Monday, March 01, 2010

Circus Bartok, 1970 #3


Circus Bartok, 1970 #3, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Posted by Buckles at 3/01/2010 05:53:00 AM

7 comments:

Buckles said...

1970 was the year these two little elephants were imported, "Betty" and "Bunni".
By 1973 they had been sold to Carson & Barnes.

01 March, 2010 06:32
Chic Silber said...

Looks like the top needs a raggin

Names were (for those unaquainted)

for the Doc's wife & daughter

01 March, 2010 09:33
Roger Smith said...

IN RE: BUNNI, but not the same. In 1972, I went with Bert and Marie Pettus to Love Field in Dallas to greet a baby elephant just flown in--from where I don't know. I believe Chet Juszyk was instrumental in this import. This baby died in her first few weeks.

Then Castle bought another baby. Bert dispatched Marie for a case of Karo syrup, a case of rice, and all the goats milk she could find, just to get this baby started. She thrived on the care of Bert and Marie.

Now, Mary Castle's high school nickname, which she later used as a dancer, was Bunny. I was there when Castle sidled up to Bert, who was teaching the baby the tricycle, and said, "Bert, I came up with a name for my new elephant." He didn't know Bert had already named her Marie. "So, how about we name her Bunny?" Bert howled, "Bunny? FOR A GODDAMNED ELEPHANT?" I couldn't keep a straight face,and cleared out when the cuss fight started.

Bert and Marie departed at the end of '73, and Pee Wee Pinson came on. Am I safe to presume this whole herd went with the Tarzan sale?

And does anyone know who of the early '70s Castle herd is still around?

01 March, 2010 18:04
DanTheBooker said...

Bunny's is at Patricia Zerbini's place in WIlliston, along with Roxy and Luke. Tony has Marie and Shelly.

I am unaware if Jan is still living or has past. I know they lost Peggy a few years back.

02 March, 2010 18:10
Anonymous said...

Roger, If memory still serves me when I went to the Castle show in 1978 (Gary Thomas' first year there) the 5 elephants were:
Zitta
Helen
Jan
Bunny
Marie.
So perhaps Hubert and Bert both got their wish.
They all went to Tarzan (along with Gary)but I have no idea what "that man" did with them after that.

02 March, 2010 18:56
Buckles said...

Almost but not quite.
1978
1. Zetta (Arzetta Widaman)
2. Peggy (Peggy MacDonald)
3. Jan (Castle's daughter)
4. Marie (Marie Pettus)
5. Bunny

02 March, 2010 19:14
Anonymous said...

Peggy the escape artist how could I forget.
An ill spent youth will do that.

02 March, 2010 23:00

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)