Sunday, November 25, 2012

From Roger Smith


A BRADNA OBITUARY
OLYMPE BRADNA Was 92

This notice states her parents were "once-prominent circus
acrobats", who "subjected her to a relentless training
regimen". I know of no other Bradnas in the circus
industry aside from Fred and Ella. In his 1952 book, THE
BIG TOP, Bradna wrote on page 44-45, "Helen, our only
child, was born in London...My mother was with us, and
begged to take the baby to Strasbourg during our second--
and as we thought final--American tour. We did not see
our baby again for ten years. She was stricken with infan-
tyle paralysis and thus could not travel. She lived with my
family, where at least we knew she was receiving far
better attention than we could give her in the circus. She
visited us after World War I, then married a French
businessman." With that, Bradna does not refer again
to their daughter.

Olympe Bradna, remembered here, danced, had some
success on film, and as we see, claimed a French heri-
tage. But showbusiness biographies can take strange twists.
The circus connection begs the question--does anyone know
if Olympe might have been the Helen whom Fred and Ella
left behind, with her story somewhat distorted in Fred's book?
Or was she of another branch of the Bradna circus lineage?
Jackie LeClaire, would you know more of this mystery?


Posted by Buckles at 11/25/2012 06:22:00 AM

6 comments:

JACKIE said...

I personally do not remember any mention around the circus of Ella having any children. That does not mean it never happened. I will ask Mary Jane Miller about it when I speak with her. My mother was in Ella Bradner's ACT BEAUTIFUL and THE lIVING STATUES in 1921 so that might give you some kind of time format. I am not an Historian, but I know that the last season they were with the show, (She was not perfoming, but he still did Ringmaster) was I believe 45. They were not young then. Jackie LeClaire

25 November, 2012 13:10
JACKIE said...

Using a calcalator, Olympe could very well have been a Paris born child of the Bradnas. I believe that was Ellas last not, no Fred's. They took it because is was a more famous name for circus business, so that might be a clue that if she was bornt to them at that time, unless they were using the Bradna name then, she would have not be a Bradna. Mystry continues. Jackie

25 November, 2012 13:15
Edward said...

The NY Times obituary for Ella Bradna published on 11/13/1957 states that she is survived by a daughter, Helen of Marseille, France and a brother in Germany.

Fred Bradna died in 1955. His obituary published in the NY Times on 02/22/1955 states that he is survived by his widow Ella and a daughter Helen.

25 November, 2012 18:37
Roger Smith said...

Good history, JACKIE. Indeed, Fred Bradna was crippled by a quarter pole swinging wildly during a storm, in 1945. He never returned to the show to work. And you're also right that Bradna was Ella's name, which Alsatian-born Fred Ferber legally took when they married. With EDWARD'S 2 obits, the daughter is named Helen, just as in the book. Bradna ends his reference to her noting she married a French businessman. Olympe's husband of 70 years was Douglass Wilhoit. This marriage could have been at the time Bradna says Helen was wed. But the true connection of Olympe Bradna to the Bradnas we are sure of, remains a mystery.

26 November, 2012 03:33
JMW said...

Olympe was my mother. Ella was her Aunt, My mom's Father Josef's sister..Fred married Ella and took her last name as she was from famous circus people in Europe. So it was Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Bradna...her family name. They did have a daughter but left her in Europe to be raised by my great Grand-parents in Checolsovakia. She was ill as a child...but later came to the U.S. when she was about 17 or so,

28 February, 2014 23:47
JMW said...

My mother was Olympe and Ella was her Aunt, My Great Aunt. One Of Ella's brother was Josef (Joseph), my grandfather, my mother's father. Ella married Fred and he took her last name as she was the famous one and came from famous circus family. Fred and Ella's daughter was a very ill child all her life and My Great Grandparents and the rest of the Bradna Family stayed with her in Europe and raised her...she was about 17 when she was reunited with Ella and Fred.

28 February, 2014 23:53

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