Friday, February 24, 2012

Today's Mystery Guest!

scan0060 by bucklesw1
scan0060, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

Posted by Buckles at 2/24/2012 05:28:00 AM

11 comments:

Wade G. Burck said...

Buckles,
Who in that hell is this nitwit? I bet it seemed like a great idea at the time, but he probably wishes now he hadn't done it. LOL

Wade Burck

24 February, 2012 08:13
Chic Silber said...

Can't remember his name but he

was a very good clown & did the

comic run around the track that

followed Wolfgang's exit

24 February, 2012 09:31
Frank Ferrante said...

I thought that was Jimmy Briscoe who did that after Wolfgang's act. ~frank

24 February, 2012 12:13
Bob Momyer said...

I remember Jimmy doing that bit but this picture doesn't look like Jimmy
Bob Momyer

24 February, 2012 16:28
Bob Momyer said...

We attended Ringling's opening night in Philadelphia. Was sort of a combination circus and arena show. Great to see the big cats and elephants perfoming but more fill than a jelly donut. It was almost impossible to understand the introductions...maybe less screaming and more announcing. Where is Harold Ronk when they need him? The program is $12.00 with nice pictures but no information about the circus. Critique aside,still a move in the right direction

24 February, 2012 16:36
Ole Whitey said...

David Cassidy

24 February, 2012 17:33
Henry said...

Yes i was Jimmy Briscoe who did the lion bit in the walk around after Wolfgang's act. And he did it very good as well

25 February, 2012 01:59
Wade G. Burck said...

Ole Whitey,
Thank you, Casey Cainan will love that!!!
National press folks when doing a feature story are always looking for an angle to push. In the case of the SI story, as I took over after(I hate the term replaced) Charly Baumann after many glorious years on the blue show, and there was already "talk/speculation" on when GGW was going to hang it up, their angle was to do a "rebel without a cause" story. SI had done a story almost 10 years earlier featuring GGW and the glamor of the business and wanted something different or they weren't going to do the feature. All relented as national press is important, and the first order of business was to take a tiger down to St. Petersburg beach and photograph it and I leaning against a "No dog allowed on the beach" sign. Tough guy, doing what I want to do, get it? The man reporter, Dan followed me around for 3 months, talking with Charly, GGW, and other folks. It was brought up that I used to pick a tiger up around my neck, and walk out of the cage with it. SI wanted to know why I didn't do that anymore when I came to Ringling, as they thought it would be better then GGW and the leopard. I explained that's why I didn't do it any more. When Irvin looked at the act at Marineland and decided he wanted to use it he "requested/insisted" that I no longer dye my hair blond or carry the tiger, as much as he liked the behavior. When he asked "would that be a problem?" I responded with, "What will happen if I keep doing it?" Irvin responded with, "I don't know what will happen, but I know what won't happen. You won't be with Ringling Bros." It made perfect sense explained that way. When SI was wrapping up the story at MSG and getting ready to send it to press, they were mulling over idea's for last minute pictures that could be taken in New York. One of the broads suggested I pose in front of the "CATS" marquee in my cowboy hat and fringed jacket and I suggest "how's about we go to FAO Shartz and with no rehearsal or prior contact I carry an unknown lionness around my neck, in a full department store, no security necessary. Not like that candy ass leopard deal GGW does on the Blue Show." As SI had already been told by Ringling they could not use a picture of me prior to coming to Ringling carrying the tiger, they loved the idea and it fit right in with their "Rebel Without a Cause"
story line.

And there you have the rest of the story.......

Paul Harvey

25 February, 2012 13:28
Frank Ferrante said...

This is definitely NOT Jimmy. ~frank

25 February, 2012 14:40
Chic Silber said...

Can't comment on the rest of your

story Wade but you have the wrong

show color for Gunther

Some of us called the Red Show

"Circus Williams" (no disrespect

meant to you Henry)

25 February, 2012 18:01
Wade G. Burck said...

Chic,
Sorry, typo. Just the other day a young animal trainer in Mexico, asked me "which show was Gunther's show? The Dragon show or the other one?" I don't think his impact and influence will ever be gone from the American circus.

Wade

25 February, 2012 23:17

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