FACES # 4
The Alberto Zoppe "Bareback" Riding Troupe, Hamid-Morton Circus, Kasas City Mo, 1954. Left to Right are, Joanie Letty,(later married Billy Valentine), Annie Robbins Edleson,(Willie's wife), Antoinette,(now married to Ray McMahon), Sandy ?, Penny Wilson,(later married to Micky Rodriguez), & Bea Konyot,(later married to Walker Dick,originator of "The All American Boys" Trampoline Troupe). On horse back are Jackie Bostock, & Alberto Zoppe holding Cucciolo.
posted by 24-HOUR-MAN | 11:24 AM
9 Comments:
Bill,
Is this the same Walker Dick who was an early angel to Pat Anthony's wild animal act?
I don't know about that, but I understand he was a wealhy man.
I had always heard rumors that Pat was always smart enough to owe a producer some money at the end of the season, assuring him a contract for the next year.
WALTER DICK: And His All-American Boys - That should ring a bell with some of the oldtimers. Walker from the Huntington, WV (thats a story in itself) area. I believe he worked the BILL KAYE dates..Would close the Kaye season out and then come over and work Jim Hetzer dates. Jim and sister Hazel who was later murdered in her Huntington home ran James E. Hetzer International Circus. Jim passed on to big lot in the mid 80's. Maybe some of you will remember the ice skater on the elephants head that Bobby Gibbs presented...That was a Jim Hetzer production....... Walker would rig Jim's show in buildings like Clarksburg, Fairmont, Beckely, Morgantown, Wheeling, WV, Huntington and the KY dates. I did alot of marketing for Jim's WV towns...The year (1980's) I put the money together for the Dairymart Circus produced by Jim Hetzer in Morgantown featuring the Diano bulls with Big Tommy, Delilah Wallenda, Hansens, Kathy Hetzer Rogers just to name a few acts, Walker set the show in. Walker has two daughters presently living in and around Sarasota. One of his granddaughters travels worldwide with various broadway show companies. Bea (Walker) Konyot still resides in Sarasota. Kathy Hetzer carries on the Hetzer name in the Dallas, TX area...
Mentioning the ice skater on top of a Gibbs elephant -that was on a ice show/ circus the Hetzer put together for an Oxydol detergent promotion. It was a big show with Cuneo's bears and horse review, Pat Anthony, and the Valentine flying act among others. It didn't last too long, few dates in the Midwest but it looked good. Don't think Oxydol's around either
Re: The All american Boys, We all competed in amatuer Gymnastics at the same time, I remember in a Tri-State meet in Huntington, about '51, on the Trampoline, they took 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, I tied with one for 5th, and they took everything else down thru 10th. I did manage a Silver in tumbling, which in that time was done in straight line. I think we also lost our amatuer standing about the same time too, I know they were on Hamid-Morton in '54, when I worked Washington DC for LaBlondes Aerial Bar Act. One of the boys had a fondness for Pineapple pie w/ Chocalate ice cream.
Re: Jim Hetzer, one of the finest men I ever met, we worked so many Christmas Shows for him we finally Wintered in Huntington.
The weekend Jim Hetzer passed away I was in Chillicothe, OH visiting David Rawls and Kelly-Miller ...Jim and I had a telephone conversation, I believe on Friday. I was living in Morgantown, WV at the time...I mention to Jim about driving up to Chillicothe from Huntington, WV and we would meet for the weekend in Chillicothe on the Kelly-Miller Show. Jim said, "how about coming and pick me up." I told Jim it was just to far..during our conversation he mention about not feeling well...I said Jim "I don't want anything to happen to you because I'm still doing my OJT under you and have a lot to learn." He passed away that weekend.....I miss that man to this day. I think like Tommy Hanneford we all have our Jim Hetzer stories.
the unknown person in the picture is Ruggera Zoppe, Alberto's sister
Married to Fritz Lauber
Anonymous,,,,
THANK YOU MUCH!!!!
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