Monday, June 01, 2009

From Buckles #1


Scan11744, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Following up with some related pictures from Wallace Bros. Circus, we see Pearl Harris and Eddie Hendricks.

Posted by Buckles at 6/01/2009 04:43:00 AM

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

were there a lot of transvestite performers back in those days?

01 June, 2009 21:06
Chic Silber said...

At one time Vander Barbette

who became the aerial director

(and maybe a feature) on RBBB

had done a single trap act in

drag sometimes pulling off his

wig with his final style

And of course we've had some

of the best comedy drag clowns

as with Eddie "Mother" Dullom

and Glen "Sea Cow" Hart with

one of the most effective

Irish washer women gags ever

Of course there was Albert

"Flo" White and Kenny "Tweety"

Dodd's terrific big titted nurse

All great fun

01 June, 2009 23:51
johnny said...

Our dear friend pictured Eddie Hendricks was of the "gay" community and did not try to disguise it very well. Idon't believe he ever worked in "drag" and he was married for awhile and fathered two kids. A nice guy but prone to have lots of mishaps along the way. Very good looking guy and excellent performer and bareback rider. Worked with Nellie Dutton, Poodles and others. Ended up with Bartok with poodle dog act. Very sad.

02 June, 2009 09:44
Anonymous said...

Yes, there were drag queens as circus performers. The most famous female impersonator and not gay was Herberta Beeson great wire walker and real name was "Slats" or that is what he was known by. He was in the "Big Time", so to speak. My dad told me about him. Seems that he did a Bird Millman style wire act. Lets hear it from Dick Flint or others.

02 June, 2009 09:50
henry edgar said...

at one time many male aerialists performed in drag, both straight and gay. my understanding is that many of the aerial beauties in the eary years were really men because one of the ringling bros did not like male aerialists but loved female aerialists. the circus, as a community, has generally been very welcoming to the gay and lesbian community and provided a comfortable, friendly, family-like accepting atmosphere at a time when the outside world did not. in fact, that was the situation also in theater, movies, televison and music. many in all these areas lead closeted lives in public but within the entertainment world could be themselves.

02 June, 2009 12:31

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