Saturday, December 03, 2011

1951 Kelly-Miller Route Book #18

12-01-2011 02;58;02PM by bucklesw1
12-01-2011 02;58;02PM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

More errata, should read, "Barbara Jane and Karen Kay."

My dad trained five young elephants for the center ring act the winter of 1949-50.
1. Jenny- Named after Kelly and DR's mother.
2. Kay- After Kelly's daughter.
3. Hattie- After their very first elephant, purchased in 1939 from RBBB.
4. Barbara- After DR's daughter.
5. Anna May- My dad talked them into naming her after Clyde Beatty's Anna May of riding tiger fame whom he had named 25 years earlier at Hall's Farm as a tribute to Anna May Wong, "who had hair the color of a raven's wing!"
Buckles

Posted by Buckles at 12/03/2011 06:09:00 AM

4 comments:

Chic Silber said...

So again I'll ask if this was the

same elegant lady that became part

of your family for all those years

All told how many Anna Mays were

there over the years

03 December, 2011 08:47
Buckles said...

Yes, the same elephant.
When my dad died in 1963 I had to do some fast talking to retain her ownership.
I cut money with D.R. for the 1964 season then he took ownership of the other two "Lydia" and "Sadie" as well as the truck, leaving us with "Anna May" and little else.
D.R. loaned me transportation to get her to Florida.
Then came a complicated entanglement between Al Dobritch, Frank McClusky and Louie Stern with which I'll not belabor you.

03 December, 2011 09:30
Chic Silber said...

Boy oh boy that must have been

some unholy trio if ever there was

Were they ever partners or all of

them separate problems to you

03 December, 2011 10:37
Roger Smith said...

BUCKLES: First, welcome back, and trust your return is in good health.

Then--I had never had it straight that your father named both Anna Mays.

Wherever Ms. Wong is, I hope she realizes her singular honor.

03 December, 2011 14:20

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)