Thursday, July 15, 2010

1970 RBBB Blue Show #34


Ringling 100-59, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

12 comments:

GaryHill said...

If memory serves me,this was Prince?

Anonymous said...

I can hear Shangrila playing.

Jack Ryan said...

I NEVER hear Shangri-La without thinking of this magical circus moment.

Wade G. Burck said...

Gary,
Not in 1970, unless he had two Prince's. I delivered him a cub in 1978, that Ringling purchased from Hawthorn. He named it Prince, and was the mirrored ball tiger that he gave to GGW when he retired from the ring in 1983. I later got the tiger Prince back, when I worked GGW's act in June of 1991. Prince was up in age by then, and GGW mentioned that I should start training a new one in case something happened. I started training a new male named King, and am thankful I did, because just as Boss predicted Prince died of cancer, 2 weeks before the opening in 1992, but King was ready to go and served me well, and later Mark.

To Anonymous and Jack,
Sorry Gentleman, I am a little younger(not much) so I have to see 3 mirrored balls in order to hear Shangri-La in my head. LOL But you are very correct. I hum it to myself, even when I am watching my son practice his mirrored ball, or watching it in somebody elses act. The act was like the coming together of the planets, with the lights, music, behaviors, presentation meshing for the most perfect wild animal presentation I have ever had the honor of witnessing. I still get chill's thinking about it.
Wade Burck

GaryHill said...

Again if I remember correctly he did have a Prince that did the middle ball, King was another cat, Azur, Kismet....I am lost after that? Damned CRS! I wish the Capt would have encouraged us to keep up with names like his Dad did! I can name all of Jewell News lions tho.:)Also most of the herd from QTS, and CW.

Jack Ryan said...

Wade,

"Not much" is right.

Best regards,

Jack

Chic Silber said...

Kismet was the 1st cat Charly put

on the 1st ball but he trained

3 more after that so by the time

I built the 2nd ball there were

at least 3 ready so in 70 this

might or might not be Kismet

I'll call Araceli to see if she

remembers which was which

By the way it was 3 spots on the

cat in color 3 & 3 on the ball in

white (carbon arc Super Troupers)

Them wuz the daze

Chic Silber said...

Catch me at the club sometime to

hear a great bar bet story about

the 2nd ball's rotation

Lane Taburt said...

I wanted to reach out and swat those sparkles of light off the mirrored ball just as much as the tiger when I saw Charley's act (and Ringling Bros itself) for the first time in 1973 in Charleston, WVA. Shangri-La has to be one of the most memorable tunes in circus history. Seeing Charley's and Pablo Noel's lions on the same bill--I couldn't have asked for more.
Here's a trivia question: Which composition was utilized the longest in the ring by a single act/performer? I don't have the answer, just curious. I do know that The Flying Wallendas have been crossing the high wire to the hymn, "Majesty," for a fairly long time.

Anonymous said...

Lane,
Maybe the music for Clyde?
Chuck S. may have an answer for us.
Bob Kitto

Chic Silber said...

I recall much of Beatty's music

in my head but not most of the

titles maybe "The Breeze And I"

& "Entry Of The Princess" and

more of Korsakov's "Scheherazade"

Anonymous said...

Chic,
'Storm Scene' from Wm. Tell, 'Jungle Drums' and King's 'Big Cage' dedicated to Clyde.
Bob Kitto