The cover of the 1940 Ringling-Barnum souvenir program featured that year’s new (and at the time controversial) blue big top. It is my understanding that the decision to make it blue was so that the show’s innovative new lighting effects would come through at the matinee performances. According to Joe Bradbury, many people continued to express a preference for the traditional white canvas. An article that appeared in the June 1, 1940 issue of BILLBOARD had a typical reaction: “Personally, I don’t like the dark blue and rosette big top. It isn’t circus and if the management’s idea in ‘coloring’ it was to make it artistic that purpose has been defeated for it is gloomy despite the spotlights and other lighting effects.” After Aunt Edith and Cousin Robert took control of the show in 1943, they went back to using white canvas. Incidentally, the 15 cents it took to buy this program 70 years ago is equivalent to only $2.32 in today’s money. PAY NO MORE! |
Wednesday, October 06, 2010
1940 RBBB Program #1 (From Eric Beheim)
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3 comments:
Are you saying that all of the programs from this era on eBay are overpriced at $9.99 plus shipping?
After all, they are almost all called rare and that's because there were only a few hundred thousand of each sold and most of them were saved as keepsakes.
Bob KItto
You can see the air condition ducts on this picture.
Actually, I was thinking more in terms of what the show is charging for its souvenir programs today.
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