SNAPSHOT: SIT UP HIGH

I'll start out admitting to a reasonable amount of predjudice. Someone once said to me, "you really don't need that many Tigers in an act", all I can say is my own feelings, that once you've watched 14 of them sitting up, it's pretty hard to watch 4 or 5 do it. I'm not saying that to put anyone down, I fully understand, the logistics of having, or not having this many animals in an act. This of course is my wife Trudy presenting the Hawthorn Gold Tigers, on Ed Migley's show in 1992. The photo is by Jim Cole. And if anyone is counting we just leaped forward in time 63 years!!!!

HOW OLD IS THAT GAG????

While on circus Krone, in 1999, I watched The Jose Mitchell Trio, musical clowns, tear the house down doing a gag with a funnel, & a bucket of water, and I'm sure they are still doing the gag today. Here is a young clown by the name of Dime Wilson, with his father Gil,(left)& an unidentified clown, on Sells-Floto in 1929, and guess what gag they are doing. That's 77 years ago & I'll bet on it being older than that.

TIME MACHINE

If anyone remembers the TV show "Quantum Leap", you'll recall that every once in a while, Dean Stockwell would show up with a little machine in his hand, and he would push some buttons, and change times. This is my version, it works like this, I punch in the year I'm in, then punch the year I want to go to, & "SHAZAM", it tells me exactly how many years I have to go to get there. For example we were last at Tony Diano's, in 1954, and I want to go to Gentry Bros. Dog & Pony Show in 1921, so I punch in 1954-1921, and here we are 33 years back in time, with a young Dime Wilson holding the reins on a 4 up pony hitch, pulling a Caliope Wagon.

SNAPSHOTS: DIANO'S DIAMOND O RANCH

In the Summer of 1954, on their way to Toronto, for The Canadian National Exhibition, (a little name dropping there) Glen Martin & Co., aka George Hubler, & myself, stopped off at Tony Diano's place to visit with Smokey Jones. What a beautiful sight looking across the valley at that farm. Smokey was busy trying to put a routine together with a Hippo, & a Rhino, at Tony's request, I don't know how far he got with it. Being still pretty much a "first of May" I was quite in awe of the whole thing.

BLOWDOWN

I've been talking about this blowdown for a while so it's about time I put up some photos. These are the best three of six that I have, the others are pretty dark, and my enhancing capabilities are limited. I have been unsucessful at finding out where, when, or who, I believe they are late '20's, or early '30's.

SNAPSHOTS: TWO GENERATIONS

Here are two photos of 2 generations of the Luvas Family, spanning over 60 years. The first is "Pete & Petrova", (Peter & Isabel), on The Gil Gray Circus, in 1963. The next photo is their daughter Tavana, at her retirement in Evansville, Ind. on the Paul Kay produced, Hadi Temple Shrine Circus in 2005.

MYSTERY SOLVED: I THINK

Good morning Mr. Elliott, I found another picture of Downie Bros. on the same lot. Note in the top picture , as before the men to the right sewing canvas, now look at the bottom picture at the same men, this time to the left. Also on the right of that picture is a portion of the big top, obviously, the 3 pole top is the sideshow. This whole thing seems to be during set up.

SNAPSHOT: GALA SHAWN

When they talk about best Head Balancing Trapeze Acts, this gal gets my vote, she could sleep, standing on her head, on a swinging trapeze bar. The girls in their skimpy costumes think they are sexy, Gala Shawn was sexy. When she entered the ring, wearing a, "one piece" costume, with a Mink Stole over her shoulders, she could melt a block of ice. This is on Paul Kay & Ralph Yampuku's International 3 Ring Circus, Honolulu, 1974.

FROM THE TOP OF A HILL # 1

Did you ever sit on the top of a hill looking down at the show sitting on the lot, and realize how lucky you were to be there, doing something most people only dream of. And on the other side I have always thought it a shame that kids who grew up in the business never really felt what it was like to go to the Circus. I was a towner till I was 18 so I was really fortunate to experience both sides. This is Downie Bros. Circus, 1928.

FROM THE TOP OF A HILL #2

This is Wallace Bros. Circus 1942

FROM THE TOP OF A HILL # 3

This photo is a bit of a mystery, it is Downie Bros. Circus in 1928. If you look closely you can count 3 center poles, Downie had a 4 pole top, now if you look on the right side you'll see a group of people who appear to be sewing canvas. Not far from the location of this photo in the family album were several shots of a big top that had obviously been blown down. So far I've found no evidence that they had a blowdown that year, but.????

FROM THE TOP OF A HILL # 4

I know this photo is a rehash, but I thought it sort of fit the subject

SNAPSHOT: EDDIE ZACCHINI

WOW!!!! What can I say about this guy, what can I say about this family. I will say, again, no I didn't get in this business too late, I made it just in time, I knew, and worked with The Zacchini Family. I heard Eddie passed away on the dance floor on a Cruise Ship, knowing him, it couldn't have been any better than that. This is the Kool-Aid Circus, in Peoria IL. 1978, L to R Kathy Killinger, Jack Cook, Rene Giraldo, Me, (Bill Strong), and of course smiling for the camera Eddie Zacchini.

SLIPPIN BACK IN TIME TO ROGERS BROS.

We're going back 23 years to visit a little bit with Rogers Bros. Circus, in, 1951. First we see Jim Conway on his horse Sugar boy, and then the Rogers Bros. Clowns, I see Dime Wilson, kneeling in front of Connie Wilson, and pleading his case with Peggy Sylvester. Unfortunately I do not recognize any others.

ROGERS BROS. AERIAL BALLET, 1951

Or as Lou Regan would say, "The Milk Maid's Follies", L to R, Penny Wilson, Mary Carlton, Jackie Toliver, Pauline Penny, Eva Saunders, "Young" Jackie Toliver,(daughter of Skinny Goe, & Jackie Toliver), Loula Saunders, & Olga Saunders.

ROGERS BROS SWINGING LADDER GIRLS

The girls left to right are, Eva Saunders, Olga Saunders, Loula Saunders, "Young" Jackie Tolliver, & Penny Wilson.
A little side story, on US Route 68 north of Xenia Ohio, there is a little wide place in the road known as Goes Station, it is named after Skinny's family.

Penny Wilson on Rogers Bros. 1951

Penny covered a lot of territory on Rogers Bros. here she is as Majorette ready to lead spec, practicing in the backyard with The Anchia Bros., working with the Elephants, Shirley, Mary, & Judy, (also shown here is handler Sweetpea), and doing Web, & Swinging Ladder, above.

BLOWDOWN

I don't have an exact date on this, but it was in Alexandria La. in 1951.

QUASSAR'S QUIZ

The boy on the left was a young clown, and is now an Award Winning Director of Documentary Films, the girl in the center did a Knockabout Act with her father and is now a very sucessful Hollywood Stunt Person & Stunt Coordinator, & the girl on the right did a 2 People Teeterboard Act with her father, works Roman Rings, and also does Stunt Work. This photo was taken in 1974.

SNAPSHOT: THE RONALD McDONALD CIRCUS

This is the Class of '82, the Premiere Edition of Frank Curry's Ronald McDonald Circus in Quebec, Canada. In the center, in his Ringmaster wardrobe is Frank Curry, moving left is Cindy Morris, Lou Ann Jacobs, Lilliana, & Trudy Strong. Second from the left in a yellow T shirt is "Camel" John Rouche, behind Trudy are, Wayne Laleika, myself, & Svend Cristiansen. Holding the flag, I believe, is Max Bokara, in the red jacket back row is Rex Horton, next to him is Bill Morris, I think the band was David Killinger. Standing on the right in black is Pancho Magana, on crutches in the middle is Rex's brother, & next to him is Zemudio who took his place when he broke his leg in the wire act.

HORSE RETIREMENT HOME

Through the years I've had many an AR person ask me,sarcastically, "what do you do with the animals when you can't make money with them anymore". Here's what happens to them on Circus Krone, they are exiled to this place and forced to live a life of luxury, where they have nice box stalls to stay warm, & dry, an outside paddock, an indoor arena where they are exercised daily, feed , water, and green pastures on Krone's 24 acre farm outside of Munich.

KRONE ON TOUR

Here are a couple aerial views of the Circus Krone lot on the road, the bottom photo is in Hamburg in 1999 which was the closing spot for Trudy & I, the other lot is not familiar to me. I'll never forget Hamburg, about 6:30 in the morning we were wakened by someone pounding on the trailer yelling "tiegern aus", I'm sure I don't really have to translate that. I found one of them in the exotic pen chasing Zebras, & Trudy found the other behind the horse tent. To make a long story short we managed to get them put away, one zebra had some small scratches on a hind leg but nothing serious happened.

CIRCUS KRONE WINTER QUARTERS, MUNICH GERMANY

I get a lot of questions about the Krone Winter Quarters so we're going to do a tour of the facility, which by the way is in the middle of the city just a few blocks from downtown Munich. Starting with an aerial view of the whole compound, #1 is the Circus Building, a side note, this building was completely desroyed by Allied Bombers in December, 1944. The animals had been evacuated to the Krone Farm outside of Munich, oddly there was no damage to the surrounding Krone Buildings. #2 is the entrance to the Circus Bldg.; #3 The Krone Home & Offices; #4 Personel apartments; the small bldg between 2 & 4 is the Heating Plant for the entire facility; #5 has a small riding arena on the ground floor which is also the stging area for performances, this bldg. also house dressing rooms, a ballet hall & wardobe Depts.; #6 indoor practice ring; #7 Feed Barn; #8 Horse & Pony barn; #9 Exotic Animals; #10 Elephants; #11 Wild Animal Barn. Directly across the street are the Workshops, Trailer Parking, & parking lot.

KRONE CIRCUS BUILDING

This is the building where three seperate month long Circus Krone Winter Programs are presented, it is also used to present Musical Shows when Krone is on the road. The present building was built in 1962, and seats 3000 people, and is the third building to to house Circus Krone on this site. Inside the front of the bldg is a foyer & a cafe.

FRONT VIEW OF KRONE WINTER QUARTERS

This is a view across the front of the Winter Quarters with the Personel Apt. Bldg, on the right, & the Krone House in the background, the Circus Building is set back between the two.

HORSE BARN

The Pony & Horse Barn runs the whole distance between the two corner buildings, on the first floor, and lower floor. I have to explain here that the first floor in many bldgs, here is raised above ground level, the square windows you see along the sidewalk look into the lower floor. The corner bldg. has personel apartments above, and cookhouse kitchen, showers, & some sleeping accomodations below. As far as having animals in the connecting building, they are seperated & sealed off, and there is no smell, and you would never guess they were there.

FEED & HAY STORAGE

The bottom floor of this corner bldg. is for feed & hay, the upper floor is used for storage, in fact our traveling cages spent 6 years there, we never saw them from the time we moved the Tigers into the Krone Wagons, till it was time to leave. In fact when we went to the airport in Hamburg the cages were there waiting for us inside a big building, and the Cage Wagons were driven into it for complete privacy.

RAUPTIERHALLE (WILD ANIMAL HALL)

The center part of this building houses Lions, & Tigers, & Bears, (OH MY!),(I couldn't resist it). Oddly enough, if there is a large visiting Horse Act in the Winter Program, their box stalls are lined down one side of the bldg. opposite the Cat cages. it never seems to cause any problem. A little side story, while we were in the plane with the Tigers over the Atlantic, the roof of this bldg. was engulfed in flames, fortunately they were able to get the empty Tiger wagons out and the damage was limited to this hall and did not spread to the hay barn, or the apartments on the far end.

BACK ENTRANCE TO WILD ANIMAL BARNS

This view is looking down Circus Krone Street at the outside of the Elephant, & Exotic Animal barns, there is a drive in door about half way down that leads between the two into the compound. The big door here is the one used to get the empty Tiger Cage Wagons out of the burning building. The 2nd floor of this bldg. also has personel apartments.

KRONE HOUSE& OFFICES

Finishing back at the front of the complex is the building that cotains the Circus Krone offices, and family living space. The side door leads to the offices that occupy the front of the first floor, there is a swimming pool in the basement, and much of top floor is a party room with dance floor, bar, & kitchen. Just over the SUV you can see a statue of Clown Charlie Rivel, this was donated to the city of Munich, & not knowing where to display it they asked permission to place it here by the entrance of Circus Krone.

75 YEARS BACK DOWN THE ROAD

From Evansville, IN.,2003 we're going all the way back to 1928 to see some more of Downie Bros. street parade, these parades were a great advertising for all the old time Big Top Circuses, and you couldn't help but know there was a Circus in town.

MAKING THE NUT AGAIN

Looks like a straw house for this show, maybe we'll make enough to get out of town.
This is one of the things the street parades helped bring about, along with lots of paper all over town. I'll bet back then you never heard anyone say, "I didn't know there was a circus in town". Downie Bros. 1928.

SNAPSHOT:EVANSVILLE 2003

Time flies, here we are 19 years later at what has become the premiere Indoor date in the country, Evansville's Hadi Temple Shrine Circus, a backyard snapshot of the Wilson Sisters, Trudy on the left, Joanne on the right, and Joanne's lovely daughter Kim Sue in the center. The little guy down front is Joanne's 24" Pony, "Baby Huey"

SNAPSHOT: CWM-- 1984

"A Rose Among Thorns", on the hills above The Beautiful Baraboo River. This is looking out the back door of the Circus World Museum Big Top, when it was up by the old Library, (in background). This is Ringmaster, Peter Sturgis, Trudy Strong, & Jim "Happy The Clown" Williams.

PATRICIA ON CIRCUS KRONE

This is Patricia Zerbini presenting the Krone Elephants in the Dec, '98-Jan. '99 Winter Program, if the shows elephants appear in more than one Winter Program, they must do a different routine. Banda Vidane once told me, in his many years with Krone, he had done 4o different routines.

EXTRA EXTRA COLONEL JOE

I thought I saw something about the whereabouts of Col. Joe so I decided to run this for Darlene, if she's looking. Col. Joe, (who still belongs to Roland Kaiser) is now in Germany, with Circus Krone, which is Europes largest & most prestigious show. They take super care of their animals, and have fantastic facilities, both on the road and in their Winter Quarters in Munich, and are capable of showcasing him the way he deserves. These are some scans I lifted from Krone programs, 2 of them from 1996, and the T mount from 2005.