By the time the Blue Unit reached San Diego, the Tzekovi High Wire Troupe came on immediately after the elephant act. This was the group that had a bear up on the high wire. (Whenever I tell people about that, no one will believe me!) The music used while the bear was performing was “The Purple Pageant March” by Karl L. King. |
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Circus Memories #8
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21 comments:
This act had two parallel wires. The small brown bear would walk up to the platform and then roll a globe placed between the wires. The bear did have a "mechanic" of sorts. Certainly something you didn't see everyday.
Question for J.C.Hall: Was Venko Lilitov (?) part of this wire act? He had a nice bear act on RBBB for several seasons.
Thank you for this post, Eric. The music was wonderful. The Showgirls menage costumes had a skirt that detached and used as capes adding additional swirl and color. I remember the bear! Do you recall which high wire act used the song "Skylark" in their act?
I had a video (shot on 8mm without sound) up for a couple years on YouTube. Fially found out it is the 1976 Blue Unit. Also found a shot of the program cover.
I had always wondered about the bear on the high wire. So - reworked the video and you can see it.. and the bear on the wire at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIJErIVZ7ts
Sorry I don't have the original sound.
Who had the elephants this year? Buckles?
Regards...
Klsdad
I do not recall playing "Skylark" for a high wire act, so perhaps somebody else can confirm what year it was used. In 1976, the Tzekovi Troupe used "The Purple Pageant," "Tango Uno," "Ninfa de Ojos Brujos," "One Love," and a medley that included "Rise and Shine," "I Want to Be Happy," "I Know that You Know" and "Hallelujah." Over on the Red Unit, the Carrillo Brothers’ high wire act always featured a lot of Latin American music: "Carioca," "Siboney," "The Castanets," "Festival Espanol," and "La Virgen de La Macarena," which Keith Greene would perform as a virtuoso trumpet cadenza, the band joining in for the conclusion. Those were the days!
Axel Gautier.
Kieth Greene & Ronnie Drum both
folowed in the style of Bill
Pruyn and were fantastic band
leaders & musicians (also two
of the nicest guys)
GREAT job on the YouTube clip and on adding the Merle Evans Circus Band. 1976 was the first year where I didn't see RBBB because I was out on the road with Wallace & Rogers. Looks like I missed a GREAT show. ~frank
The Tezovki did have one of the most unique high wire acts ever. However, they also earned the nickname of the flying puppet show as there were so many mechanics in use it would not be possible for anything or anyone to fall from the wire.
While I do not in any way dismiss an act solely for using mechanics on very difficult, high risk, skills; I do not believe mechanics are to be used to complete a trick but only to protect a performer from injury in the event of a mistake or error. Hold on to the mechanic to walk out on the wire - not acceptable. No, learn to walk the wire.
It is great to have someone post the music scores for acts so that I can remember the great music and finally know what some of that was. It is a shme that mp3 players, mini discs, and ipods have replaced real live bands.
Is there a forum or place that someone could locate the scores used for specific acts throughout the years>
Regarding the note from Jim A
I recall a Valentin Filitov
with an amazing bear act on
the Moscow Circus in 65 and
maybe Venko was a relative
To Jim A.
I sure do not recall Lilov mentioning a high wire act,however I seem to recall him saying something about coming from
"Teetee-board act". Never the less your are absolutely right,he had a nice bear act.Also he is a fellow bear guy who can strike a pretty fair arc with a Lincoln.
Regarding the Lincoln JC I may
not be that much of a welder
but I'm a hell of a grinder
and I can keep things together
To Chic,
The King as far as I am concerned of the bear training world would have to have been Filitov.
PS.Also the many flaws I have had with my limited knowledge in engineering I too am not a stranger in the use of the grinder.
Welder!!!! Are we on the path to establishing a "standards protocol" here, or just mentioning in passing? I ask because that would then make my son Adam, who has done wonders with the tigers he has had, a more skilled trainer then me.
Wade Burck
Besides, don't forget to mention, when talking about Lincoln's that Pat Anthony had a Lincoln also. One of those long hooded, black, two door deals.
Wade Burck
I remember that car very well
Kind of hoped I would get one
but the closest I came was my
74 BIG Bird (Thunderbird)
also a long hood 2 door with
8 humongous cylinders (460 cu)
With my 4 wire feed machines JC
I barely touch the Lincoln these
days and no longer buy the discs
by the gross (just by the dozen)
Anybody need an old red Lincoln
(Old but low miles & dusty)
So Wade can Adam use a stick
(either shift or welder) or
just the new age stuff
I've just picked up a new show
and I'm not getting any work
done as I'm having too much fun
Hey guys give me a break
Chic,
He uses fiber glass, the same thing I used, what else. They have been used for years, so I sure wouldn't call them "new age", Pal.
Wade Burck
Chic
Your up on me on the machines.
Nothing against religion but never went the steeple top route. Stuck to stick. A Miller man myself. Piss on that bird-caging however I also own a couple of those critters.
I use to collect super-trooper droppings for my carbons arc braising but graduated to tig,
also still have an old carbide gas gen,from my old man.
My daughter is quite efficient on running through those damn liners with that 0.35 wire and also can raise hell with the one pounder gun pushing alum. She also can weld up my dam c-clamps with the best of them.
None of my welders seem to have
settings for fiberglass
Even the new age units
Maybe your daughter is doing
modern sculpture with the clamps
You know how these artists are
(or maybe she's trying to get
a better ground connection)
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