Antwerp Zoo #7

They have 2 rambunctious young male Asians that push & toss each other all over their very generous compound complete with sand hill logs & stumps adjacent to their mud hollow as well as a large swimming lagoon area Ming Jung the 5 year old was born in Cologne & Budi the 4 year old was born in Dublin You could likely whip them into shape in no time as they are natural performers.

Antwerp Zoo #8

Antwerp Zoo #9

Antwerp Zoo #10

Antwerp Zoo #11

They have a nice collection of 5 giraffes representing 3 subspecies.

Antwerp Zoo #12

Antwerp Zoo #13

Although I had packed a good selection of spare batteries on the trip lo & behold none accompanied me to Antwerp so as I took the 1st shot of the male of the magnificent pair of Siberians the camera went kaput (dead batteries)

From Dave Price #1

Buckles: I can't read it either, but this old pic on eBay supposedly shows a poster for Orton's Badger Circus. Dave http://www.ebay.com/itm/ca1856-CASED-AMBROTYPE-PHOTO-OF-WISCONSIN-TOWN-ORTONS-BADGER-CIRCUS-/280980484586?pt=Art_Photo_Images&hash=item416bbdf1ea

From Dave Price #2

Looks like they are doing some sort of bally!

From Buckles

The Orton Show advertised an all girl band, these two beauties, R.Z. (my grandfather) and Leon Orton look remarkably  like the two depicted in Dave's eBay photos.

.....from whence no traveler returns. #1

I mentioned my Dad's funeral in yesterday's rant to Harry Kingston, no doubt one of the coldest and most miserable days of my life. As the graveside service ended and we were leaving, a Taxi-Cab came skidding through the gateway of the cemetery and out popped Aunt Nellie, she had struggled through several flight cancellations on her way from Iowa and made it with no time to spare. She and I walked back to the grave, they reopened the casket, we paid our final respects then it was all out and all over.

.....from whence no traveler returns. #2

.....from whence no traveler returns. #3

To Harry Kingston

In answer to your question, a few days after my Dad's funeral in Dec. of 1963, D.R. called me into his office and explained the facts of life. He said that he had framed our elephant act out of friendship with my father well aware that like many of his ventures he would share little profit if any but he never regretted it because he knew it was something my Dad had wanted all his life. He then came to the point, "If you think you are walking out here with a free elephant act you are sadly mistaken, in fact I don't even like you so a new arrangement will be made today!" I already had a good route lined up for 1964 including the NY World's Fair so I rented the act at a flat rate and when we came into Hugo in the Fall he took "Lydia", "Sadie" and the truck and let us have "Anna May" which was all I wanted anyway. I talked D.R. into loaning me a bull truck to move her down to the five acres of palmettos we had purchased in Florida. So in closing I will add that 14 years later he flew down to Venice to attend our Blue Show opening and then 19 years after that, the Ring Of Fame award as seen above and remains as one of the greatest showmen I have ever known.

From Ray Gronso #1

Ray was kind enough to send a copy of this publication that did a feature story on "Anna May".

From Ray Gronso #2

From Ray Gronso #3

In retirement at the Riddle Sanctuary.

More Anna May #1 (From Buckles)

Smokey Jones gave me this picture, a circus fan gave it to him when he worked for my dad on Kelly-Miller in 1950.

More Anna May #2

D.R. wanted 5 rings of elephant-pony numbers. "Anna May", Fred Logan, "Punkin" and Harry Rooks in practice. She was always suspicious of hoofed stock, as seen in this picture and absolutely terrified of camels.

More Anna May #3

I remember when "Anna May" finally got her footing while being trained for this trick, my dad would sing "Roll A Bowl A Ball A Penny A Pitch". Everybody in the barn would look at him kind of funny. This was the first year for the Miller-Woodcock Elephant Act in 1952 With Siebrand Bros. Circus & Carnival.