Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Great News!


Scan12523, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Just received word that Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey has won the law suit against PETA's attempt to prevent the use of elephants.


Judge rules in favor of circus in lawsuit over treatment of Asian elephants





By Del Quentin Wilber
Thursday, December 31, 2009

A federal judge Wednesday sided with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in a legal fight in which animal rights activists accused the circus of abusing its Asian elephants

In a 57-page opinion, U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan said a former Ringling employee, Tom Rider, and the Animal Protection Institute did not have legal standing to sue the circus under the Endangered Species Act.

Rider and the institute had argued that Ringling Bros. had violated the Endangered Species Act because handlers used bull hooks on elephants and chained them for long periods. Such techniques harmed the elephants, Rider and API argued.

Attorneys for Feld Entertainment, Ringling's parent company, replied that the elephants were not abused and were, in fact, loved by their trainers.

If Sullivan had found a violation of the Endangered Species Act, Ringling Bros. would have had to stop the practices in question or obtain an exemption from the Interior Department.

Instead, the judge ruled that Rider, a former animal trainer, did not prove he had a strong attachment to the animals, a requirement under the law. The judge also questioned Rider's credibility, noting that he had been paid tens of thousands of dollars by API and other animal rights groups over the years.

"The court finds that Mr. Rider is essentially a paid plaintiff and fact witness who is not credible, and therefore affords no weight to his testimony," Sullivan wrote.

The judge found that API did not have standing on more technical legal grounds.

"We are disappointed that the judge dismissed the suit without considering the merits," said Adam Roberts, executive vice president of API.

API was joined in the suit by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Animal Welfare Institute and the Fund for Animals. Because API does not have standing under Sullivan's ruling, the other groups also cannot press the matter.

Honest Bill Show 1915 #1


Scan12512, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

What a picture! Cast and Company of the Honest Bill Newton Show.
Liberty horses in the background left, followed by pick-out pony, balancing act, performing dogs, high-dive (free act), lead stock, ticket seller and at far right "York" (tuskless male).
All in all about the same size as the Gold Unit.

Honest Bill Show 1915 #2


Scan12513, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Honest Bill Show 1915 #3


Scan12514, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Lucky Bill Show 1924


Scan12515, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

"Tex"

M.L Clark Show


Scan12517, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Badger Black and "Ned".

J.E. Henry Shows #1


Scan12516, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

GYPSY
1885 Miller, Stone & Freemen Shows
1886-89 Wallace & Co. Show
1890-91 Bartines Circus (Leased from Wallace)
1992-94 Cook & Whitby Shows (Ben Wallace)
1895-02 Great Wallace Show
1905-06 Cook & Barrett Circus
1907-14 J.E. Henry Circus
(Died in 1915)

J.E. Henry Shows #2


Scan12521, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

"Gyp"

I'd say closer to 102!

Orton Bros. Circus 1926


Scan12522, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

"Jennie Lockhart"

Unidentified


Scan12518, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Atterbury Bros. Wagon Shows 1924


Scan12519, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

My dad wrote on the back:
Elephant "Diamond"
Billy Ward, clown on bull's head
Ben Reed at bull's right
Woodcock, elephant man at bull's left.

BLACK DIAMOND
1900 Imported from Hagenbeck Zoo
1900-14 Various Gentry Bros. units
1915 Sold to Wm. P. Hall
1915 Barton & Bailey Circus (Leased from Hall)
1916 Wheeler Bros. Circus
1917-18 R.T. Richards Circus
1919 Resold to Hall
1920-24 Atterbury Bros. Circus
1925-26 Monroe Bros. Circus (Albert Cauble)
1927 Wilson's Greater Shows
1928-29 Al G. Barnes Circus
(Diamond's rampage in Corsicana, Texas 10-12-29)
(Executed in Kennedy, Texas 10-16-29)

Mighty Haag c1913


Scan12520, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

"Tip", "Alice" and "Babe".

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Lord of the Rings #1 (From Bud Copeland)


GGW 1, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Here's some photos I took in 1986 at the Spectrum in Philly visiting with Clark & Paula one day .
Some Guy had a " 360 Degree Camera " he set in the Center of the Ring to Photograph " Gunther & his Tigers Performing " .
Bud

Lord of the Rings #2


GGW 2, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Lord of the Rings #3


GGW 3, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Lord of the Rings #4


GGW 4, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Lord of the Rings #5


GGW 5, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Lord of the Rings #6


GGW 6, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Barrum Bros. Circus #1 (From Peter Rosa)

Hi All

We have a wonderful friend in Kalama, Washington who has made trailers for our J. L. TAYLOR - ROSA BROS. CIRCUS in HO scale. His name is BOB MAAHS. He is the LOT 9 Manager of Circus Model Builders.

Bob likes RUM and so do Joyce and I. Bob and I got kidding about new model circuses in HO SCALE called BICARDI BROS. CIRCUS and BARRUM BROS. CIRCUS. I still need to come up with detailing and lettering.

Here are trailers Bob made and sent to us last Christmas based on Biller Bros. Circus and Mills Bros. Circus. Bob made us a Cristiani calliope for Christmas this year that I have got to take a photo of. It is outstanding.

Note that the camera flash drowned out the color. These are actually very vivid orange and blue paint scheme.

Hope you enjoy Bob's works of art made from styrene plastic.

RIGHT SIDE CAGE TRAILER

Barrum Bros. Circus #2

LEFT SIDE CAGE TRAILER

Barrum Bros. Circus #3

SIDE SHOW TRAILER

Barrum Bros. Circus #4

HORSE TRAILER (Note that Bob hand made this with each strut being separate)

Barrum Bros. Circus #5

POLE TRAILER

Barrum Bros. Circus #6

BAND SLEEPER

Barrum Bros. Circus #7

CANVAS TRAILER

Barrum Bros. Circus #8

COOK HOUSE (Bob made the details for the interior. We have not installed them yet)

Monday, December 28, 2009

Shorty Sylvester and "Jargo"


SAVE1470, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

John Herriott told a wonderful "Jargo" story yesterday at Bill Strong's Memorial. With a little luck, maybe he will repeat it here.

Parker & Watts 1939 #1


Scan12502, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

The clown rides while the Banner Man is afoot!

Parker & Watts 1939 #2


Scan12506, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Parker & Watts 1939 #3


Scan12507, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Parker & Watts 1939 #4


Scan12499, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Parker & Watts 1939 #5


Scan12504, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Parker & Watts 1939 #6


Scan12501, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Parker & Watts 1939 #7


Scan12500, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Parker & Watts 1939 #8


Scan12508, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Looks like a 100' bale ring with 3 40's.

Parker & Watts 1939 #9


Scan12505, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Jimmy O'Conner and "Thelma".

Twelve piece band, perfect for a show this size. Yesterday, a mention of the Gold Unit band heard at the Tampa rehearsal was made.
Nuf Ced!

Parker & Watts 1939 #10


Scan12503, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Blackie Bowman with "Ena", "Mona" and "Mabel"

"Mabel"


Scan12511, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

"Mabel" at left, 23 years later with Carson & Barnes in California when the show was owned by Jack Moore. The other three are "Jenny Woodcock" as my dad called her, "Josky" and "Wanda"
Photo from Chang Reynolds.

MABEL
Imported by W. P. Hall
1927-31 Robbins Bros. Circus (Fred Buchanan)
1932-33 Hall Farm
1934-37 Seal Bros. Circus (Bud Anderson)
1938-40 Parker & Watts Circus
1941 Ira Watts
1942-49 Hamid-Morton Circus
1950-52 Al G. Kelly & Miller Bros. Circus
1953 Cole & Walters Circus (Herb Walters)
1954-68 Carson & Barnes Circus (Jack Moore)
1969-72 Carson & Barnes Circus (D.R. Miller)
1973 Sold to Gran Circo Union (Mexico)

"During the winter of 1953-54 Rex and Barbara along with in laws Ruben and Lottie Ray came into Hugo prior to opening with Jack Moore's show, Ben would have been less than a year old.
D.R. leased "Mabel" to Jack, his first elephant, and I recall my dad practicing her in quarters with this young couple but not much more"
Buckles

Sunday, December 27, 2009

A Celebration of Life!


Scan12509, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Bill Strong's Memorial will be held at the Gibsonton Showfolks Club today at 2:00 PM.
Bill and Trudy are held in such regard that several of my friends called yesterday to remind me to post this since there seems to be some confusion about the time.

King of Hearts 1 (From Eric Beheim)


King of Hearts 1, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

All through my senior year in college, I had a part-time job in a little “art theater” located just off campus. My favorite from among the foreign films we ran was Philippe de Broca’s LE ROI DE COEUR (THE KING OF HEARTS). Its whimsical, topsy-turvy plot might almost have been written by W. S. Gilbert:



During final months of World War I, the retreating Germans leave behind a massive time bomb in a quaint French town, which will soon be occupied by the British. A member of the French resistance is able to warn the British general via a short, frantic radio message that ends with the cryptic clue, “The knight strikes at midnight.” The British advance is halted and a single soldier (played by Alan Bates) is sent in to locate and disarm the bomb, even though he knows nothing about explosives. Meanwhile all the town’s inhabitants have fled. (This included the performers from a visiting circus, who leave behind their costumes, equipment and animals.) The only people left are the inmates of the local insane asylum. Making their way into the town, they dress up in the clothes they find laying around and assume the roles of the townspeople including such notables as the barber, the general, the bishop, the duke & duchess, and even the madam who runs the local brothel. (Supposedly insane, the inmates all act and behave quite coherently.) Encountering Alan, they crown him their king. Most of the film’s comedy stems from Alan’s frantic efforts to keep the town and his “subjects” from being blown up, while having to contend with some decidedly loony situations.