Charlie Gray Commercial #2

Charlie Gray Commercial #3

Charlie Gray Commercial #4

Charlie Gray Commercial #5

Charlie Gray Commercial #6

Pat Anthony 1964 (Jim Cole Collection)

"The Friendly Neighborhood Wild Man" and the jaws of death. Today's pictures bring back pleasant memories. I trouped with everyone here.

Kirby's Chimps 1967

You may recall that Andrew and Marie were Victor Julian's assistants for many years.

Albert Rix and "Tommy" 1965

Don't know why this picure didn't drop down all he way? Too big a hurry to make the deadline I suppose. There is a nice picture of Albert in the upcoming 1951 Eric Beheim slides.

Carmen Hall 1977

Hamid-Morton Circus.

Wayne Newman Bears 1970

This picture taken with King Bros. Circus while showing outdoors for some reason. Good shot of the band too.

Lou Jacobs and "Knuckle Head" 1977

Hall's Bears 1970

2006 Red Show Film Clip

KLSDAD scoffs at my opinion of Ken & Nicole's offerings and to prove his point has sent a film clip to the Magic Lantern Show of the Red Show taken just last week.

Ken & Nicole Red Unit

This just in from KLSDAD who saw the Ken & Nicole Show in Grand Rapids on Sept. 30. He said he enjoyed the show thoroughly, especially after having seen the other unit earlier in the Garden. There are obviously some good acts on the show, Bello Nock is probably the most famous circus personality in America but this picture tells another story, I only count around 20 performers styling, not enough people for a good fist fight. He added that the thing his two nephews enjoyed the most , ages 7 and 11, was when they tossed beach balls ino the audience. What can I say?

Tom Mix Circus 1937 #1

Tom Mix Circus 1937 #2

TOM MIX.....................................................Sole Owner and Operator D.E. Turney...............................Manager J.R. Hervey.........Contracting Agent.........Fred Smythe........Press Representative Herb DuVal..........Legal Adjuster............Hazel Warrell ......Timekeeper Robert Brown........Treasurer.................George W. Helms.....24 Hour Agent Vernon Arbuckle.....Secretary.................Carl O. Robinson....Musical Director D.W. "Dennie" Helms.Superentendent............James E. Turney.....Physician G.M. Shaw...........Purchasing Agent..........Ted Metz............Side Show Jack Burslem........Candy Stands..............W. J. "Whitey Thorn..Property Departmant Fred "Curley" Shafer....Animals...............Herman Nowlin.....Ring Stock Department Big Show Banner Solicitor.....Bob Stevens.........."A Ford a Day"

Tom Mix Circus 1937 #3

George Hanneford Family- Celebrated Equestrians. Tommy, Catherine, George Sr., Kay Francis and George Jr.

Tom Mix Circus 1937 #4

This "10 in 1" Side Show top looks like a Trolle Rhodine elephant tent.

Tom Mix Circus 1937 #5

TOM MIX........Featured Star John R. Agee................Equestrian Director Herman Nowlin...............Asst. Equestrian Director James Arbaugh, Jessie Arbaugh, Lillian Arbuckle, Charles Arley, Bumpsey Anthony, Eva Anthony, Bud Asher, Julia Asher, Erma Asher, Milded Asher, Arnt Augestad, Gus Bell, Betty Bell, Joe Bowers, Lilly May Brown, Roy Brown, George Carl, Danny Gordon, Helen Ford, Jimmy Davidson, Ray Goody, Max Gruber, George Hanneford, Catherine Hanneford, Kay Hanneford, George E. Hanneford Jr., Thomas Hanneford, Homer Hobson, Sr., John Hessick, Jack Knapp, "Kinko", Mary Kinko, Glen Kinko, Anita Helms, Charles LaMont, Hank Linton, Ella Linton, Joy Myers, Lulu Nowlin, Mabel Parker, Tommy Ross, Rex Rossi, Boots Sallee, Lotta Shaw, Frank Shepard, Vic Smith, Dorothy Taylor, Karin Turney, Erma Ward, Doris Warren.

From Daryl Hoffman

Thought you might be interested to see the latest addition to the Houston Zoo collecion. He was born Oct. 1 at 4:40 AM, he's 40" tall, 40" long and a massive 384 pounds. Mother and calf are doing great.

Rebecca in repose

Enjoying an adult beverage and at peace with the world having just finished inserting pins into her Carol Buckley doll.

"The Greatest Show on Earth" 1951 (Group #1)

This is the first group of the 22 Eric Beheim View Master transparencies. I have tried to place them in some sort of proper sequence. The next three groups are staff members and Spec, the performance and finally back yard shots.

DeMille camera crew

Filming in Sarasota

Everyone in wardrobe for the outdoor scenes.

Madison Sq. Garden

This is the only picture that seems out of place. There was no cat act on the show in 1951 but they did sometimes augment the show in the Garden.

Midway and Side Show

Clown donning makup

Maybe Pat Cashin can identify this clown. Group #2 will be spec pictures.

From Dave Price

Joe Arcaris

"The Lost Jungle" (Chapters 7-12)

On her birthday a few days ago, Barbara received a lovely birthday card from Roger Smith and Kim Baer and on the back of the envelope was glued this Clyde Beatty item. I spent quite a while carefully removing it and the scanning process has enlarged it maybe 15 or 20 %.

Joe Arcaris #1 From Jim Cole Collection

"Joe Arcaris filled in for Clyde Beatty in 1950 following the death of his wife Harriett. He may have also trained some of Beatty's cats. Dave Price or Roger Smith would know. He presented at least three cage acts at Benson's Wild Animal Farm in Hudson, N.H., not sure what years but I saw him there in 1961. Four of the pictures are post cards but #5 is practicing the Clyde Beatty act, an 8x10 from my collection". Jimmy Cole Incidently, Mr. Cole and legendary flyer Tony Steele are coming down from Orlando for this evening's CFA meeting at Show Folks. Col. Herriott and myself have taken it under advisement and will stop by the Lounge Area to administer wise counsel.

Joe Arcaris #2

Joe Arcaris #3

Joe Arcaris #4

Joe Arcaris #5

Taken at the Clyde Beatty Circus winter quarters in Deming, N.M.

From Liz Dane

I might add that Ms Dane is the daughter of Bill Green, owner of Green's Animal Farm in Fairlee, Vermont where Barbara's mother, Lalea Ray, worked as animal trainer in the 1950's and 60's. This card from Mr. Arcaris comes from Benson's Wild Animal Farm.

From Circus Whitey

Okay- you guys want to talk hotels, lets talk hotels. I have stayed at the Webb in Hugo, at the Sherman in Chicago, the Central in Macon, and the great Massimiliano Truzzi's Colonial in Sarasota and I know a little about hotels. Here we have the Half Moon Hotel- kindly tell it's location and it's significance in circus history. Whitey

From Paul Ingrassia

How many of us old timers can remember the location and significance of this landmark?

From Richard Ilfeld

"I was scanning some old photos for my mom and googled the topic to see if by chance there was anything on the web. I was surprised at what I found. I would guess that attached might be a picture of "Alice". I'll have to call mom and see if she knows....that's her aboard. The circus was the family business, Paul Lewis (Rosenburg) was uncle Paul to me. There must have been at least one other Lewis brothers elephant because after the show disbanded (1945), the stock retired to a farm near Jackson, Michigan and I have a photo circa 1949 or 1950 of myself on an elephant at the farm. As I recall there was a camel and a llama as well. Some of the performers from Lewis Brothers Show continued with Jack Mills and the Mills brothers circus, which I believe was out of Jefferson, Ohio. Paul Lewis' brother was the attorney for that show for many years and I believe they were one of the last tent shows to tour. They also had an elephant act, but I don't believe any of them came from Lewis Brothers. I don't know if there is any family lore on an elephant being killed in a crash, I'd never heard the story before reading it online. Thought I'd drop you a note because I'm in the Tampa Bay area. My knowledge of the circus is pretty sketchy and I'd love to learn more.

Lewis Bros. Circus 1934 #1

Mr. Ilfield, here are a couple of pictures of your family's show, similar to yours, from my collection. "Alice" was imported by the Sparks Circus in 1922, ten years later this show (now owned by Ringling) was taken off the road and the elephants absorbed into the Ringling herd. This picture taken in 1934 and was "Alice" first season with Lewis Bros. having been purchased from the Ringling show the previous winter and died when the truck she was riding in was struck by a train at Conneaut, Ohio 6/15/41. I have always been of the opinion that this was the only elephant the show ever owned but several people have claimed otherwise. Do you still have the photo of you riding the second elephant? Or might your mother remember her name? If she remained with the family as late as 1949 she might be identified. Thanks very much for your information.

Lewis Bros. Circus 1934 #2

A classic picture of the American depression-era Mud Show.The home made house trailers in the foreground, the big top cew gathered around the pole wagon after a hard mornings work and the little tent at left, like the one my folks and I shared in 1936 with the Joe B. Webb Circus. John Herriott told me that his father,Milt and Bert Dearo shared a pup tent with Mighty Haag in the 1920's.

Bobby Moore Elephants #1 (Wayne Jackson Collection)

These are the elephants used for the Ringling Japanese Unit in 1988, sitting on the dock at Osaka while the tent is being erected. Bobby Moore waving at left and it looks like Smokey and Scott Riddle seated in the background.

Bobby Moore Elephants #2

I must say that during the period Bobby was in the elephant business, everything he had was first class. This was his elephant barn, we layed off there many times with our elephants and was treated to some of the finest food we ever ate at his restaurant just outside Detroit. Pictured here is Troy Metzler.

Bobby Moore Elephants #3

This nice looking little elephant is obviously already trained but Smokey and Bobby are showing a crowd at the Tulsa, Okla. Elephant Seminar how to lay one down should the necessity arise. I might add, the entire rigging when completed, was quite complicated.

Bobby Moore Elephants #4

I once complimented Bobby on his rolling stock and he pointed out that this truck didn't have a driver's seat, instead he used the payment booklet.

Bobby Moore Elephants #5

I'm guessing that this is Jim Patterson and Jody Watkins cleaning up after a rain storm. At left are "Jack" and "Mekeah" and at right, the three former Roman Schmitt punks born at Circus World in Florida, "Tonka". "Smokey" and "Luna".

Bobby Moore Elephants #6

Bertram Mills' Circus Program 1926-27

This program has so many interesting photos that I have decided to include more at various intervals. October should be an entertaining month. Last night I received over 20 View Master transparencies from Eric Beheim of the 1951 Ringling Show including views of the DeMille film crew in both Sarasota and on tour. Also an excellent set of photos of Joe Arcaris working lions from Jimmy Cole. I never met Mr. Arcaris but have heard that he did some training for Clyde Beatty.

Bertram W. Mills' Circus 1926-27 #1

"H. Hermann and some of Hagenbeck's Lions." HENRY AND MISS BERTI HERMANN, who present the two lion acts, rank amongst the world's most famous animal trainers. They have for years been headliners with the celebrated circus of Carl Hagenbeck. This is their first British appearance. (This is the same gentleman shown in Friday's picture with the tigers pulling the chariot.)

Bertram W. Mills' Circus 1926-27 #2

"Miss Berti Hermann and her Equestrian Lion." THE EQUESTRIAN LION always likes to have his foster mother with him while working. Said foster mother is the little fox terrier you saw in the ring.

Bertram W. Mills' Circus 1926-27 #3

"THE LOYALS are Spaniards who make America their home. For years their dogs have been a stellar attraction with the Ringling Bros.-Barnum & Bailey's "Greatest Show on Earth", from which concern they have come direct to Olympia". This was always my dad's favorite dog act, he said they ran down a ramp and vaulted into a pad below. This is the only picture I have ever seen of the act, this dog appears to actually be doing a twisting somersalt in flight. The bizarre thing tho, for publicity picures for the prestigious Olympia in London, Mr. Loyal took his props out behind the Ringling big top and posed in his shirt sleeves and even solicited members of the canvas crew to join in.

Bertram W. Mills' Circus 1926-27 #4

"Alf Loyal's Wonder Dogs- the World's Greatest Canine Comedians."