Buckles Blog: TRUCKS #4

Saturday, July 27, 2019

TRUCKS #4

9 comments:

Chic Silber said...: Another "borrowed" title; 28 July, 2019 09:58
Charles Hanson said...: If you only knew how correct you are in more ways than one.....; 28 July, 2019 16:40
Chic Silber said...: Was Floyd's brother a partner

before Arnold Maley bought in

Then in later years it became

1 of the "Acme" shows although

its' corporate title became

General Circus Operating Co

When was Bobby Snowden part

owner & with whom else then; 28 July, 2019 16:51
Charles Hanson said...: Floyd and Howard King had Railroad Shows starting in 1919...using various titles such as Sangers Great European Shows, Harris Bros, Walter L. Main and Gentry Bros-James Patterson title. At one time they had two railroad shows but 1929 was the last year for the King Brothers (Floyd and Howard) as circus business partners. Floyd took other circus jobs and also toured Wildlife Shows with various Fairs. In 1945 Floyd King decided to take out a circus using the title "King Brothers Circus". Along the way, he became acquainted with Harold Rumbaugh, a department store owner, from the state of Washington. Mr. Rumbaugh was also a circus fan, and had the itch to be in the circus business. Mr. King turned him down several times but in the end agreed to a partnership. This partnership was for the 1946 and 1947 Seasons and tuned sour along the way. The show had Grift and Mr. Rumbaugh was very unhappy about the "Lucky Boys" being on the lot. So, 1947 saw the end of that partnership. It is my understanding that Mr. Rumbaugh did take out another circus using different titles. Floyd King was on his own for the 1948 Season and it was a rough season for him. The show was set to have winter quarters in another town...but folded in Rosenburg, Texas...Financially unable to move any further. Now, the Cristiani Family, headed up by Lucio, joins forces with Floyd and the next five years was pay dirt. King was general agent and the Cristiani Family provided much of the show. The show was a huge success sometimes giving three shows a day. Somewhere along the way, the ugly head of greed and unhappiness showed up and 1953 was the last year for the King-Cristiani partnership........ Arnold Maley, who had been in the ticket wagon, became a partner with Floyd King in 1954. They had a great season although they were making weekly payments to the Cristiani Family to pay off the $75,000 buy out. The show was greatly enlarged for 1955 (around 70 trucks) and came home to Macon, Ga (winter quarters) virtually broke. The show was just too big and had leased elephants from the Wirtz Corp...making payments and leasing the Cole title. The show toured as King-Cole in 1955. By some accounts, the circus should not have gone out in 1956. Once again, bickering among the two owners, who had once been good friends....One unit had two ticket wagons and the other unit had to use a make shift to sell tickets. Thus ended the once mighty King Brothers Circus. Arnold Maley did try to carry on under the Maley title but eventually it too failed. The courts in Macon, Ga awarded the title "King Brothers Circus" to FLoyd KIng. Paul Conaway, show attorney, transferred the title to Mrs, FLoyd King (Vicki Kernan King) due to the financial problems still lingering over Mr. Kings head...including back taxes. Mrs. Floyd King, leased the title "King Brothers Circus" to the so called "Little Cristianis" for the season of 1959 and 1960. The lease agreement was signed by Remo Cristiani (husband of Cosetta Cristiani, Adolfo Cristiani (brother to Remo) and Freddie Canestrelli who was married to Ortans Cristiani. Chita Cristiani and her husband Tripoli were also on the show. Paul Conaway drew up the Lease Agreement and Vicki King was to receive 2% of the Gross or no less than $175.00 a week for use of the title.; 28 July, 2019 22:50
Charles Hanson said...: In 1961 when Bob Snowden was part owner of the King Show, Vicki King received royalty payments from "General Circus Operating Company. In 1962 and until her death around 1974 Vicki King was paid royalty payments....from General Operating Company for use of the title. Upon the death of Vicki King, Floyd King inherited the title to "King Brothers Circus". The powers that be decided not to pay any royalties to Floyd King. This was the General Agent (Floyd King) who had made tons of money (with his expert routing) and a decision was made to stop payments for use of the title. Floyd King passed away in 1976 and his heirs (The King Children) had legal representation to contact General Circus Operaitn Company about back payments. ACME CORPORATION had done the same thing to Mrs, Jane Beatty Kupperstock..They had stopped making payments for the use of "Clyde Beatty Name'. Mrs. Kupperstock had legal representation and the matter was settled on the courthouse steps. She won the case. Frank McClosky's legal department contacted the attorney for the King Heirs and offered to make a settlement. Mr. McClosky passed away a few days later.; 28 July, 2019 23:13
Charles Hanson said...: In the above post, I meant to imply that Floyd King had made tons of money(with his expert routing) for the powers that be ....who now wanted to stop royalty payments to him....in the twilight years of his life. To complicate matters, even more, Pete Cristiani (whose family had been in partnership with Floyd King 1949-1953 had contacted Mr. King about leasing the title.... He wanted to tour a circus again and call it King Bros-Cristiani Combined Circus. General Circus Operating Company, got wind of this threatening legal action against Pete Cristiani if he used the title King Bros, Circus. Pete signed whatever legal papers were placed in front of him (Bear in mind Pete did not OWN the title...) And Floyd King was not a named party in the legal paperwork. Thus, the powers that be, took this paperwork to court claiming ownership of the title. Mr. King was in no shape physically or financially to follow up at this stage in his life. To sum this up the King Brothers Circus title was obtained by General Circus Operating Company through FRAUD AND MISREPRESENTATION. The title was then sold to Ned Toth, nephew of Frank McClosky. The King heirs have lived long enough to see Karma visit certain individuals who robbed them of their rights.NOW TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION CHIC; Howard King was never a partner with his brother in KING BROS> CIRCUS. Although, Howard and his wife Gladys did travel with the King Show selling and rehashing tickets and made a good living.; 28 July, 2019 23:34
Chic Silber said...: What incredible history lessons

We ALL can't thank you enough

You are a treasure to us Charles

I'll give you a call later; 29 July, 2019 10:08
Chic Silber said...: Many of us know the outcome

of the many escapades of the

idiot nephew some of which

cost Johnny Pugh dearly

Jutta has been living with

the Pughs for many years

Both Neddy & Slicky Dickey

took shots at the Beatty

title (without payments)

which totally sloughed

any chances of Clyde Jr

dealing ever again; 29 July, 2019 10:16
Roger Smith said...: Tricky Dickey Garden, Buckles told me, was even excoriated in editorials of the Sarasota HERALD-TRIBUNE. Buckles felt Clyde, Jr. should be warned against any association with Garden.
Alas, he allowed the name to go out with Neddy and Dickie, and to borrow favorite words of Buckles's, it died the death of a dog.; 29 July, 2019 19:10

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

Powered by Blogger. DownRight Blogger Theme v1.4 created by (© 2007) Thur Broeders