Saturday, July 02, 2011

From Jim Cole

On Sunday July 2, 1961, the Clyde Beatty – Cole Bros. Circus came to Newport, RI and gave one show only, at 2 pm. This provided local circus fans a good opportunity to take photos of the teardown. I believe the show then went on to play Fall River, MA, a short jump of less than 20 miles. These photos came from the collections of the late Ed Tracy and John Cutler, both local circus fans.
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Posted by Buckles at 7/02/2011 06:04:00 AM

10 comments:

William C.Shoop said...

Any guess what the real daily nut was?

02 July, 2011 09:03
Anonymous said...

I'm sure these were two fine gentlemen and i very much appreciated the photos, but this set evidences an observation of frustration I heard more than once from Circus World Museum. So many photos sent to them show nothing but trucks and tents (and also all too frequently no info on back).
if I recall what I just read the show claimed to have 150 performers and over 200 animals including 15 elephants and yet the photos, save one or two show nothing but trucks and lot shots.

Jim, if there are show/performer/animal shots I hope you'll be able to share some of them too.

All best, Paul Gutheil

02 July, 2011 10:39
Ole Whitey said...

To William C.Shoop: This artwork was by Roland Butler but that's pure Floyd King copy. He always listed all these numbers for everything. There weren't fifteen elephants on the show, nor six hundred people. I'm sure you've heard the story where Mr King found an old dictionary that defined a "herd" as "one or more elephants" so if he was writing copy for a show with say three elephants, he would write, "three herds of elephants."

By the way this artwork originally said Clyde Beatty Circus and when the Cole title was added they had Butler doctor the artwork with the Beatty-Cole title.

02 July, 2011 11:30
Harry Kingston said...

Fall River is correct the next town and they also did a mantinee only there.
I wonder why they did not do 2 early shows as they usually did??????
Great photos of one of my favorite circuses.
Harry in Texas

02 July, 2011 11:47
Anonymous said...

To Harry,
The show did mostly matinee only shows on Sundays well into the
60's. If the sponsor sold the tickets, they would do a 2nd show, but I don't remember many times that this happened.

To Paul,
There a lot of us out here who care more for the equipment and logistics than performer pictures.
However, that's not to say performer pictures are not collectible and appreciated by most of us.

Bob Kitto

02 July, 2011 13:03
Anonymous said...

To Paul & Bob;

Perhaps that's the reason I don't care much for the current "White Tops" magazine. Don't get me wrong, it's beautifully published, but as a fan who has an interest in trains and trucks and tents and logistics, it is lacking. To me, it is like a circus version of "People" magazine. Before every one gets upset, it's just an observation.

02 July, 2011 19:44
Chic Silber said...

Ditto to Kitto

02 July, 2011 21:23
Anonymous said...

Chic,
When is your first volumn of poetry due out?
Bob Kitto

03 July, 2011 08:50
Harry Kingston said...

Bob,
I noticed 3 different trucks pulling trailer's as didn't Beatty Cole use all chevy's to pull them????
The photos I shoot I mostly shoot equipment and tents etc and some performers.
I do not have the Dr. Don Curtis eye for posing performers.
Every one have a great 4th of July and it is HOT here in Texas and no rain.
Harry in HOT Texas

03 July, 2011 13:45
Anonymous said...

Harry,
By the mid to late 60's, I think that they had purchased all new Chevy trucks.
Bob Kitto

03 July, 2011 18:09

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