Thursday, October 29, 2009

Ringling_1970_4


Ringling_1970_4, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

New program book.

6 comments:

Jack Ryan said...

Buckles,

The 100th anniversary program book was a challenge to write and put together but also great fun. Ringling had never before done a program of its size and color.

I went to Baraboo where Bob Parkinson helped me find historic lithos and photos. Tried to compare/contrast great artists of the past with current stars on the same page, i. e. Albert Powell/Elvin Bale on single trap; Capt. William Heyer/Franz Althoff with dressage etc.

Bev Kelley and Tom Parkinson each wrote great anniversary stories for the program. Both articles are still interesting and illuminating.

Jack

Mike Naughton said...

Mr. Jack Ryan --

As your personal press agent (LOL) what year did your creation of the phrase, "May All Your Days Be Circus Days" appear in the program?

Jack Ryan said...

Hi Mike,

Yes. My claim to fame "May All Your Days..." appeared in the 100th, yes. But the phrase made its debut in the 1969 programs for both units.

In the 100th, the line appears on the last page before back cover, surrounded by clowns.

Jack

Frank Ferrante said...

...and the modest Mr. Ryan continues to entertain and educate us with his pearls of wisdom and knowledge... check out the current issue of "SPECTACLE" for his two-part essay on Circus Press Agents - Past & Present! ~frank (Mike's the personal PA, I'm just the go-fer)

Chic Silber said...

These large format books were

printed in Milwaukee I believe

and Dick Brown's "Flying Fleet"

kept the loads coming along with

all the garbage that mostly came

into the port of Baltimore

Jack Ryan said...

Mike and Frank,

Thanks for the nice comments. The final part of my Ringling press agents story is in the December issue of Spectacle.

Chic,

You are right about the books being printed in Milwaukee. For many year, the Krueger compay in suburban Brookfield did the job. I traveled to their plant dozens of times just before the program went to press -- editing, re-writing and cutting copy as needed to fit the layouts.