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Sunday, May 31, 2015
From Richard Reynolds #1
This map was drawn by Stan Watson, CFA of Hollywood, CA. It was
published in the White Tops for Nov. 1936.
What is called on the map the "Olympic Stadium" was built in
the 1920s as the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum seating some
75.000 (named "Memorial" for LA's World War I vets). With the approach of the
Olympic games it was enlarged to seat over 100,000. It is the home field of the
Southern Cal Trojans and has hosted the likes of the NFL Los Angles Rams (now
St Louis) and the LA Dodgers when they moved to LA from Brooklyn for the 1958
season.
Just east of what is shown here as City Hall we see the site of
the "Calif Zoo." It originated as the Selig Zoo, established there by movie
producer William Selig. He used so many animals in his silent movies that he
established the zoo to house them. He seems to have sold it to others in the
mid-1920s and thereafter it operated under several different names. It finally
closed in 1940.
The leopard lady, Olga Celeste, was long associated with
the Selig Zoo and its successors.
The last and most famous animal resident was the male Asian
elephant Billy Sunday. He became unmanageable and was shot on October 16, 1939
- - there was much coverage of his "execution" in the press.
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From Richard Reynolds #2
Selig Zoo Lion Hitch
This unusual photo comes from Jack Badal. He says it was taken
in Los Angeles' Selig Zoo around 1920. The lions are pulling a cart with feed
for other zoo critters. Note the keeper passing out food.
It would be quite shock for the visitor who came across this
hitch on the public walkways
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Saturday, May 30, 2015
From Bob Cline
I found this one photo in the Conover Photographic collection yesterday. It
isn't recorded as to who took the photo, when or where. It appears to be you and
Anna May with the James Bros. herd. Would that be Shannon on Anna May's trunk?
Feel free to post it if you want. I put it on the Circus Historical Society
Facebook page last night.
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1970 James Bros. #4
Just after this picture was snapped "Anna May" reached around with her hind leg and kicked her in the butt.
Old Granny didn't like that foolishness!
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1970 James Bros. #5
"Jackie", "Anna May", "Ellie", "Lovie" and "Suzy".
I trained these three little guys the winter of 1969-70 at the show's winter quarters.
"Ellie" had been previously trained by Wally Ross.
Six years later when I was at Circus World I got a call from Sid Kellner saying these three punks were for sale so I called Kenneth Feld and a deal was made and they were delivered in Oct. of 1976.
Upon arrival I immediately changed their names to "Louie", "Sid" and "Juno".
I asked Kenneth how much he had paid and he said, "More than I wanted to but less than he was asking!" probably the same thing he said when he bought the Ice Shows.
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From Paul Gutheil
Received this picture from Paul last night with the following message:
"ANTHONY FRISCO DOING NICE JOB"
FILLING IN FOR HIS DAD WHO IS STILL IN HOSPITAL
WORKING 2 WITH PATTY , VERY NICE, ALSO DOING RIDES."
I had heard that Tim was in the Hospital but I am so out of touch with things these days I have no idea what show this is or the elephant. Looks like a Carson & Barnes headpiece.
Patty who?
Is Beatty-Cole up in New England this early?
Wish Tim a speedy recovery.
Buckles |
Friday, May 29, 2015
From Dave Price
Here are the supposed Christy
brothers as seen on some of the lithos. Some paper identifies them from left as
John, H. A., Charles, W. M.and G. W. but some collectors have thought that was Buffalo Bill on the left
with Barnum next to him.
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Thursday, May 28, 2015
Christy Bros. Circus #7
For some reason the Christy Show used a rectangular canopy for the menagerie.
My father used to say "The Wonder Show!.....I wonder what the Hell's going to happen next?"
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Christy Bros. Circus #8
Giving the kiddies the thrill of a life time!..... Why didn't I think of that?
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