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

In February 1949, my parents took me to see my very first circus: a matinee performance of the Al Sirat Grotto Circus in Cleveland’s Public Auditorium. At the time, I was just a few weeks shy of my 3rd birthday and, because of my extreme youth, didn’t retain too many specific memories of who and what I saw that day. To rectify this somewhat, I spent considerable time and effort tying to locate a copy of 1949 Grotto Circus souvenir program. Finally (and just recently) one surfaced on eBay. (If you wait long enough, EVERYTHING will surface on eBay!)

I now know that my first circus had an exceptionally strong line-up of talent. (It also served to “imprint” me with the notion that circuses were presented inside large buildings, with the animals kept in the basement. It would be several more years before I discovered that circuses traditionally appeared under a Big Top.)

Here is the program of acts I saw that day. (Seeing some of these names will probably jog a few memories and perhaps generate some interesting postings.)

Eric

1949 Grotto Circus-2

1949 Grotto Circus-2, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

1949 Grotto Circus-3

1949 Grotto Circus-3, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

I’m assuming that the Joe Walch who presented the wild animal act in 1949 is the same Joseph Walsh who presented one of the Alfred Court acts on Ringling for many years. (If this assumption is correct, does anyone know if these were former Court animals?)

Paul Nelson and his palomino liberty horses also appear in the Encyclopedia Britannia black and white educational film CIRCUS DAY IN OUR TOWN, which was filmed on the Cole show around 1949.

1949 Grotto Circus-12

1949 Grotto Circus-12, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

1949 Grotto Circus-13

1949 Grotto Circus-13, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Since Eugene Scott was in charge of the elephants, the 1949 Grotto Circus must have featured the Ringling performing elephants, earning their winter keep by appearing anonymously at indoor dates. (One of the things that did make an impression on me that day was the elaborate blankets worn by the elephants during the opening grand entry.) After the Grotto Circus engagement had ended, my mother read me a newspaper story telling about how one of the elephants had refused to load back into its assigned railroad car, and had held up the elephant reloading and departure

1949 Grotto Circus-14

1949 Grotto Circus-14, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Les Kimris appeared at the Cleveland Grotto Circus many, many times over the years. (Public Auditorium had a very high ceiling and was ideally suited for their act.) I saw them perform there in 1962 when I was in high school. They were also back again in 1973 while I was off serving in Vietnam. (Was it always the same performers, or was the act passed down to younger family members?)

Grotto Circus-15

Grotto Circus-16, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

My dad had his camera and flashgun along that day and managed to get a few Kodachrome color photos during the clown walk-around.

1949 Grotto Circus-16

1949 Grotto Circus-17, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

1949 Grotto Circus-17

1949 Grotto Circus-18, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

A year or so after seeing my first circus, and while the Clyde Beatty radio show was still being broadcast in Cleveland, I started working up an act. (Since Clyde Beatty was my first hero, I was probably hoping to follow in his footsteps.) Clyde, of course, appeared with the Cleveland Grotto Circus many times over the years and, although he wasn't there in 1949 as I often wondered, I did get to see him perform there in 1962.