Konselman’s Polar Bears. The BILLBOARD review of the 1948 show commented that, “The most noteworthy innovation is the use of steel mesh cages for animal acts.” (According to Joe Bradbury, the mesh arenas had been designed by Art Concello.) |
Friday, August 20, 2010
1948 RBBB (Set 2) #11
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
I distinctly remember seeing three steel arenas when my mother and I saw the show in Minneapolis.
I also recall chatter about Concello's first unsuccessful attempt at this since having been made out of chain-link it was incredibly heavy.
The story was that it took the entire prop crew to carry it in and out as tho it were a long snake and then reefed in and out of a large box.
Fortunately they would have had all between shows to untangle and reassemble the thing since the cage acts opened the show.
Maybe Reynolds had it red-lighted
off the train.
The steel mesh cage was a vast improvement over the old steel cages, (though not as artistically pleasing to the eye, the old cages remind me of old Yankee Stadium, they had a touch of statelyness - (Is that a word?). I think one of the greatest improvements in years has been the drop down cages which are lowered into place from the top of the arena. But that's just my opinion. Have a GREAT day all! ~frank
The original cable arena was
indeed designed by Art Concello
but this photo is of a nylon net
Sometime during the 70s the cable
pattern was changed from square
that was both difficult to make
as well as even more difficult
to pack into the ring curb to
a parallel lacing that opened to
a flattened diamond pattern and
packed beautifully & easily
Although aircraft cable will not
hold paint it can be darkened
by degreasing it & treating with
gun blue which is actually black
They now have cable available
that has been preblackened
Obviously black cable would not
be nearly as reflective and so
it would be much less visible
Post a Comment