Frank Buck had first suggested that Proske sign with Ringling-Barnum in 1938 after John Ringling North had reinstated wild animal acts to the performance. However, due to other commitments and then Alfred Court’s long stay with the show, it wasn’t until 1947 that Proske finally got to appear with the Greatest Show on Earth, and then only when the show played the large Eastern cities. (In signing with Ringling, it was understood that he would leave the show once the one-day stands began.) Appearing with him during the wild animal display were Konselman’s polar bears and Dhotre Damoo’s smaller cats. While performing with Ringling, Proske was immortalized by the famous color photo of him that appeared in NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, and which Buckles posted a few weeks ago. |
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Proske #13
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3 comments:
I had the impression that Proske’s 1947 stint with RBBB was due to the fact that Rudolph Mathies tigers could not get to the USA from Sweden in time for the Garden and ensuing dates.
J. R. North had bought the Hagenbeck tigers and some elephants in Sweden and with them came Mathies and Hugo Schmitt. The season was well along when Mathies and Schmitt arrived.
Isn't this a Bob Good photo?
That's a Robert D. Good photo.
Bob Good Jr.
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