RBBB Sarasota Qtrs./ Tex Elmlund

Bud E. Anderson at Emporia, Kansas quarters

Franz Althoff circa 1964

Now this is what the Incredible Shrinking Show needs to fill up that empty floor, Mr. Althoff is presenting 60 horses at one time as seen in this "Southern Sawdust" photo. The article also mentions that the John Wayne movie "Circus World" was filmed on the Althoff Show.

A dreadful day!

It started off with a series of tests at the local Hospital required after my latest physical exam. I was instructed by this nurse to remove all my clothes, except my shorts, and put on one of those backless smocks. I explained that after retirement and working outside a lot, I had long since discontinued wearing shorts to avoid heat rash. My story fell on unsympathetic ears and I was forced to march from the dressing room to the X-Ray room and to the lab etc. with my bare ass hanging out. I'm sure that several passes by the waiting room and the nurses coffee break room were uncalled for. I was injected with some sort of dye and combined with having to take 2 oz. of Castor Oil previously, I spent the rest of the day either asleep of feeling rotten. Fortunately as I type this before going to bed I can hear Romberg's "New Moon" (no pun intended) on TV and with the music of "One Kiss", "Loving You" and "Stout Hearted Men" my usual good humor has returned. I took my wife to see that show at Lincoln Center one year and it was excellent, especially "Lover Come Back To Me". Why isn't music with harmony written any more?

From Richard Reynolds

I received this picture from Richard Reynolds showing Howard Y. Bary in 1947 with the same elephant I showed last Saturday. As an agent of the Ringling Show in the 1930's Mr. Bary toured remote areas of the world bringing back several unique features. The one that I took most interest in were the three "Pygmy African elephants" imported in 1936. To the uninformed, the final year the Ringling owned Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus went out was 1935. The show sat idle all of 1936 in the Peru, Ind. quartrers but was revived in 1937-38 on a lease basis. Thru a complicated set of circumstances Howard Y. Bary gained control of the show which made it thru 1937 but closed forever in 1838 at Riverside, Ca. and went into storage at the Al G. Barnes quarters. Included were the 23 Ringling owned elephants.

"Jumbo" 1881 in the London Zoo

I don't think the elephant advertised above quite measured up to this guy.

German elephant trainer Herr Schultz

The Mighty Haag Show circa 1903-04

How times change, if this little float were to appear in today's Ken & Nicole Show the Press would go wild extolling it's innovation.

Harry LaRoy Shows 1922

Nice little pony hitch pulling pulling this "Unifon"? The lady, when at the keyboard, will play this instrument which is little more than a rack of assorted door bells. You see, I learned something while I was in Baraboo. This is just about what The Big Apple Circus looked like the first time I saw it (minus the unifon) sitting on the 8th Ave. parking lot in 1978 where the old Garden once stood.

Christy Bros. Wild Animal Shows circa 1922

The lady calliope player is Mabel James, wife of the show's band director Everett James and mother of future musical star Harry James.

Gentry Bros. Circus 1908

What a great parade picture! Two bass drums, you could probably hear the band coming a mile away and with the steam calliope in the rear there should be no doubt that the Gentry Show had arrived in town. Looks like a woman tuba player and the two musicians in front have hardly left enough room for the poor teamster to see the road.

Baby Kay at the beach.

Is this future elephant wardrobe I see? Don't tell me I'm going to have to buy another elephant.

How about this one?

Elephant meeting anyone?

John Herriott brought up the subject of a National Elephant Man/Elephant Empress assembly next winter in Sarasota. Guidelines to be discussed. Something like anyone who ever took an elephant down the highway for the purpose of exhibition or any lady who ever rode one in the ring (need a wide angle lens for that group picture HAW! HAW!) Any comments appreciated.

From Buckles library

Ringling-Barnum Circus 1949/ Doc Henderson #1

"Not all of Henderson's work is with animals from distant parts of the globe. He is frequently called upon to examine the mounts of equestrians like pretty French star Claude Valois."

Ringling-Barnum Circus 1949/ Doc Henderson #2

"Orangutans are delicate, have to be pampered and are not among Doc,s favorite patients. The one whose chest he's listening to is being held by step-daughter Jenny Wallenda along with Lola Dobritch.

Ringling-Barnum Circus 1949/ Doc Henderson #3

Ringling Park 1974/ Doc Henderson

Twenty five years later Doc is still making the same photo-ops, this time with "Anna May".

Ringling-Barnum Circus/ Indian snake handler