Friday, August 14, 2015

More Bestty-Cole #7


9 comments:

Roger Smith said...

Chico, the Cat Dept. dog, and Ned Potter, for 20+ years Hoover's top cageman. The wagon was Beatty's 78, in this shot radically coverted. The heavy door L of box was Hoover's meat cooler. In Beatty's day, this meat compartment was in front of 51 Prop Wagon. The ladder leads to the sleeper, also changed from my day, when we entered the sleeper from the saddle tanks. The door was in front, and in Hoover's era was welded shut and re-located as seen. The blue generator powered the meat locker. So this was still 78, which like most circus equipment had seen its share of alterations.

joe giordano said...

Took this photo June 1977 Smithhaven Mall L.I.N.Y..

Roger Smith said...

A confirming identifier for 78: Look at the blue panel behind Ned. Notice the holes still present for the rods which supported the hinged metal sidings of Beatty's cages in both 77 and 78. These hanging sections were bolted down for travel. In the mornings, George Scott spun the nuts off, and I helped him lift them up as I elevated them with the fitted poles, the bottoms of which were nestled in the holes we see. By the time I returned, for the Winter Tour of 1980, 77 was no longer a cat wagon. Hoover's act fitted on 78 alone, which was re-fitted by our genius show welder, Charlie Harris.

Cindy Potter said...

WHO IS THAT HANDSOME GUY???
Oh, yeah, My hubby!!!
We were married in October of 1980.
This year it'll be 35 (L - O - N - G) YEARS!!!
LOL!
And they said it would never last!!!
:-)
Cindy Potter

Chic Silber said...


When did Ned start with Dave

I recall when Eddie Firlein

& Dennis Walker came up from

Hialeah to DeLand in late 65

Later on Eddie became 24 hour

man & Dennis ran the front end

grease joint with corn & floss

Cindy Potter said...

Ned started on the show in the summer of 1967, and worked for Tommy Clark on the prop crew. Hoover was in need of some steady help and asked Tommy if he had anyone on the prop crew that could handle the job and Tommy recommended Ned. He was with Hoover for 16 years, then Johnny moved him up to prop boss. Ned was an assistant manager one season, but was never good at te politics and chose to return as prop boss. Eddie was a great long-time friend and Dennis was Ned's best man at our wedding. He was the best driver the show ever had and could jocky seat wagons around the quarter poles in the top with incredible precision!! Dennis remained on the show until he passed away in the late '90's from complications from MS. Eddie moved up to Smithtown, Long Island in the mid '80s and settled with a long time girl friend.
:-)
Cindy

Chic Silber said...


Thanks Cindy I believe Dennis

was diagnosed with MS shortly

after marrying Elba & after

their son was born

Chic Silber said...


Elba was either a sister or cousin

to Rita Ferriera & they had been

doing a perch act with Francine

who was also somehow related

I believe Elba is still in DeLand

Cindy Potter said...

Elba was Rita's niece. I know they did a perch pole act, but was never sure how Francine was related, whether she was another niece or Rita's daughter. She went to work at Disney a season or two after I joined the Beatty Show, so I really never kept up. Dennis had MS as long as I knew him (from 1978). Their son, Dennis, Jr. was born in 1984 or 5.
:-)
Cindy