Thursday, July 21, 2011

Eloise Berchtold #1 (From Buckles)

The object in the foreground was one of Smokey Jones creations. He often described to me a tub that the elephant could tip over and carry like a bar bell. Not only that but the circumference would be the same top and bottom and would roll straight.
No idea what Eloise used it for.
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Posted by Buckles at 7/21/2011 06:11:00 AM

10 comments:

Bob Cline said...

Is that Morgan Berry with her?

21 July, 2011 07:13
Buckles said...

Yes it is.
I think this is the Miller-Johnson Circus.

21 July, 2011 07:20
johnny said...

kWonderful Eloise. All on hind legs and trunks up. Can't get much better than that. She was her own person and marched to her own drummer to be sure. She and Mary Ruth started their circus careers on the Cristiani Show and were lifelong friends and I in turn also valued her friendship. I never got in the training ring with her. Few did. Her tragic ending would be a shame, but she loved her animals and didn't believe that they meant to hurt her. Totally dedicated and a fine human being. Thanks Buckles for remembering Eloise. Johnny

21 July, 2011 08:23
johnny said...

A side note Buckles. Rumours become fact. In a not very flattering news story about the demise of Vidbel Circus at Coney Island. Not surprising I guess, but puts the circus in an unfavorable light. Especially the first clas tented production of RBBB.previously.

21 July, 2011 08:40
Frank Ferrante said...

What a great presentation~ I don't remember seeing tubs IN the ring before. At least not in a presentation like this. ~frank

21 July, 2011 09:19
Chic Silber said...

Yes Johnny the Vidbel Show closed

after only a 2 week run and had

virtually NO real press coverage

for either the opening or closing

This is a group that deserves a

break & some knowledgeable help

in several departments & mostly

in the front end operation

I feel bad for them

21 July, 2011 11:23
J C Hall said...

I recall years ago visiting the Ft Worth, Tx date in the fall and Eloise was there working her cage act and she conned me into helping her on training some young bears she had. An experience I will always remember. While commuting from Dallas,I received a call from Mac McDonald during this time informing me that he was in negotiations with John Cuneo to train a couple of punk elephants and wanted me take a look at them as they were being delivered to Cuneo in Ft.Worth. Mac showed up later in the week. I missed him by a couple of hours. Later on that night I received a call from Mac informing me that while he was looking over the punks, he had tripped on a leg chain and discovered that he broke his arm.The Punks would have been Ronny and Siam which later Mac did train. I believe Wally Deal trucked them there.I cannot remember what year that was?

21 July, 2011 15:05
Chic Silber said...

Wasn't Eloise married to Cuneo

before his marriage to Herter

21 July, 2011 15:21
Roger Smith said...

CHIC: Yes, Eloise was married to John. During this time, among other acts, she worked their leopards and white dogs act, wherein the animals entered through the mouth of a giant exotic mask. I'll send a photo of that act to Buckles.

22 July, 2011 03:24
c. mathias said...

I would like to know more about this lady, her circus background and her demise. Great pictures. Thanks.

22 July, 2011 08:55

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