Wednesday, September 05, 2012

From Buckles #4



4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Is the Maxie Morris listed the same Max Morris, aka Deep Sea Red, that would go on to work with sea lions. Longtime Marineland of the Pacific trainer Art Thomas would talk about his friend Maxie.

Buckles said...

It's possible but I'm not aware of Red ever working with elephants.
In fact I only recognize six names, Ted Meyers, Harold Streeter (Cook House), William Cox, Earl Greer (Little Irish), John Smith (Monkey Smitty) and John (Blackie) Allen.
Circus Route Books were notoriously famous for adding fictional names to make the show appear larger.

One day just before a matinee at Lincoln Center I was told that John Allen was in the audience and wanted to talk to me.
Turned out to be Blackie who was with a group of disabled seniors that had been bussed in.
I made a big fuss over him and explained to all that he had taught me everything I know about elephants.
As I left he thanked me and said, "These jerks wouldn't believe me when I told them I was a bull man!"

Roger Smith said...

Route books also added names that never worked a day in listed departments, like circus fans who hung around long enough to curry the favor from the owner.

John Herriott said...

I am sure he did. He talked to me alot about being on various shows as a hand over the tears. When Jack Joyce debuted his famous Camel act on Polack my dad and I visited and Dad knew Red and chatted with him. He was one of two grooms on the camels and said later that he helped Jack train them at Louie Goebels. Capt. Winston put him in the seal biz. He was all around show bum and proud of it. He and wife Barbara [Petrey madion name. later Mrs. P.J. Jones] retired at her family proprty in Callahan,Fl. and visited me many times over those years. Assume he has passed on. johnny