Saturday, May 28, 2011

M Rasputin B Nelson Billing HW Program 1935

Maria Rasputin #2

Display No. 4 gives Ms. Rasputin adequate, but rather tepid and vague concepts
of what to expect. A smaller, pre-lim act was assembled for her, but her inexperience
was not to be overcome, and her moment in the spotlight, and The Gump's enthusiasm,
dimmed early on.

Bert Nelson's billing in Display No. 7 was representative of his star presence and his
highly successful segue from vaudeville cat acts to prominence in the Big Cage. Dave Price
asked how he did this, from single-cat stage numbers with co-stars like Princess Pat, Norma,
and Monarch. I do not know what prepared him to take over the Clyde Beatty
Big Act, unless the answer lies in having unlimited support from the Corporation Show
animal men who would have known the animals.

Maria returned in Display No. 8. With Australian lady polo players, and a Wild West
combination, Maria somehow incorporated her version of The Imperial Russian Ballet.

From Roger Smith

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