Buckles Blog

Thursday, July 04, 2013

In answer to your question, the first elephants owned by the Ringlings were "Babe" and "Fannie" (African), purchased from the defunct Dan Castello Show in 1888.
This 1894 picture includes both of them after becoming a railroad show in excess of 30 cars.

To Chic Silber 2

"Fannie" in her later days, she remained on the show thru 1908.

To Chic Silber #3

In 1936 RBBB imported three small African elephants which they billed as pygmies.
"Puqua", "Sudan" and "Congo" (male).
This looks like some of Roland Butlers art work in preparation of their arrival.

To Chic Silber #4

This is more like it, boss elephant man Larry Davis pictured with one, along with another novel animal attraction attraction that year.
Pongurs?

Wednesday, July 03, 2013

To Chic Silber #5

Another publicity shot with the show's giant.
The male died after the first season and "Pouqua" was lost in the 1941 Atlanta elephant poisoning.
"Sudan" can be seen in the recent Hugo Schmitt pictures practicing in Sarasota.
Buckles

I Finally Scooped Don Covington!

Joey Colossa and his wife Carmen just bought the Al Ringling Mansion.
Aside from Chappie Fox, they will be the only people I know who retired and went North!
Buckles

Hugo Schmitt #1 (From Buckles)

Hagenbeck Zoo.

Hugo Schmitt #2

RBBB unloading, seen posing with "Minyak" and "Emily".

Hugo Schmitt #3

Sarasota, Florida winter of 1947-48.

Hugo Schmitt #4

"Madison Sq. Garden 1948, several elephants still wearing European headpieces."

Hugo Schmitt #5

"My mother and I saw the show in 1948 at Minneapolis but don't recall any hats.
Must have fallen by the wayside by then."

Hugo Schmitt #6

1949

Hugo Schmitt #7

1954

Hugo Schmitt #8

1956 Leonard Bros. Circus

Hugo Schmitt #9

RBBB Indoors 1957

Hugo Schmitt #10

Hugo Schmitt #11

Tuesday, July 02, 2013

From Chic Silber

To compliment the 2 from Dave today.

From Dave Price #1

Pictures from Dave Price #2

Some of you may recall Howard Wilson who worked on the Beatty-Cole herd back during Steve Fanning's day. Howard told me in 1960 that the little girl on the hippo was Gracie Hanneford. Had to copy this from a program, so not very good but you all recognize it as it was later made into a one-sheet for Cole Bros.

Buckles: That's a great picture you ran of Gracie with George and Tommy.

From Eric Beheim

Speaking of big steam locomotives, the Henry Ford Museum has an H-8 class “Allegheny” engine on display. These were built to haul heavy trains of 160 coal cars, (each with a 60-ton load) over the steep grades of the Allegheny Mountains. (They probably hauled a few circus trains over the mountains, too.) Of the 60 Alleghenies that were built, only two still survive: this one #1601 at the Ford Museum, and #1604 at the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum in Baltimore, Maryland.
The Allegheny is 125-ft long, 11-ft 2-in wide, 16-ft 5 ½-in tall and weighs approximately 771,000-lbs. Its original cost was $230,663. Getting this locomotive into the museum’s main exhibition hall was a major undertaking.

From Paul Gutheil #1

Cole Bros. Circus 2013
Vicenta Pages

From Paul Gutheil #2

Cole Bros. Circus 2013
Vicenta Pages

From Paul Gutheil #3

Cole Bros. Circus 2013
The Tabares
A fantastic act!

From Paul Gutheil #4

"All gone now!"

From Jerry Cash #1

Buckles;

Some thoughts on steam engines and circus train history. Union Pacific has two active restored steam engines. One is No. 844 and the other is the Challenger No.3985.

The last time a circus train was pulled by a steam engine was Sept. 28, 2010. The Ringling Bros, and Barnum and Bailey train was pulled by Union Pacific's Challenger No. 3985 from Cheyenne Wyoming to Denver Colorado. On that day, as Annie and I took these pictures, there was black smoke, grey smoke and at times very little smoke.

From Jerry Cash #2

From Jerry Cash #3

From Buckles #1

From Buckles #2

My Dad often said that "A gentleman travels by rail!" but it wasn't until I started driving our elephant truck and listening to his stories that I got to know him.

Monday, July 01, 2013

Glad that's over!

Me and Dalilah spent considerable time this morning in Dr. Zara's office looking at X-Rays of my brain.
Pretty gruesome stuff.
He said everything appears to be in good working order but most importantly, no sign at all of Hardening of the Arteries.
In brief, good for another 10,000 miles.

1954 RBBB #1 (From Rick Faber)

Buckles,

I hope you are well. Recently I acquired some original color slides of the Ringling show in 1954—the year I continue to research in detail. I am sending along some of the elephant images which you are welcome to use on your blog if you choose. I was able to identify a couple of the bulls from the work harnesses but if you know any of the others that would be great.

I will send them in a couple of emails so as not to choke up the cyber cables!!

Thanks for your blog!

Rick

1954 RBBB #2

1954 RBBB #3

1954 RBBB #4

1954 RBBB #5

1954 RBBB #6

1954 RBBB #7

"This was Hugo Schmitt's first year back with the Big show after four years with Mills Bros.
He only worked the seven young elephants in the center ring originally trained by Louie Reed and Smokey Jones the winter of 1952-53 and that Arky had struggled mightily with.
Arky ran the department but I don't recall seeing him in the performance at all that year."
Buckles