Thursday, December 27, 2018

MORE MABEL STARK


Posted by Chic Silber at 12/27/2018 12:12:00 AM

3 comments:

Chic Silber said...


Many thaqnks to Roger Smith

for sending some of these

27 December, 2018 00:18
Roger Smith said...

This is the 12 Sumatran tiger act I have previously noted here. For a re-hash, Al. G. Barnes got the 12 at a bargain-basement rate, not knowing that Sumatrans are the most hot-headed of the tiger subs, and that his trainers would refuse them. If the rule around that show was that a woman could not work tigers, trying Sumatrans was more than forbidden. Mabel stepped up to demand them, and fought off all objections, even from the god-like authority, Louis Roth. She broke out the act successfully and a lot of mouths were silenced in awe.

On the back of this photo, Mabel wrote: "My first big act--12--Al. G. Barnes Circus--Phoenix--1920." Owing to threats of having the show plastered by his wife in a bitter divorce, he did not re-enter California that winter, but found quarters in Phoenix.

27 December, 2018 16:31
Roger Smith said...

Leslie Zemeckis asked me how tall Mabel was. I told her I'm 5' 6", and Mabel stood just at my jawline, making her about 5 feet. She had this photo blown up and a life-size cardboard stand of Mabel greeted film festival guests at the premiere in Santa Barbara.

28 December, 2018 14:06

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