Monday, September 28, 2020

BOBBY YERKES #11


 

4 comments:

Chic Silber said...


Kim Sue Wong Valla & husband

Vlastic Valla with their son

Kim Sue's mom Joanne Wilson

in the pink sweater then in

the cap is the famous flyer

Tony Steele & not sure about

the fellow in the back

Chic Silber said...


The elder Vallas worked under

the performing name "Bertinis"

Roger Smith said...

The big guy in the tan coat, doing the comedy mope, is Ray "Slick" Valentine. On the Castle show, The Flying Valentines--Slick, wife Debbie, and triple-somersaulting son Raymond--were my great friends. Raymond may correct me here, but I believe he began flying at age 9, and caught his first triples around age 13, deservedly billed as the youngest to do so.

Slick was born Maximillian Sandovinci, and was adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Bill Valentine, late of Houston, who are of the extensive Valentine flying family. They trained Slick, brother Glenn Earl, and sister Rosie, to become top flyers. Bill continued catching into his later years, and never warmed up. He walked in, drew on his tights, and ascended the rigging, ready to work.

Roger Smith said...

Tony Steele is a stand-alone legend like few others. He did the first 3 1/2 I saw reported, and he took the circus world by storm.