Sunday, February 03, 2013

More 1978 Blue Show #1

15 comments:

Chic Silber said...


During the taping for our annual

TV special in the Bayfront Center

I think they called it "Highlights"

Chic Silber said...


Perhaps my favorite edition in the

past 50 years or so with Irvin's

vision & control & Mattel money

The showgirls still had the union

Chic Silber said...


These nearly 3 hour epics had little

time between hence the mesh arena

being hoisted to prep for the next

show during the payoff of "Finale"

Wade G. Burck said...

Finale or spec?

Wade Burck

Chic Silber said...


Charly's props not Jewel's

Chic Silber said...


Spec payoff had Barbara & Benny

on Anna May with a fancy blanket

Anonymous said...

If this isn't a classic Circus photo with a Classic Circus couple.
nothing is.

Paul

Buckles said...

This was the conclusion of the show's "Opening" that was actually more elaborate than what passes off today as "Spec".
Shannon and Dalilah were also in this number earlier riding smaller elephants. I'll include those pictures tomorrow.
I might add that Charly had it timed so his tigers would start entering the arena just as the long mount began and by the time the last elephant exited his act was in high gear.

Eric said...

Chic,

This was my all-time favorite edition, too. In my opinion, it came as close to perfection -- the acts, music, wardrobe, etc. -- as any circus performance we're ever likely to see. I seriously doubt that anything this good will ever again be offered to the public.

GaryHill said...

You got that correct Capt, Camel John opened the first gate and me and Rob Bush started running the cats into the Great Cage!:) This picture is cropped down abit, I am about ten feet behind the showgirls running the cats in..

Wade G. Burck said...

Buckles,
Thank you.....

Wade Burck

Chic Silber said...


Thanks Buckles I stands corrected

I should have remembered that the

Finale payoff elephants had girls

& perhaps blankets as well

Yes Eric the likes of that will not

pass this way ever again

Chic Silber said...


Incredible lineup with the Gaonas

Elvin's Wheel & Single Trap both

Charly & Jewel with tigers & lions

all dressed in Don Foote's wardrobe

& about a hundred elephants (or so)

& of course there were the 3 B W's

GaryHill said...

Chic, you forgot Elvin's Rocket!:)

Chic Silber said...


I did a lot of work on that rocket

Gary & the program photo of it shows

the top of my head behind it

We also had a tremendous assortment

of other featured acts as well