My Great Grandfather was Frank Orman and it was so neat to read the story and
the comments. It's good to see people still talk about him. I have gift of Gab and
a bit of BS so I'm guessing this is from my Great Grandfather Frank Orman xoxo
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Friday, February 21, 2014
From Erica Campbell
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5 comments:
O my God Erica I am so pleased to connect with you on this blog. In my early circus years I was quite close to the Orman family of Mr. Orman,Emma, Joyce and Johnny.I rememer Frank way back in 45 on Cole Bros. when spending time with my father who was a horse trainer there. At that time he was asst. mgr. and in charge of bthe bnightly tear down. Noyelles Burkhardt was Gen. Mgr. and did the set up. Mr. Orman would then have the "pie car" operations on the train, so he slept, I assume during the daytime. He was always very polite and well met and certainly was a fixture on Cole Bros. and owner Zack Terrel where they had been together on the years of the great American Circus Corporation. I was always infatuated at him and his persona as a well dressed tough guy. He was wellliked by everyone on the show, especially the working men.
Later I would go on Cole Bros. as an apprentice young horse trainer and I would meet the Orman family ytraveling on the show. Joyce would be a girl friend and Emma wa always nice to me. Later when the show moved to Peru [Bunker Hill] I was there and Emma spent the winter in Chicago with her sister and the circus had railroad script that they received from various railroad companies. It was vouchuers of a sum that would be used as a free ride on that railroad or food, etc. Mr. Orman would give me script out of the office, so on a weekend I would travel from Logansport to Chicago and back free gratis and visit with Joyce. Emma was very personable and would relate stories of being a show girl on Hagenbeck-Wallace where she met Frank.
When Frank resigned his position as Mgr. of the then Cole Bros. circus corp. he recommended my father as his replacement and went on a Gen. Mgr. of Clyde Beatty's circus. I do know that Frank was a frie nd and favorite of Mr. Beatty and he would remain there untl its closing but then would become Gen. Mgr. of the new owners of the Clyde Beatty;Cole Bros. During the yrs I would frequently visit that circus and Mr. Orman but kind of lost track after his retirement, etc. so you can well imagine how much I enjoy your recent comments and would enjoy hearing more about your family. Would Joyce be your Gmother? Would enjoy your filling me in. I know that Frank had a home i n Ft. Lauderdale and the one time Cole Bros wintered in Ojus, Fl. right by Ft.L. I was there wiuth my Dad learning to work an 8 horse liberty act.
So this is becomming a book but I would certainly likje to hear more from you. I am pretty much computer illiterate but I have an E-mail [HERR101@tampabay.rr.com].My mailing address is 5316 53rd ave East. Lot F33. Bradenton, Fl. 34203. So please bring me up to date. I have a wife of some fifty plus yrs. who is quadrapelegic, but we are together in our home. I have four beautiful talented circus professional daughters. & grandchildren, mostkly in circus or showbiz and one ggchild and another on the way;. We are a very close family. Please let me hear from you and I have a number of great Frank Orman stories. On early Colke he was fondly referred to as Frankie Orman. Thanks so much. I do know he had some three wivs. All trhe best John Herriott.
So glad to hear more about my family! Joyce was Grama Juicy or Nina to us! She passed away July 21, 2012 she hated being called Juicy so she changed it to Nina more regal I guess!! Ninas life was a riddle to most of us and she only told us what she wanted us to know and was full of secrets!! In the last year of her life she told my mother Linda a few stories about a man that worked with horse's and can only guess it was you! !
How amazing !! Joyce Orman McKinney, Google her to see her obituary she had a full life and many children! ! 6 in all
Mr John Herriott it is a pleasure to hear from via my daughter Ericas blog! I am Linda Southern and Frank Orman was my grandfather and Joyce my sweet mother. I remember my mom talking about you and have so many stories to share. I will email you when I can dig up more dates and info if that is OK with you. What a pleasure its been to read about your wonderful beautiful family and how sad to hear about your wifes accident years ago.You 're so blessed to have her with you and nothing is more important than family!!!Again any information about my circus family would be greatly appreciated. all my best, Linda Southern We email you soon.
Hello Linda. I am so pleased to hear fom you. It will be nice to hear the course of your gfather and your mothers lives. I kept abreast of Frank over the years. He was pretty old while still managing the Beatty-Cole C9ircus. Whatever happened to Emma? When did Joyce leave Ft. Lauderdale. Who would your father be? Please do E-mail me. Just think from 1950 to the present. I have been married to the same person for some 58 yrs. My wife was on Clyde Beatty rail road circus when Frank was Mgr. and remembers him well. waiting to hear more. thanks, john herriott
Hello again Mr. Herriott, I'm not the most computer savvy but I will email you now because I have the gift of gab and know I will write a book! Hope this finds you and yours well!!!Sincerely, Linda S.
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