Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Hempstaed, NY 1970 #2

Guy Gossing

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Notice the bandage on his left hand. Wonder how that happened?

Unknown said...

Guy worked the Bill Kay Bahia Shrine date in Orlando in the 70s.Bill Kay put together great shows!1

Jim A. said...

Guy Gossing's tiger act was pretty hot. Lots of cats swiping at him during the act but then again he might have had an accident making a sandwich.

I think Guy debuted the act in early 1967. It was a very popular act in the late 60s and early 70s. Later Eddie Schmitt brought the act.

Roger Smith said...

I was privileged to meet Gossing only twice. The first time, he took my girlfriend and I on a detailed tour of his cages, naming each tiger and explaining who was who in the act, and which ones were brothers, sisters, cousins, and mothers and dads. I make this point as only one other man welcomed such close inspection, and that was Bill Johnston with Pat Anthony's cats. Gossing seemed like what I've heard of Alfred Court, a refined gentleman with Old World graces. My great pal Bill Johnston--well, Bill had to know you before you got near his guys.

Thanks, JIM A: It had slipped my mind who got those cats.

Steve said...

Is that a woman IN the cage with him?

Jimmy Cole said...

That would be his wife Georgette, who worked the door. She did not go in the cage.

Guy Gossing had a loyal legion of circus fans who often visited him on "set-up & tear down" days, and would pitch in to help. Can you imagine an 80 year old CFA member in a suit and tie carrying tiger props?

Wade G. Burck said...

Interesting, because I was always told that Guy used "jungle bred killers" and only trained adult animals, which was why the act was so hot. I would sure love to see some video footage of this act.
Wade Burck

Darryl said...

was on Garden Brothers with Cuneo elephants with Guy and Eddie Had just bought the act, but Guy was still working it This was the only fighting tiger act i have ever seen. Wish i had more time there to pick Guys Brains.