Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Cat Greats! #2

Posted by Buckles at 1/13/2010 06:05:00 AM

2 comments:

Richard Reynolds said...

This is Stark’s black jaguar with RBBB. The large bulldog-like head of the jaguar plainly shows, as does the heavy stocky body when compared to a leopard. The animal was named “Ni - -er,” unthinkable today but not so 88 years ago.

I believe this and the others are Atwell shots, likely taken when the show was in Chicago and had time for a backyard set up like this.

She got the cat in either 1922 or 1923 when she was with RBBB and had a tough time breaking him, typical for a jaguar. He died from shock after being doused with water during the horrible Bridgeport winter quarters fire in early 1924.

Too bad because Ni - -er was truly unique. As far as I can tell he was the first black jaguar to have performed in a wild animal act in USA. There would not be another until Alfred Court brought his two to RBBB in 1940. They became regulars in Dhotre’s leopard act and were with it through 1949.

13 January, 2010 12:48
Roger Smith said...

You're right, Richard. In her book, HOLD THAT TIGER, Mabel credits this and the shot with the jag and two tigers as, "Courtesy of H.A. Atwell, Chicago."

Bradna wrote of the jag refusing to perform in the Garden, stalling the show for half an hour, as Mabel worked to get him on his seat.

Mabel told me about that show. "After I sent him home, the crowd was with me and there was this big ovation, but oh, my God, I had stalled the show. Sure as hell I heard click-click-click when the footsteps came to my dressing room. I figured, well, that's it, I'm fired. It was Mr. Charlie. In he came with his eyes big and this big smile, and he grabs me and says, 'Mabel! By God, you're a sensation! Did you hear that applause? You'll hit every wire service in the world! John is ecstatic!' And he squeezed me again and ran off telling everybody. Woo! Was I glad. Thought Mr. John would tear up my contract, but is brother bear-hugged me!"

I sat there relishing my moment with this first-hand account. Then as if it were yesterday, Mabel lifted her shoulders and squared her jaw. "Thought the son-of-a-bitch was gonna break my neck!"

14 January, 2010 02:03

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