Right at this time 65 years ago, the Ringling show, minus its big top, was playing Soldier Field in Chicago as part of the show’s attempt to salvage what remained of its 1944 season following the disastrous Hartford fire.
The Chicago Park Board, which controlled Soldier Field, would only allowed its own, locally produced souvenir program to be sold. Ringling concessions had to work outside the field, and circus ushers were not allowed to work the seats. In addition, a 55-cent charge (which went to the politically-controlled Park Board) was put on all reserved seat passes. (“You gotta problem with that?!”)
Since it was only sold during this 14-day engagement, copies of Ringling’s Chicago souvenir program are not as common as those of the Circus’ “official” 1944 program but do occasionally turn up on eBay, which is where I found mine. |
6 comments:
So did they play inside the stadium open air? Does anyone have pictures of this?
It was the same story, years later when we went there with Kaleidoscape. The plumbers union was the benefactor of Chicago's grift at that point. Probably the most corrupt city I have showed, worldwide. Philadelphia would be second on the list!
Erik Jaeger
In Chicago, around 1974, Mr. Carmine Labada was the head of the concessions 'union' to whom all joint operators had to pay their 'dues'. I didn't pay mine, came back to find my stock box empty. Roland Kaiser 'advised' me to pay my dues to Mr. Labada and apologize. On my return to my joint, my stock box was completely filled and again secured with the padlock to which only I had the key! Not corrupt, Erik, just 'resourceful'. ~frank
What town was it where the newspaper wrote a scathing editorial about the city shaking down the circus?
Jerry Braa, who was with Circus Vargas related a story to me that when Vargas played the Chicago area that city inspectors of all kinds desended on the show and made it a living hell for them.
Different subject: Dan Rather with CBS news was ruffed up at the political convention there and had Walter Cronkite mad about it as I remember seeing it on the news.
Harry
The July-August 1981 issue of THE WHITE TOPS has some very good photos of the show performing in Soldier Field. They are part of Joe Bradbury's very excellent article on Ringling's 1944 season.
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