Buckles Blog: Jungleland #2

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Scan12323, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

THE GREAT WHITE STAGE- Scene of the main events.

Roger Smith said...: In the edition of this program booklet I have, the best date we get is a caption of a photo of Chief Henry Tyndall with Peggy, the Cheetah, Tamba, Kimmbo, and Bonzo actress, who just won the 1953 PATSY award for her title role in BONZO GOES TO COLLEGE. Thus my copy, with many of the same photos, dates from circa 1953-1954.

I never heard old timers refer to the Great White Stage, as it indeed is named here. It was known as the Big Stage Arena by the time of my arrival, in '65. That big plaque above the arena went home with Benny Bennett after our auction. The arena and cage trims then were an off-white, almost an antique shade. The landing-mat screens and footboards were black. The arena's back wall was light blue here, later to become a lurid red and white vertical stripe, and at the last was again a sky blue. The crowds sat on plank benches, and we could accommodate 3,500 around the Big Stage.; 28 October, 2009 01:26
Roger Smith said...: The trainer here is obscured, but Chet Juszyk wore white over black, and with these particular lions, I believe this is he.; 28 October, 2009 01:27
Frank Ferrante said...: Was Jungleland the last location where Mable Stark performed? ~frank; 30 October, 2009 04:34

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