Tuesday, December 01, 2015

Carson & Barnes #5


17 comments:

Bob Cline said...

What a terrific photograph.

Bob

Patricia said...

Thanks, Bob. One of my favorites. Photo by Jim Cole.

Larry allen Dean said...

Not a bad shot but there is no face ! And ya didn't even get her butt !

Patricia said...

Oh for cryin' out loud, Larry. So is THAT why people were always glad to see me leave? And here I always thought it was because my sparkling personality had failed me...

Chic Silber said...


Head or face in a big cat's mouth

is even less attractive than the

elephant's head carry

Wade G. Burck said...

Chic,
Agreed, ranked just above bike/trike's on my personal list of "really, are you kidding me. Why?" Third, comedy. Please, don't make an animal a clown. They are capable of so much more. Unless the comedy involves getting the upper hand on the trainer. Now that's funny.....

Wade Burck

4pawfan said...

Wasn't there a photo like this that made the National Enquirer? Performer eaten by the lion she loved? p.j.

Patricia said...

Sorry you feel that way Mr. Silber. But the fact is it was staple in old time circus cat acts, Carson and Barnes was a traditional old time circus, so it fit right in. The audience really liked it, and more importantly Rex didn't mind a bit. I got a little weary of hot lion slobber some days, but the audience's response made it worthwhile. We weren't going for attractive anyway; it was a trust issue.

Unknown said...
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Chic Silber said...

Please don't take any of my opinions

personally Patricia but to me it is

demeaning to the cat as if it has no

will of its own nor any self respect

I do understand it had been often done

I have enjoyed & respected many styles

of cat acts including American fightng

& European elegance such as Clyde Beatty

& Charly Baumann along with a few mixed

comedy such as Jean "Tarzan" Zerbini &

Klaus Blaszak (please just call me Chic)

Chic Silber said...


Never saw a tiger on a trike Wade

That would be an interesting trick

I don't count Kenneth in the sidecar

(or was he behind Jewel)

Chic Silber said...


Was Rex a neutered male Patricia

How many cats were in your group

& were they a mixed act

Wade G. Burck said...

Chic,
I have only seen it in early lithographs/etchings from the Hagenbeck day's, lion often accentuated with the poor animal wearing a crown and cape. If Woodcock doesn't slough this thing of our's, I will try to get example's sent to him. Motorcycle riding rank's right up there with "Ah, geez" in training endeavor's. MacMillian may have started the awful trend by having himself driven to the arena with he and Bombay in a sidecar. Recently, I recall Michon doing a motorcycle in the Moria Orfei act he trained a number of years ago with a tiger, as well as Jason Peter's with a lion.

Wade Burck

GaryHill said...

Maybe so Wade but when Kenneth decided to eject at will, Jewell and the bike he rode with Kenneth having a paw on his shoulder would crash into different props . If Kenneth left on his own he usually pushed off and it was always interesting to watch Jewell try to recover as best he could and still Style..

Wade G. Burck said...

Gary,
I'm going to go out on a limb here, and have a guess, but it was always my understanding that an animal, if trained never does anything at will,(exception being a cutting horse, on a dropped rein) eject or otherwise. :)

Wade Burck

Glenn Sullivan said...

Love that limb you're on ,Wade.

GaryHill said...

Kenneth was the most Solid cat I can assure you, just the Laziest cat ever,,he would ride Anything, hated to walk to the laydown situps..
He used to ride in my Chevy Blazer when we went into town somedays. Front seat Shotgun, Jewell and Bob Bush in the backseat with leash..