Tuesday, June 30, 2015

To Chic


I think Steve's career was limited to King and Cristiani never was a trainer.
In fact I remember my father getting letters from him when the Christiani's got "Emma" asking how to lay out rigging to tip her over and sit her up.

6 comments:

Buckles said...

Comes to me now!
Smokey Jones said when he was in Sarasota with Louie Reed training the 20 young elephants for the Ringling Show, Steve showed up asking if he someone could help him with Emma.
So one morning they came by and tipped her over and sat her up.

Chic Silber said...


Just called Kenny & indeed it

is as I remembered that Steve

Fanning was on Beatty early 60s

before Rex took over

Chic Silber said...


Kenny says that Kernan hired him

when the "Acme Boys" took over

Ole Whitey said...

Steve came with the Norma five for the 1960 Beatty-Cole season. I think JImmy O'Dell had the B-C herd in 1959.

Steve went back to the Cristianis when Pete had Cristisani-Wallace out. Later he had the Strates menagerie and a pony sweep. Strates had some of the old King elephants- Alice, Mona, Margie that Steve had known before. After Strates discontinued the menagerie, Steve stayed on with the pony sweep.

I know Rex had the B-C herd by 1964 but don't know what year he came over.

Chic Silber said...


Well 1960 is just about as

early in the 60s as you get

Thanks Dave

Dick Flint said...

I saw Fanning on the 1961 Beatty-Cole show, then the 1962 Cristiani-Wallace show. On Sunday, March 08, 2009, I posted a photo on this blog of Fanning and Irish Hil on Cristiani-Wallace in 1962. I do remember Fanning on Beatty in 1961 and Rex Williams arrival in 1962. Under Rex Williams, the act moved much more rapidly. I saw Fanning some years later on Strates with the pony sweep and recall that both his legs were crippled and that he used two canes. Anyone know what happened?