Thursday, October 29, 2009

Ringling_1970 (From Jerry Digney)


Ringling_1970, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

In just a few short weeks, we'll celebrate the 40th anniversary of the start of rehearsals in Venice for one of the all time great Ringling shows, the 100th anniversary edition which bowed in Jan., 1970, opened in Baltimore and played New York for approx. 7 weeks.

This was the first show solely produced I believe by Irvin and costumed by Don Foote--the beginning of Don's long run as circus costumer. Max Weldy made some contributions to the production but it was Don's designs from this point forward and Weldy soon disappeared..

The production numbers and music, scored for the first time by Bill Pruyn, were sensational. Harold Ronk was at his apex and Richard Barstow, who was also soon to retire, delivered a truly memorable show, one for the history books! The show also went to a new large format program for the first time.

It was also a year or so away from Hugo Schmitt's retirement and Jack Joyce was the performance director with Charly Baumann assisting. Lloyd Morgan Sr. and Jr. were with the show as managers as was Paul Hudson. Willis Lawson still had the concessions, at least for another season or two.

An unbelievable cast of talent populated the show from start to finish and Antoinette Concello was still heading up the aerial ballet and Bill Ballantine had come on to run Clown College, Ballantine also recruited a number of clown old timers to fill the ranks of two shows and among them was Swede Johnson, a former lion trainer.

6 comments:

Jack Ryan said...

Jerry,

The 100th Anniversary Edition actually opened in Venice, as usual, and played quite a few dates up the East Coast. The Baltimore date was just prior to the long stand in the Garden.

Jack

jerry digney said...

sent Buckles a correction on that:

you're right, there were some 12 dates including Venice and St. Pete and a TV taping before Baltimore. By the way, anyone have a tape of the TV special?

Roger Smith said...

In extraordinarily rare moments of humility for Charly Baumann, he was known to discreetly, almost secretly, consult with Swede Johnson on matters of animal husbandry. Johnson was of the true Old School, and had the deep core knowledge of those who apprenticed long, hard, and correctly, and was a solid source of information. Those going back in history will remember his Big Johnny wire-walking lion weighing in at 800 pounds. A giant lion, Big Johnny inspired awe in all who saw him, as did another big male, Bob Matthews's King Tuffy, also an 800-pounder, and coincidentally, also a wire-walker, listed as the first on wires in this country, in 1925.

Wade G. Burck said...

Roger,
800 pounds????? Really.
Wade Burck

Jack Ryan said...

Jerry,

Figured out why you thought maybe the 100th show opened in Baltimore.

The second edition of the Program Book (which included photos of the new show) was first on sale in Baltimore. The powers-that-be decided to start with the Baltimore date in the route that was published, not mentioning the early cities.

In those days we had a Program on sale for the first show in Venice and up through the early route -- photos etc. were from last year or act provided.

After photo shoots in Venice and St. Pete, a new and revised Program made its debut in Baltimore, just prior to the Garden.

This was the case for quite a few years.

We did not go to a photographer's studio then as they do now. Everything was shot in the ring, 95% during performance.

Jack

Roger Smith said...

It was routine at the Compound to weigh our cats. First, the vets needed weights to judge doses of medicines ranging from vaccines and boosters, to anesthetics when needed. We'd put a scale in the arena, weigh the receiving cage, then shift in an animal. This gives the gross, or animal and cage. Subtract the cage weight and you've weighed your cat.

Johnny was so weighed, and with expected fluctuations, averaged 790 to 809 pounds. Further, he stood 48 inches at the shoulder.

Bob Matthews had King Tuffy weighed many times over the years. If you have a giant lion, your claims are undeniable when backed by licensed vets and the weights and measures guy there to monitor the scale. And again, you don't want medicines being given without accurate records of weight.

This really is rather basic.