Buckles Blog: A Paul Gutheil Film Festival #4

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Scan12853, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

GaryHill said...: Great photo of you two!; 27 April, 2010 08:56
Anonymous said...: Just found your site and was touched to see so many photos of Anna May.

I went out with Sells & Gray in the early 60's hired by Hudson who over the season trained me to be a canvas boss. Push pole that is.

One night going over the road to the next stop I was driving the pole truck following the Elephant truck when the driver (elephant man) fell asleep and the truck rolled onto its side.

The trainer (I use the term loosely) refused to enter the truck to guide the elephants out; given how he treated them I believe he had good reason to fear; Anna May & Bessie.

I had worked with them many times pulling trucks in and out of the mud. Pulling up the center poles, pulling stakes, etc, and had learned the elephant’s quirks. Bessie was in the rear so it was easy to guide her backward and out I trusted Anna May and she had always trusted me; so with out thinking, I crawled in underneath her and guided her backward and out of the truck.

I had always hoped to see Anna May again and am very saddened to have now read of her death.

The next few years I went out with the Clyde Beatty & Cole Bros. show, worked the set up/tear down and had one of the Novelty stands. I learned a lot simply by working with Bill Hill.

Bob Koch; 01 May, 2010 19:19

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