The above question comes from remembering when George Werner left the show with his final illness, Tommy Clarke took over Big Top along with his duties as Prop Boss. We all saw him soldier on remarkably, but it was clear this was damn near killing the man.
The b.g. cats, L to R, are the venerable topmounter, Pharoah, then the very tough Sultan, and looking at him is a young Duke, at the time learning to roll the barrel.
Caesar is performing his rearing sit-up. He, along with Sultan, Duke, and two lions not seen here, Congo and elderly Simba, came out here to Jungleland in '66, from Beatty-Cole, when Red Hartman got 86'd and Hoover came in. Arriving with the lions were tigresses Princess and Judy. The final disposition of these Beatty cats is a long, sad story.
Notice the three 6-foot hickory poles in the center seat, under Caesar. These were formally listed as "round, tapered sorting poles", and came in bundles of 50 from the Split Hickory Company, late of Hope, Arkansas. I'm lucky to still have the one I shellacked for Mabel Stark, and one of their elephant canes. All were formed from No. 1 grade Arkansas hickory. This company closed and re-opened under a second management, the Bruneau (sp?) Ivory Handle Company. They also closed, in 2008, and the building burned down in 2012.
8 comments:
This might have been that
cursed Christmas show at
the old NY Coliseum that
occured during a newspaper
strike in the early 60s
Perhaps it was while the
NY Mayor was John Lindsay
It was in that building
on Columbus Circle that
Tommy Clarke made friends
with Exhibit Stagehands
which gave him opportunity
to join their local
That's IATSE New York Local 829
Exhibition Employees & Bill Posters
A unique combination
When did Tommy actually leave the Beatty show to finish his career with Local 829?
The above question comes from remembering when George Werner left the show with his final illness, Tommy Clarke took over Big Top along with his duties as Prop Boss. We all saw him soldier on remarkably, but it was clear this was damn near killing the man.
I'll give Carlos a call to find out
Perhaps Kenny might know
I do have a pair of his white gloves
that he gave me himself in Philly
The b.g. cats, L to R, are the venerable topmounter, Pharoah, then the very tough Sultan, and looking at him is a young Duke, at the time learning to roll the barrel.
Caesar is performing his rearing sit-up. He, along with Sultan, Duke, and two lions not seen here, Congo and elderly Simba, came out here to Jungleland in '66, from Beatty-Cole, when Red Hartman got 86'd and Hoover came in. Arriving with the lions were tigresses Princess and Judy. The final disposition of these Beatty cats is a long, sad story.
Notice the three 6-foot hickory poles in the center seat, under Caesar. These were formally listed as "round, tapered sorting poles", and came in bundles of 50 from the Split Hickory Company, late of Hope, Arkansas. I'm lucky to still have the one I shellacked for Mabel Stark, and one of their elephant canes. All were formed from No. 1 grade Arkansas hickory. This company closed and re-opened under a second management, the Bruneau (sp?) Ivory Handle Company. They also closed, in 2008, and the building burned down in 2012.
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