Boston Garden, 1960s, interesting shot of elephant in ring; RBBB always played indoors at Boston right after NYC—some years, they played 5 or 6 days, other times 10-12 days. Many years ago, while still in tents, RBBB used to slightly beef up program in NYC and Boston—I think Clyde Beatty—for instance—only played these spots for Ringling and some aerial thrill act would also be booked for indoors only. |
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
From Jerry Digney #1
From Jerry Digney #3
JRN and Harold Ronk at Venice, 1962, during rehearsals. Barstow lettered director’s chair rests between them. |
From Jerry Digney #5
1950s (mid?)—as a promo I think RBBB toured a baby elephant in front of the show, and this was the unit. Who ran it? |
From Jerry Digney #6
Ethel Jennier (Joyce), 1964, RBBB—I never knew she worked seals on Ringling; of course her ex Walter was a famous seal trainer & daughter Joanne worked seals, too—when I worked with her and ex husband Jack on RBBB, she worked ponies and/or llamas I think and, at her age, still a believable-looking show girl! |
From Jerry Digney #7
Rogana, 1969, Boston Garden—she returned in 1970 to the Garden as part of the 1970 100th Anniv. RBBB Blue show. No one ever looked better or could sell an act like she did—wonderful! I believe her and husband Frank Foster left RBBB after 1970 tour for indy dates, Circus Vargas, etc.; she started with sisters in a rolling globe act—later Cyril Mills created the props for her now famous sword balancing act which debuted 50 years ago! |
From Jerry Digney #8
RBBB TV special taping 1983 St. Pete (St. Pete Times)—note added lights, audience positioned all on one side. Boxer Sugar Ray Leonard hosted. By the 1990s, the TV specials were over. |
From Jerry Digney #10
An unusually relaxed JRN 1957 Venice with Albert White, Jackie LeClaire—this shot was popularly used to accompany JRN’s newspaper obit in 1985. |
From Jerry Digney #11
The Zacchini Sisters, I never knew they existed--1958, Madison Sq. Garden. AP did a series of 8 shots of the act with accompanying long caption. Walter Patterson and his wife took over act on RBBB in early 60s(?) and a Zacchini (Emmanuel, Jr. aka “Lally”) act was back on RBBB in 1970—an accident in Jacksonville sidelined Lally’s wife. |
Monday, July 30, 2012
From Paul Gutheil
BUCKLES: I GOT A BIG KICK OUT OF GOOD FRIEND DAVE PRICE'S THE QUEENS |
1976 Davenport FL #1 (From Buckles)
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There has been some chatter about African elephant runaways at Circus World while we were there. I can honestly say that I don't recall any elephant, African or Asian actually running away, maybe it's all in the eyes of the beholder. As Rex Williams used to say, "It doesn't qualify as a runaway until it gets completely out of sight." On the other hand, we kept the herd on an outdoor picket line the majority of the time, as seen above and one getting loose wasn't unusual at all, as the case of "Bonnie" who one night ventilated the small trailer in the background at right. This set of pictures was taken by Bob Tomer May 28, 1976. |
1976 Davenport, FL #2
The front of the elephant barn was open to the public but the elephants spent their nights out in the sand, a lot better than sleeping on concrete and being only on a front leg chain allowed them to walk around. |
1976 Davenport FL #3
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The view from my front porch which was arranged by design despite arguments from the park management who didn't approve of people living on the grounds. This way I could be on hand if a problem arose and once I pulled that off, I managed to get a few more people in. |
1976 Davenport FL #4
This picture brings me back to my senses, it's been four months since they started on Shannon's home next door and despite numerous inspections by County and State Officials, the FBI, NRA, EPA and the ACLU they still havn't been allowed to move in. |
1976 Davenport. FL #5
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"Reed", "Major" and "Josky". In the background are Trevor Bale's horse stables and Mike Aria's bear cage. |
1976 Davenport, FL #7
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"Anna May" and Gary Jacobson going someplace. When we left the park we moved this mobile home to our property in Ruskin which was home until we built our house in 1984. |
1976 Davenport, FL #8
Friends Bob and Mary Kaye Hoppe visiting this day. |
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Elephant Capture #1 (From Eric Beheim)
From time to time, someone will mention the elephant domestication stations operated by the Belgian Government in the Congo, where African elephants were trained to do useful work. The September 1938 issue of NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC has an article by Lawrence and Margaret Thaw, who stopped off at the elephant domestication station at Gangara na Bodio while on a trek through Africa to obtain photos and motion picture footage. At the time, the station had some 60 trained elephants available for purchase or for rent, and would capture and train 12 to 15 new animals a year. The Thaws arrived during the middle of the hunting season and got to go out on an expedition and film one of the captures. |
Elephant Capture #2
The expedition’s supplies and equipment were transported in heavy covered wagons pulled by teams of elephants. (These elephants appear to me to be smaller and a different breed from the big African elephants that were recently discussed on this blog.) |
Elephant Capture #3
While fording a river, a 6-elephant hitch was required the pull this wagon across to the other side. |
Elephant Capture #4
The trained elephants were also used to “break trail” and remove any obstacles in the expedition’s path. |
Elephant Capture #5
Rather than using the Frank Buck method of herding the wild elephants into a stockade, captures were made “on the run” using stout ropes. |
Elephant Capture #6
After a herd was sighted and an elephant selected for capture, the herd was stampeded. In the confusion, a member of the team would move in and get a rope around the chosen elephant’s leg. |
Elephant Capture #7
The rope was then made fast to a tree. The gentleman on horseback is probably Captain Pierre Offermann, the Belgian Army officer who was in charge of the expedition the Thaws went out on. While filming this capture, the Thaws obtained footage of him galloping his horse in among the stampeding elephants. (Now THAT was a brave man and a well-trained horse!) |
Elephant Capture #8
Dodging trunk and tusks, members of the team would move in to get more ropes around the elephant’s legs. |
Elephant Capture #9
The elephant was shown snapping ropes and uprooting the trees it had been tied to. |
Elephant Capture #10
Additional ropes had to be looped around the elephant's legs and made fast to to trees. |
Elephant Capture #16
With the new captive in tow, the expedition then returned to the station. (All of these images are frame enlargements from a 1-reel short subject released by Castle Films in the early 1940s under the title WILD ELEPHANT ROUNDUP.) It is my understanding that the Belgian Government’s elephant domestication stations have not been in operation for many years. If you have more information about them, your sharing it with the rest of us will be greatly appreciated. |
Another Big Elephant! (From Wayne Jackson)
G’day Buckles, |
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Another big gentleman! (From Gary Hill)
Capt this is Rip that is at Great Adventure. He is the only male out of 6 I had there. This photo was in Aug of 09 and I stand 6 foot..I would age him at 40 to 42 yrs old. He was the largest male I brought back. Richard the second largest was sent to Japan in the 80's I believe.. I am sure he has grown some since 09? |
From Buckles
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Speaking of large animals, I just received this photo of the updated dragon on the Blue Show. Now that's more like it! |
More on Coop & Lent #1 (From Paul Gutheil)
BUCKLES: ATTACHED ARE 2 OF MY SET OF COOP & LENTS THAT I SCANNED IN SOME |
Wild Pony Swim #1 (From Chic Silber)
This wild pony swim is a big deal in coastal Virginia each summer |
From Peter Rosa #1
Hi Buckles |
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