Cole Bros. 1946 Program (From Buckles)

Scan13091, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

More on "Congo"

DSC02593, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. Since there seems to be some interest in my early attempts at circus fame as Congo the Almost Human Gorilla I wanted provide a fuller account of how this creature evolved thru the ages. Scroll down to: "From Bill Powell # 7" on the blog then click on comments for a brief back story then return to the paragraph below. So the story of my journey towards fame as a Human Gorilla continues: The interesting story of how Bill Powell became Congo the Almost Human Gorilla and mystery birthday guest. The Bill Powell almost Human Gorilla act had several reprieves over the years. Originally, the Gorilla was a second act of Joe Lemke and Marvin Varner. The costume was made of Yak hair and offered quite an aroma from the inside on a hot summer day.......but I digress. I substituted for Marvin during a summer when he either hurt himself or needed to work concessions. The Hershey candy pitch may have been right after the Gorilla act so Marvin made an economic decision to pay me to do the act so he could make the pitch. The show was Carden/Johnson in the late sixties and early seventies. I recall switching shows a couple summers. I would stay with my dad on Carden and Johnson and then travel to Gatti Charles circus with my mom and Bucky. Logistics aside, the Gorilla act was one of my "gigs" during this time. I recall the Gorilla "shtick" was a good pick up line with young ladies at college when they asked what I did: " I train elephants and work in a Gorilla act. " Either this got the conversation started or they would look at me funny and walk away. A few years later after I joined Allen Bloom's marketing team the Gorilla act was resurrected for a different occasion. In fact, a facsimile of the act was reprieved three times over the years to celebrate his birthday. Allen was a big old gruff guy with a heart of gold and a wonderful sense of humor. His office was centered around a big kitchen table desk. It was usually piled high with reports. Allen would love to hold court at the end of the day and tell old rock and roll stories of how he stuffed Little Richard, Buddy Holly, Paul Anka and a dozen other acts onto one bus and go on tour in the fifties. One day it was his 40th birthday and David Rosenwasser coaxed me to do something to surprise him at the office. As we were brainstorming what we might do I said: "Hey what if we strip his desk and cover it with cake icing with a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALLEN.....and I will rent a gorilla suit and be sitting in his chair smoking a cigar when he comes in." David, having a twisted sense of humor readily agreed and the plot was hatched. So we did exactly this. We hired a cake decorator for the desk and secretly decorated the top with a birthday message. I get in the suit and light up a Cuban stogie and about 10 am he rounds the corner to be greeted by this scene (with everyone hiding out of view laughing their asses off). Allen was speechless upon surveying the scene and everyone comes out of the woodwork and starts singing happy birthday. I exit, identity unrevealed, thru Irvin's office (which was adjacent to Allen). I cannot remember if Irvin was in that day but do not imagine he would have found the scene amusing. So I go to a vacant office and change then walk around to join the others wishing Allen a happy birthday never revealing my alter ego. Fast forward 10 years later and the Gorilla resurfaces. Susan Bloom invites everyone in Allen's inner circle to a swanky restaurant in Georgetown for his 60th surprise birthday. Susan told Allen the evening was just going to be a quiet dinner with the two of them. I decide to reprieve the Gorilla for another cameo appearance. The scene is very uptown and everyone is showing up for the gala affair. Upon arriving guests cannot help but notice a Gorilla at the end of bar quietly sipping a scotch and smoking a Cuban cigar. Allen and Susan were late arriving and I was in that suit for over an hour having consumed a couple Scotch and cigars not speaking but motioning like any self respectable Gorilla would do on a night out on the town. I recall a perplexed black tie clad piano player gently tickling the ivories as I enjoyed a Cohiba Robusto and Glenlivet single malt. So Allen and Susan show up and everyone burst into the birthday song and he is overwhelmed with emotion and is making the rounds hugging everyone ......and he comes up the Gorilla at the bar. The gorilla does not speak but motions Allen closer and gives him a hug and takes a puff on the cigar, finishes his drink, shakes Allen's hand and exits leaving Allen wondering why this ape has visited him on two separate occasions 10 years apart. The story continues. Allen departed Ringling in December of 1995 around the time of his 60th birthday. It was an emotional time for many and Susan decided to skip any celebration. Ten years later, our group learns that Allen is having a small group of family to his house for his 70th birthday. Since he left the company many of his group departed and were all scattered everywhere. I decided that Congo the Almost Human Gorilla needed to reprieve the act one more time. This time I rented the costume from a costume house in Tampa and created a video of a Gorilla trying to hitch hike a ride from Tampa, Florida to Potomac, Maryland that ended with a reveal of the mystery person behind the Gorilla and a heartfelt wish for Allen to enjoy his birthday. Bill Powell

From Kenny Dodd #1

RIORINGS, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. Good morning Professor The word is out My dear friend Kenny Dodd brought me 2 photos of the Ringling date in Rio that Jackie wrote about last week and asked me to scan & send them to you The 1st one is nearly a duplicate of the entire arena but the 2nd one shows the unintended aqua spectacular that Jackie mentioned Chic "Chic, you must be aware that both Mr. Dodd and Mr. LeClair know where a lot of bodies are buried. This might be a dangerous undertaking!" Buckles

From Kenny Dodd #2

RIOFLOOD, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. RIO FLOOD

NY Model Builders #1 (From Don Kowell)

DSC06421, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. Buckles, I noticed that you occasionally feature circus models so I wanted to pass this event along for your blog that we all enjoy every day. The Hoxie Tucker Ring in Central NY has a large display at this years NY State Fair in Syracuse NY. The fair runs from August 26 thru Labor day. There are 15 exhibits featuring circus and carnival models. This years display also features close to 100 original posters and 90 circus photos hung on the walls around the displays. This makes a big splash. If any of your readers happen by this part of the country, stop by and say hello. Don Kowell Lot 1 Manager Circus Model Builders

NY Model Builders #2

DSC06416, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

NY Model Builders #3

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NY Model Builders #4

DSC06441, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

NY Model Builders #5

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NY Model Builders #6

DSC06423, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

NY Model Builders #7

DSC06449, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

NY Model Builders #8

DSC06451, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

From Bill Powell #1

schell bros 1935 books012, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. Buckles, I found this interesting note while going thru my mom's archives this past weekend. It is especially poignant given what our country is experiencing with the current recession and I wanted to share it with the blog. This letter summarizes the financial state of George Engesser and Schell Bros. Circus in 1935 during the lowest point of the great depression. To my knowledge George hung on to the show a couple more years but it appears that he was upside down about 4 grand after the 1935 season. The summation is brief and to the point even listing his dependents and a perceived valuation of the animals that had died during the year. The picture of Tiger McCue doing the head carry with Ruth the elephant somehow frames up the entire state of affairs.

From Bill Powell #2

gee_gee_atayde_1965014, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. From the archives of the Blond Bombshell. Gee Gee Powell performed with Circus Atayde in 1965 during the christmas show in December for a month long engagement. She may have also been contracted for a couple other cities during the truncated tour. She was a center ring attraction with her magnificent Alaskan Husky dog sled act and featured in the center on the program book. I scanned the cover and her page. Sadly when she and my father returned from Mexico they divorced in 1966 after a 20 year marriage and she was never to perform as Powell again. After the split she took her maiden name, Engesser, for a couple years before marrying elephant trainer Robert "Bucky" Steele.

From Bill Powell #3

gee_gee_atayde_1965013, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

From Bill Powell #4

Gee_Gee_Sam_Bee_1972002, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. CIRCUS IN A BOX In the years after Gee Gee and Bucky Steele married they embarked on assembling several animal acts. In the span of 4 years they acquired 6 elephants, 12 ponies, 5 bears, the existing 7 Alaskan Husky dogs, a cougar, a leopard, and a mixed cat act with 8 tigers and lions. There may also have been a goat in the mix. I guess one could say they were pioneers in "consolidation." During this time of empire building for Gee Gee and Bucky I was in my late teens and worked in the "family" enterprise. Hard work and diligence paid off with my quickly being appointed Sr. Vice President of Animal Stewardship of Steele enterprises. This esteemed position required that I rise from bed at 4 a.m. every day to begin my daily duties of "stewarding" the 40 or so animals entrusted to my care. My department included "moi" and Frenchy, a 75 year old Canadian who was deaf and could barely lift a shovel and had an aversion to soap and water. There were no other staff for the enterprise other than Red Hartman who was a "trainer" and thus left the feeding and cleaning to my staff. My pay was room and board and an education in the finer points of all things circus. During this period we trained the 6 elephants, ponies, a leapord, an elephant cougar routine, and the mixed cat act. The husky's and bears were already trained. It was an interesting time in my life as the days started well before dawn and usually ended around 10 p.m. after the evening care of 40 animals. During this time I also managed to attend and graduate from college. Bucky would sell the amalgamation of acts to anyone in need of a complete animal package. We performed with Gatti, George Michaels Great London Circus, Sam Bee, Sid Kellner and did a move for Disney. I eventually worked my way towards the front end of the animals and performed the elephant and cougar act. Bucky was quite military and had a sort of drill sergeant approach to things like motivation of his staff (me and Frenchy). After each day of working for the "family" enterprise college looked better and better in my young view of the world. In fact going to Vietnam was looking like an attractive alternative after a while. Here are a few photos from a circus called Sam Bee during this era. I think Jimmy Hall and Roger Zoppe can relate to those wonderful days on Haymarket road in Dallas, Texas. Bill Powell

From Bill Powell #5

Gee_Gee_Sam_Bee_1972003, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. Gee Gee with Sam Bee #2

From Bill Powell #6

Gee_Gee_Sam_Bee_1972004, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. Gee Gee with Sam Bee #3

From Bill Powell #7

1973-15-3 circus days, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. Another photo from Gee Gee Blond Bombshell Archives.

From Bill Powell #8

Al Conner 1945005, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. Where to you get in line to see this ? A guy doing an act with a wagon wheel. Show business !