Sunday, May 22, 2011

From Dominic Yodice


scan0001, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Hi Buckles,
Here is a photo of the Philadelphia lot that was used by DeMille in 1951. This photo was taken in 1953 and shows as Chris mentioned the various carnivals and rides surrounding the lot.
The Municipal Stadium is at the bottom of the photo. Also notice above the Big Top is the drive in theater with the red and white striped movie screen that is seen in the set up scene.
It looks like the big top is a very tight fit on this lot.
Dom

Posted by Buckles at 5/22/2011 06:25:00 AM

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Dom,
I had the great pleasure of meeting C.B.DeMille during the filming of GSOE in Philadelphia.
I happened to be sitting on the aisle next to him as he was going up and down on a camera boom. At intermission, I went down and asked him if he would autograph my program (which I still have). He not only signed it, but talked circus with me for about ten minutes. He told me about the CFA of which he and several other Hollywood figures were members.
To this day I have a hard time believing that he would take time out of his hectic schedule to spend on a teenage kid. I'll never forget how nice he was to me. A great man indeed.
My best,
Don Curtis

22 May, 2011 09:54
Dick Flint said...

Wow! What a great experience to remember! You were most fortunate, Don, but that is why great people are great. And that's why folks such as Johnny Herriott and Buckles are so great, as well--fantastic as what they do but always willing to take the time to visit. A collective thanks to all of them!
Dick Flint
Baltimore

22 May, 2011 13:42
William C.Shoop said...

Looks like no sideshow or menagerie at this date?

22 May, 2011 14:00
Anonymous said...

The sideshow is to the left of the bigtop and the panels are there. Enlarge the photo!
Also the menagerie was in the end of the 5 pole bigtop.
Bob KItto

22 May, 2011 16:58
Chris Berry said...

According to the Billboard of June 5, 1953, this date in Philadelphia was the largest concentration of outdoor shows ever. In addition to the Ringling-Barnum Show, on the lot that during that date was: James E. Strates (a 40 car railroad show at the time), the Penn Premiere Shows (a 53 truck carnival), and the John H. Marks Carnival. During the three weeks just prior to the circus and carnivals arriving in 1953, two other carnivals (Cetlin and Wilson and the O.C. Buck-Model Shows) also played a lot just a few blocks from these show grounds on Broad Street. Incidentally, the following season (1954) Ringling-Barnum returned to its old lot on Erie Avenue (Lighthouse Field) and remained at that location in both 1955 and 1956. The big show never returned to the Broad Street location under canvas, but did play the Spectrum which was almost exactly where the big top sits in this picture. Ringling-Barnum now plays the "Wells Fargo Center" which is also on the same plot of ground as where this photo was taken, and where many of the scenes from The Greatest Show on Earth were filmed.

22 May, 2011 22:55
Roger Smith said...

As I recall from seeing old CFA rosters, among the filmfolk members were Joseph Cotten and Jimmy Durante. Anyone know who else?

23 May, 2011 05:52
Harry Kingston said...

Mr. Curtis,
What a great experience to get to see in person and meet C B and to see those baby blue Technicolor cameras in action.
And for Mr. DeMille to stop and talk circus and tell you about the CFA, WOW.
You were at the right place at the right time.
I got to meet Jimmy Stewart and called him buttons the clown and he also took time out and we talked about him in the greatest show on earth movie.
Just like you a thrill of a life time to meet people like this in this old world of ours.
Harry in Texas

23 May, 2011 09:21

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