Old Americana #4

Scan11121, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. "The Big Show is all out and and all over. Please watch your step coming down off the seats and kindly exit by the front door!"

Richard Flick!

Scan11119, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Ursula Bottcher #1 (From Henry Penndorf)

Ursula Bottcher.2, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. Hi Bill, It was snowing out the other day, so I started to look at some old Ringling Brothers programs. The first one I picked up was the program for Ringling Brothers' 110th Edition (1980). That year Ursula Bottcher and her ten Polar Bears were a featured act. She was the focus of that year's circus poster. I know that there have been other Polar Bear acts in the past, and maybe some Polar Bear acts still exist today, but Ms. Bottcher's is the only one that I had every seen. It certainly was impressive one. The contrast of this petite woman, Ms. Bottcher who stands only 5', with bears that can reach almost twelve feet in height when standing upright was awe inspiring. When I was watching her perform, I don't think I realized at the time how very special her act was. Something interesting about her Ms. Bottcher's name...in Latin the word for bear is Ursa, and Ms. Bottcher's first name is Ursula, which means or translates to "little bear". It is almost like it she was pre-destined to become a bear trainer.

Ursula Bottcher #2

Ursula Bottcher.11, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. When the "Highlights Of The Ringling Brothers Circus" would air on television each Spring, we would tape the show. The 110th Edition, was hosted by Michael Landon and I think it was the only time the show was ninety minutes long. Our oldest son, who was three at the time, would watch the show every day while he played. Watching the video as often as he did, our son could rattle off the names of all of Ms. Bottcher's Polar Bears. The Polar Bears were named... Spitzbergen, Nixe, Oslo, Norda, Narvik, ! Jury, Grouland, Muffel, Neptune, and Alaska. If you look closely at the first picture, the gentleman standing outside the cage looks like Gunther Gebel-Williams. The picture was supposed to have been taken during a rehearsal session.

Ursula Bottcher #3

Ursula Bottcher.18, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. Ursula Bottcher's career spanned forty-seven years. Her training abilities and success with her Polar Bears earned her the title of the "Brilliant Baroness of Bears". Ms. Bottcher was born in Dresden, Germany on June 6, 1927, making her 81. Her father was a road construction engineer. At fifteen she left home and joined the circus. Ms. Bottcher joined the Circus Roland Busch in 1952 beginning her circus career as a cleaning lady and usher. She learned a number of the circus arts and soon graduated to training lions, tigers and leopards. In 1959 Ms. Bottcher took over an act of Polar Bears and Brown Bears. In 1963 Ms. Bottcher was presented by the East German government with eight Polar Bear cubs and asked to build them into an act. She was teamed with another ex-lion trainer Manfred Horn. Mr. Horn became Ms. Bottcher's partner both in and outside t! he arena. In 1974 Ms. Bottcher was awarded the Ernst Renke Plas kett Award, or the Circus Oscar for her Polar Bear Act. The East German government paid tribute to Ms. Bottcher when they placed her image on a postage stamp. The stamp pictured Ms. Bottcher with one of her Polar Bears, Alaska, performing the Todekuss (Death Kiss); also know as the Zuckerkuss (Sugar Kiss). In this "kiss", Alaska would take a piece of sugar from Ms. Bottcher's lips. In 1976 Ursula Bottcher and her Polar Bears came to the United States and Ringling Brothers. They remained in the United States from 1976 to 1981. Ms. Bottcher did two tours with Ringling Brothers Blue Unit, 1976-77, and 1980-81. In between her tours, I am not positive, but I believe that Ms. Bottcher may have appeared at the Ringling Brothers Circus World in Florida during that time. While presenting their act, in October 1990, Manfred Horn was attacked by a Kodiak Bear. He died the following day from the injuries sustained in the attack. The last date I was able to find for a performance by Ms. Bottcher and her bears was 1995 for Circus Berolina. Ms. Bottcher wrote and published a book about her performing career in 1999. The book titled "Kleine Frau, Barenstark" which translates into "Small Woman, Bear Strong" was written in German. It is currently out of print. After her retirement from performing Ms. Bottcher returned to her hometown of Dresden and currently resides there. In reading the computer generated translations of the articles that I found about Ms. Bottcher, I got the impression that she was not happy with the way her career ended nor how the government unceremonious! ly sent her Polar Bears away to different zoos. She always regarded her Polar Bears as her children.

Ursula Bottcher #4

Ursula Bottcher.12, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. The last date I was able to find for a performance by Ms. Bottcher and her bears was 1995 for Circus Berolina. Ms. Bottcher wrote and published a book about her performing career in 1999. The book titled "Kleine Frau, Barenstark" which translates into "Small Woman, Bear Strong" was written in German. It is currently out of print. After her retirement from performing Ms. Bottcher returned to her hometown of Dresden and currently resides there. In reading the computer generated translations of the articles that I found about Ms. Bottcher, I got the impression that she was not happy with the way her career ended nor how the government unceremonious! ly sent her Polar Bears away to different zoos. She always regarded her Polar Bears as her children. If anyone has any additional information, pictures or personal memories to ad about Ms. Bottcher, I would enjoy hearing and seeing them. Henry

Ursula Bottcher #5

Ursula Bottcher.14, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Ursula Bottcher #6 (1976)

Ursula Bottcher.13 - 1976, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Ursula Bottcher #7

Ursula Bottcher.19 - Today, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

"Knut" #1

Knut As A Cub.1, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. An interesting side story to Ursula Bottcher... Knut the Polar Bear cub who was the center of a controversy with animal rights groups, went on to take the world by storm, and finally created the media phenomenon, "Knutmania", is the offspring of one of Ursula Bottcher's Polar Bears, Tosca. Knut was born at the Berlin Zoo on December 5, 2006 to the 20-year-old Tosca, and her 13-year-old mate Lars. Tosca gave birth to two cubs, Knut and an unnamed brother. Tosca for unknown reasons rejected her cubs, abandoning them on a rock in the Polar Bear enclosure. Zoo keepers were able to rescue the cubs, but Knut's brother died four days later of an infection. The zoo credits Knut with a 27 percent increase in visitors in 2007 and profits of nearly 8.6 million dollars from the sale of products with Knut's image, including stuffed animals, T-shirts, mugs and DVDs.

"Knut" #2

GERMANY-ANIMALS-POLAR-BEAR-KNUT, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. Now at two years old and weighing almost 450 lbs, Knut has become too big for his current enclosure. According to reports in the German press, the Berlin Zoo is looking to move the famous bear to another facility, possibly England or Sweden by 2009. Peter Drüwa, director of the Neumünster Zoo (which, along with the Berlin Zoo owns Knut) told the German news agency DPA "Knut will spend Christmas in Berlin, but I’m not so sure he’ll spend Easter there.” I read recently that Knut's mother, Tosca and the zoo's other two other female Polar Bears, Katjuscha and Nancy, at the Berlin Zoo may all be pregnant and could give birth before Christmas. I was looking at circus DVDs online the other day and found one that looked promising, Europe's Big Top Circus Stars Live from the Hippodrome It is a three disc set. "The Hippodrome Show" aired in 1966 (ten episodes) as a summer replacem! ent series. It was a variety show apparently similar to the old "Hollywood Palace". I actually don't remember the show. The accompanying description for the DVD paid more attention to the guest ringmasters, then to the acts that are featured in the video. The listing for the DVD also contained two customer reviews, one by Sue Lenz. Henry

RBBB 1978 #1

Scan11117, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. From Karen Glenn I just learned that the fabulous Eartha Kitt passed away today, at 81 years young, from colon cancer. My thoughts and prayers are with her family, especially her daughter Kitt. This brought back a lot of great old memories of when Miss Eartha invited us and the kiddos to come to see her on Broadway in Timbuctu. She was so beautiful and kind. She later came to the train and spent the night with Barbara and borrowed a long purple night gown of mine to wear. (I never got it back or saw it again...oh well...it was for a big celebrity!) My thoughts are also extended to Barbara and Buckles and family. I know that Eartha and Barbara became good friends. She was also our favorite "Guest Honorary Ringmistress" in 1978 on the Blue show while we played the Garden. Fond and sweet memories. I have pictures as I am sure B&B do, of our kiddos playing with Eartha in their dressing room and on the train. God bless Eartha and family. Karen

RBBB 1978 #2

Scan11118, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. That Dick Fick was a chick magnet!

Christmas 2008 #1

Christmas 2008 040, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. The boys smiles will soon turn to disappointment as they were led to believe that they would receive some sort of Rock Concert instruments that plug into a Play Station? Unaware that these have been stashed at their Aunt Dalilah's place where we are bound for shortly for Christma dinner.

Christmas 2008 #2

Christmas 2008 044, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. Father Time at left has enjoyed 73 of these events.

Antique Christmas (From Eric Beheim)

antique Christmas, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. Wishing everyone a merry Christmas as well as a prosperous and productive 2009 (and another great year’s worth of visits to Buckles’ Blog!) Eric

From the Covingtons

Scan11114, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

From the Rikers!

Scan11116, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

From Ron Jarvis

scan, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. Wishing you, your family, and the entire Buckle's Blog world a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, Jamm'n Kwanza, scintillating Saint Swithens Day, and above all good health and good luck for the new Year! Bless the circus and all that have lived it! Clownron

Joyeux Noel (08)

Joyeux Noel (08), originally uploaded by bucklesw1.