When Luna Park burned down in the 1940s, the fire was referred to as “Topsy’s Revenge.” In 2003, a memorial to Topsy was erected in the Coney Island Museum. She also served as the inspiration for the elephant “Rosie” in the novel WATER FOR ELEPHANTS. |
Thursday, July 01, 2010
Coney Island Elephants #11
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6 comments:
BUCKLES: In re elephants killing people, I recently saw a very brief reference to an elephant named Tantor killing a man on the 1931 film TARZAN THE APE MAN. Louis Goebel had the animals on that picture. Was Tantor a Goebel elephant?
Gee, I always thought Tantor was Tarzan's elephant? :)
I never heard of that.
Didn't they used to lease elephants gtom Selig Zoo?
Roger might be thinking of the death of Hawaiian actor Kamuela Searle, who was accidentally killed by an elephant in 1920 while starring in the silent serial SON OF TARZAN. In chapter 15, Tantor the elephant was supposed to rescue Tarzan’s son Korak (Searle) who was bound to a post in the “Village of Death.” The script called for the elephant to pull up the stake (with Korak still bound to it), carry it for a short distance, and then lower it gently to the ground. Instead, the elephant slammed the stake down so violently that it shattered. Searle later died of injuries sustained in the accident, and finale scenes had to be shot with a double.
Thanks, ERIC. That would be the story. The reference I saw stopped at stating Tantor killed a man, in this case evidently naming the wrong picture.
BUCKLES: Indeed, some movie stock came from the late Selig Zoo. Goebel set up his place in 1926, with 6 lions bought from the close-out of house stock by Universal. By 1931, his roster was dramatically increased both in stock and trainers. Kathleen Goebel and daughter Alma both wrote me lists of movies, and TARZAN THE APE MAN was among the important early pictures they worked. Selig may have participated also, but I have no records to show who had what on this first Weissmuller TARZAN.
I think you chaps may be wrong about the death of Searle. Take a look http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0780705/bio
Graham
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