Monday, November 01, 2010

James Williams Mystery #1 (From Buckles)


Scan13204, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

These undated photos of Carson & Barnes on a Fairgrounds lot in
middle America brings an interesting story to mind.
Our eight year run in Baraboo ended in 1988 and I think these were
taken about that time.
I got a phone call from Gary Byrd explaining that Okie Carr was
seriously ill and had been sent home to Hugo and did I know of an available elephant man?
After talking it over with James Williams "Chico" I temporarily loaned him out, I think he was over there a month to 6 weeks.
So we can figure out the year if anyone recalls when Okie was last
on the show or if any of you Baraboobians remember these goings on.

I tried to call up at the Stud Farm but my number has been blocked by Security!

Posted by Buckles at 11/01/2010 06:33:00 AM

4 comments:

JIM ELLIOTT said...

I too, do not remember the exact year, but was shocked when I was on a lot, in Albion, Mich. waitng for the show to arrive, and one of the elephant trucks pulled onto the lot, and the driver got out and to my surprise it was Chico. I asked him what he was doing on Carson&Barnes and he informed me, Okie had become ill and Buckles had loaned me(Chico) to the show.
Later that same year, I visited Great American Circus in Adrian, Mich. and in the elephant dept. I found Chico and Army McGuire. Buckles, correct me if I am wrong about this Great American thing. My mind does tricks on me now and then, so I am not sure, if the Great American thing is correct. I do know the Albion, Mich. sighting of Chico was correct.

01 November, 2010 08:40
Anonymous said...

I can't place the year in question. I know Okie left for health issues, but he returned at some point and was on the show for a few more years. I sold ride tickets for him in 90.
Good luck,
Maria Vonderheid

01 November, 2010 08:51
JIM ELLIOTT said...

After conferring with Roy Wells for the past 30 minutes, it was agreed upon, that the year this all took place was: 1985.
This was the year I met Roy for the first time. The place being the parade in Milwaukee. I learned alot, that week, from some of the BEST elephant men in the country.
And, believe me, A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL!

01 November, 2010 19:08
Roger Smith said...

This history for Okie may be of help here.

I first met Okie on the Jungleland parking lot, late in 1966. He had come off Circo Bell, was broke, living in his car, and trying to sell his boots for taco money. He hired on with us. His wife Karen soon joined him with toddler Andrea and new-born Dawn Marie. We made great friends, and swapped cat acts during his time there.

Friday, November 10, 1967, was Mabel Stark's last day of her 57-year career, when the compound operators ended her 30-year tenure in Thousand Oaks. Okie helped me move Mabel from her dressing room to her home. Angry and sick at heart over Mabel's forced retirement, Okie and I lamented the day's events by closing the Tiger Room bar.

For 1968, he returned to Carson & Barnes, and in Fort Morgan, Colorado, he was attacked by a lioness who broke his neck.

Okie was on King Bros. for 1970., Gene Holter's Movieland Animals in '71, and back on King with Harry Rawls, in '73. He returned to Carson & Barnes until his health began to fail in 1979.

In DeLand Winterquarters, after the disastrous 1980 winter tour, D.R. Miller turned up to visit Johnny Pugh, stirring rumors he might buy the Beatty show. He didn't, but he told me then, "Your friend, Okie, is in pretty bad shape. It's his heart, and he had a stroke."

Articles from CIRCUS REPORT have Okie off the road for 1980, recovering from heart surgery. 1981 saw him on Ford Bros., but in 1982, he went "home" to Carson & Barnes and remained 14 seasons until his retirement in 1996. He had worked most of 40 seasons on Miller family shows.

Don C. Carr, our friend Okie, died in a hospital in Antlers, Oklahoma, on April 15, 1999. He is buried in Mr. Olivet Cemetery's Showmans Rest, in Hugo.

02 November, 2010 00:42

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