Monday, September 03, 2012

1946 Cole Bros. #13



2 comments:

Buckles said...

Blanche sure took a nice picture and was utterly harmless.

BLANCHE
1925-26 Wm. Hall Animal Farm
1927-31 Robbins Bros. Circus
1932-34 Wm. Hall Animal Farm
1935-50 Cole Bros. Circus
1951-56 Kelly-Morris Circus
1957 Benson Bros. Circus
1958-60 Various Morris Family Shows
(Died in 1960)

Bill Cox remained with the Cole Show until the end and then went with "Blanche", "Trilby" and "Katie" to the Kelly-Morris Show.
He later joined the Beatty-Cole Show and for many years worked an end ring elephant act for Rex Williams.
Finally both he and Carly Peterson finished their careers here at Busch Gardens where I often visited and even shared a beer or two.

Roger Smith said...

I witnessed Bee try to kill Billy Cox, in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on Beatty-Cole, in '64. Somehow, he got underneath her on his back, and her determined tap dance trying to stomp him put Fred Astaire to shame. Paddlefoot Bobby Cline was screaming at her, but of course she paid no heed, as Billy at last managed to scramble to safety. Word had it that later, Bee was written up for disagreeable behaviour.