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Wednesday, July 25, 2018
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7 comments:
Imagine 2 months in the "New" Garden
The 103rd edition TGSOE Red Show
Chic,
Two months...yes. But that was before the Meadowlands Arena and Nassau Coliseum...and BIG APPLE (Ha!)
Paul we are among the luckiest
folks in show business haveing
worked during those brightest
& best years that don't exist
like those anymore for which
I try to remember to be grateful
each & every day on this side
of the grass
No greater circus image
was ever created
Lou's 2 daughters carry
on his legendery legacy
I agree with you 110% about being grateful for being a part of the Greatest Show on Earth, when it really was the greatest Show on Earth. I had the fortune, or misfortune, depending on your perspective to be there during what arguably was her most tumultuous period. The retirement of Charly Baumann, the death of Irvin Feld, Don Foote and Micky Antelek. "Debates" with the city of Venice to increase rent for the circus building as the counsel felt the show did not generate the revenue to the city that was claimed during the winter stay in Venice. The show to prove their point ordered up every two dollar bill available on short notice in the US and paid everyone with two dollar bills for a month, with every business instructed to present their two dollar bills to the main bank in Venice. No one ever knew how that turned out, but the following winter the show's split for the first time with one going to Miami and the other to Venice. Few short year's later the historic Venice quarters was no more, a few years later followed by the retirement of GGW.
I had never seen something change and go upside down like what happened to the Greatest Show on Earth upon the death of Irvin Feld. I won't judge and try to say what was right or what was wrong. I just know it flipped completely in every respect. Although I only had one year of the magic, I will forever recall driving up to that gate with the tiger truck and having to wait as GGW was exercising the elephants, stepping out of the truck and going to introduce myself to Charly and Axel in front of the elephant barn. driving to the back when the road was clear with Charly and Axel showing me where to put the tiger's in Axel's elephant tent, and GGW showing me where the meat freezer was, later being able to hot walk one of GGW's Lipizzaners after a practice session in the octagon ring barn. Without a doubt, the best, most exciting day of my life until my son performed for the first time. Then the day I drove through the gates, became the second best, most exciting day of my life.
Thank you for letting me remember that time long ago. People who were with the show in recent times who thought it was pretty grand, have no idea. They were eating 3 scoops of vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream believing it was a banana split, when in fact without the bananas, syrup, nut's and whipped cream, it was just a dish of ice cream with no idea of what the Greatest Show on Earth once was.......
Wade Burck
The biggest problem with Venice
was the losing battle with the
Seminole Gulf Railroad that had
bought the trackage South of Oneco
from the Chessie (CSX) System
The show the city & the state
threw money at them & still lost
Irvin knew they were on borrowed
time & had planned for the Haines
City joint to become the Quarters
When Mattel took the park away
from his control all was lost
In Thousand Oaks, Chuck the Bartender was the Jungleland guys' favorite. He lived right behind my duplex, and we sadly learned Chuck was terminal with cancer. He had a lifelong love for clowns, and I had the poster seen here. I was glad to present it to him for his enjoyment, and he loved having it until the end.
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