SNAPSHOT:CIRCUS VARGAS 1987

Here is a snapshot of Billy Baker & Trudy with their Liberty Horses on Circus Vargas in 1987, we were there two years and Trudy enjoyed it, Billy was easy to work with, and always a gentleman in the ring, starting and finishing by bowing to Trudy.

RONALD McDONALD CIRCUS 1982

That's Svend Kristensen peeking out of the back of the Leopard truck, he's probably cleaning, they were always cleaning!

SNAPSHOT: THE KRISTENSENS, LILY & SVEND 1980

When they have the contest for "The Finest People You Ever Met", here are two more front runners, and talented to boot!!!!

THE GARY MOORE TV AWARDS

Here's another one from Eva Williams. I remember when Gary Moore did the TV Awards Show in Sarasota, but I don't remember when he did it,(that doesn't make sense), maybe someone out there can come up with a year. The people in this photo I recognize are, Harold Alzana, Eva Williams, Jose Palacio, Gary Moore. Struppi Hanneford, & Karla Wallenda.

SNAPSHOT: GIL GRAY CIRCUS AERIAL BALLET 1961

Someone asked once what sort of rigging Gil Gray had for The Aerial Ballet outdoors, well here it finally is, it consisted of six sets of 30' uprights not all visible here, and a seventh rigging in the center belonging to the feature act. Webs & or ladders were hung inside of, & between the the uprights, except none were attatched to the feature rigging. This year,(1961) there were three acts, Trudy worked Single Trapeze in the center, and was flanked on each side by webs, and Head Balancing Traps done by Oreste, & Peppo Canestrelli. The theme was "Deep Purple".

SNAPSHOT: GIL GRAY CIRCUS EARLY 1963

Here is Betty Carden on one of the beautiful Gil Gray Spec Floats,(driven by Horse Trainer Wayne Newman). Betty was as many know, was the wife of Larry Carden,( Gray Show Concession Mgr), and Mother of George Carden. Both Larry & George later became producers of their own shows.

SNAPSHOT: GIL GRAY CIRCUS 1960

This is Miss Judy Jacobs, ready to present the Gil Gray Pony Drill.

SNAPSHOT:GIL GRAY CIRCUS 1950's

This is Shelby (Jack) Jackson, and this snapshot could be any where from the mid to late'50's. I know I had a chance to go on the Gray Show in '55, and work Aerial Bars with Shelby & Pablo Rodriguez, instead I went to Pollack Eastern for Harold Voise, which proved to be a mistake.This particular trick starts with the guy sitting in a chair with his feet propped up, reading a newspaper, one of the other membersof the act pulls the chair out and the result is what you see here.

SNAPSHOT: GIL GRAY CIRCUS

Here's another one of those Plunketts, Cleo was Ringmaster with the Gray Show till it went off the road, I remember him throwing a bucket of water at one of the clowns during the Fire House Gag, man did he pay dearly for that. Gil Gray looked out on the field one show and saw Cleo being chased by the whole clown alley, each with a bucket of water. After the Gray Show, he went to Hubert Castle.

THE FLYING ZACCHINIS 1948 or 1951

We go now, all the way back to 1951 and possibly to 1948 to St Paul, for the Minnesota State Fair, Hugo Zacchini, who supplied these photos said they did the Flying Act there both years. Here are top to bottom, Eddie's long time Catcher, George Alvarez, Eddie Zacchini, & Eddie's Sister Duina.

THE FLYING ZACCHINIS #2

In the top photo we see Duina executing a Seat Roll, it seems to me to be harder than it looks because the flyer, sitting on the fly bar revolves backward at the the last minute losing sight of the catcher.
In the bottom photo is a very impressive Half Turn, great height, & position, just hanging there waiting for the bar.

THE FLYING ZACCHINIS #3

I heard an announcer introduce this trick as, "The ever dangerous & difficult Passing Leap, two flyers passing in mid-air, simultaneously at the same time"! The amazing thing to me is no matter how many times audiences have seen this done, it never fails to bring gasps. Here is Eddie doing a forward somersault over his sister Duina.

LONG AGO ON A FARAWAY PLANET

Back in '79 Trudy & I were working a Robot Theft Detail on Planet Atayde, in the Mexico Galaxy, we were patrolling on our Magnetic Hover Saucer when we came under fire from a Hostile Alien.

RETURNED FIRE

I returned fire, my first shot missed, but it knocked the Alien off balance making him miss his next shot, my next shot hit it's mark, scratch one bad guy!!!!

ESCAPE TO SAFETY

After dispatching the Villainous Alien and assuming there were more of his Ilk in the vicinity, I called in our Radio Controlled Shuttle, with the Escape Ropes deployed, we grabbed on and were whisked out of Danger to the Mother Ship waiting aloft.

KRONE KORNER: SUZANNE CHIPPERFIELD & JANA MANDAN

They're not only talented, they are lovely too, Suzanne & Jana are dressed for their High School Horse Act, riding a matched pair of beautiful stallions.

KRONE KORNER: MIXED ANIMAL ACT

Here is the talented Jana Mandana again, presenting her Camels & Zebras, she also works Liberty Horses, rides High School Horses, & works the Elephants.

KRONE KORNER: SYLVIA SCHICKLER

As far as I know Sylvia is the only one of the renowned Three Schickler Sisters still active, they were famous throughout Europe for their High School Horse Act.

KRONE KORNER: EXTRA! EXTRA!

Although she didn't work the season, she was a big hit in the Winter program, working the James Clubb Chipperfield Mixed Act with John Illig. You should recognize her from her many years with Carson-Barnes, Pat White.

SNAPSHOT: JOHN HERRIOTT

Once in a while you see a man, and you know he is where he belongs, such is the case with John Herriott, seen here working Ian Garden's Welsh Ponies.

SNAPSHOT: HOXIE BROS 1970

Here are Rex & Eva 36 years ago, who needs a time machine to go to the future when time itself travels too fast, what we really need is just a piece of the past, no matter how small.

MEMORIES: HOXIE BROS. CIRCUS 1968

Here's a pair! Hoxie Tucker & Dime Wilson, when Dime first went on Hoxie Bros. he noticed there was no Color Book Pitch, he asked Tucker why & he said he didn't want to take the butchers off their regular items for it. Dime said how about I do it and split with you, Tucker said, go ahead if you want but you don't have to give me anything. After watching Dime sell books for a couple days, and seeing how they sell, he came to Dime and said,"Say Dime, about those Coloring Books"! Tucker was another one of my favorite people, even if he didn't like my rain dance.

QUASSAR'S QUIZ: TWO CHANCES AT THIS ONE

The top picture of this young lady as a performer in 1940 on Bud E. Anderson Circus, then we see her 30 odd years later with Trudy & Paul Kaye, at a "home from Hawaii" party,(any excuse for a party), at Paul's house. She was from a well known Mexican circus family.

SNAPSHOT: CLYDE BEATTY-COLE BROS. CIRCUS

On opening day in 1978, at Fort Walton Beach, Florida, The Clyde Beatty- Cole Bros. Circus looked like this!!!!

A CLASS ACT: THE GEORGIANS #1

A "Class Act" doesn't really do justice to the description of this act, it was Pure Class from start to finish, from their publicity photos, to their Roman Chariot Entrance on the track, to entering the ring, everything was "Finesse". George & Vicky Hanneford, as "THE GEORGIANS"

A CLASS ACT: THE GEORGIANS #2

After a great trapeze routine by Vicky on the shoulder perch, George would go to the back of the ring get the Bullwhip and roll a globe to the center of the ring, a crack of the whip and the globe would open, & out would come Kay Francis, or later on Dianne. The finish trick was a double revolve by the two girls. I don't care how corny it sounds, "they just don't make 'em like that any more"!!!!

SNAPSHOTS: FROM EVA WILLIAMS #1

This is a great shot of the Coronas High Wire Act on the stage at Kennywood Park in 1957, this had to be one of the most extraordinary settings for Aerial Acts in the country. I for one miss the parks as they were in those days, much more intimate, and much more comfortable.
Next is a family portrait with Eva, her Father, her Mother holding George, Jana, & Mathias, in front is Charles kneeling beside Serge, also on the Kennywood stage.

SNAPSHOTS: FROM EVA WILLIAMS #2

This is Eva's Uncle Mathias, & Aunt Hedy, in 1943, he left the business quite a few years ago. He passed away in 2002 and is buried in The Czech Republic. He was very friendly & respectful to me when I was was a youngster, and I never forgot it.

BEATTY-COLE BLOWDOWN 1964

Come to think of it, tne Beatty Show Arena, seen here bottom left, didn't fair to good in this blowdown, of course it got hit by a little bigger tent. Photos from Eva Williams.

ROLLA MO. BLOWDOWN #1

I'm going to do a little copy-cattin here, since the subject of blowdowns has come up, I've never been in a big one but this was enough for me.
When we arrived on the Ozark Jubilee lot, we discovered the tent they had for the Tiger Act was the kind they use over the office wagons on a carnival. It was 13' high & the stakes were driven 3' out from the bottom of the poles. We convinced them that at least move the the stakes out, we had lots of help so we unloaded the Tigers, took care of them, and went ahead & set the arena. We were getting ready to line up the cages when the wind came and you can see the results here.

ROLLA MO. BLOWDOWN #2

Trudy was inside when the tent came down but luckily since the shifting cages weren't lined up yet she stayed between them & didn't get hit by anything.

ROLLA MO. BLOWDOWN #3

As you can see here it did a pretty good number on many of the arena sections, that's about the only time I would have liked to have that old Beatty arena. Iremember them laying those sections down, & 4 guys carrying them.

ROLLA MO. BLOWDOWN #4

Fortunately the gentleman who staged The Ozark Jubilee, also owned the Antique Car Museum you pass at the Rolla exit on I 40, and his boys were pretty good at working with metal. They brought torches, welders & tools right to the spot & by the next day we were ready to go.

AMENDMENT: TOGARE BERTRAM MILLS 1935

I wish I had remembered having this in my files, I would have sent it to Buckles when I saw the "Bare Chested Animal Trainers", it would have fit in. So, if we can manage to get a 2/3 Majority Vote from the House & Senate , get by without a Veto, and then get it through the Supreme Court, here is an Amendment to that Post.

SNAPSHOTS: LOS ARGENTINAS

Here are Luis, & Tina Munoz who did a great Perch Act, I could never figure out the name Argentinas, I believe they were from Chile??

SNAPSHOT:RONALD McDONALD CIRCUS 1982

WHAT???? No place in the dressing room for the Boss!!!! This is Frank Curry on the Premiere Edition of his Ronald McDonald Circus, in Quebec, 1982. I believe that's Bill Morris' Cora looking on.

GIL GRAY SPEC 1960 HAPPY HOLIDAYS #1

The spec on the Gil Gray Circus in 1960 was "Happy Holidays" with each float representing a different Holiday, which the show carried on two semi trailers, Karli Peterson's Stock Dept. was responsible for loading & unloading the floats, as well as getting them ready for spec. This first photo is Gene Randow & bicyclist Richard Sidney sitting on the St Patrick's Float, discussing what's wrong with the circus business. I guess we really didn't know how good it was!!!!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS #2

This is Linda Wilson, & Jeannie Regan who were part of the Valentines Day section.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS #3

The top photo shows Trudy beside the Easter Float with Harold Simmons as the Easter Bunny, & Ruby Landrus as the Baby Easter Egg Chick. Next is Ruby waiting to don the chick head, then Trudy & Joanne, then Judy Jacobs, Trudy, & Eva Corona.