HOWDY, MY NAME IS BILL STRONG, I'LL BE YOUR "24 HOUR MAN", ROUTING YOU INTO THE PAST TO SEE WHAT THE CIRCUS WAS IN DAYS GONE BY. IF YOU'RE LIKE ME, AND MISS WHAT IT USED TO BE, THEN COME ON ALONG AS WE GO DOWN THE ROAD FOLLOWING THE ARROWS BACKWARDS, TO "YESTERDAY'S TOWNS"! IF YOU HAVE CIRCUS RELATED PICTURES YOU WOULD LIKE POSTED, SEND THEM TO,,,,yesterday1@verizon.net,,,,AND WE WILL TRY TO FIT THEM IN. "24 HOUR MAN" WILL HAVE THE FINAL DECISION ON POSTING.
Three years at CWM made me a real traditionalist, and I keep remembering Bob Parkinson saying, "I want the people to see what the circus used to be, not what it is today. That's what this site is about!
This was a beautiful combination from the Hawthorn Corp., 8 White Shepherd Dogs, 8 Spotted Leopards, a Black Leopard, & a Zebra, all presented by a lovely lady, in fact three of them over a period of time. First is Pat Jamison, with a nice panorama,(one of my early stitching efforts); & with the Zebra, Eloise Berchtold, with several tricks, & and the only picture I could find of Rebecca Apponey.
posted by 24-HOUR-MAN | 10:25 AM
8 Comments:
Thanks Jim. The only professional picture of my presenting the WILD ANIMAL FANTASY is on the xmas card the Millers put on their xmas card in 60 or 61. It is also the only picture of the CHARGING leopard "JOJO" that was a part of this act. Leopards do not charge, they go for the kill. The trick could be appreciated by trainers. It just appeared natural to the audiance. I might add that these animals all had the parts they were born with.
THAT'S REBECCA APPONEY?!?
Whoa.
~P
Thanks Bill for posting these photo's. I've heard about this act for years from my time working for Mr. Cuneo to present, but this is the first time I've seen these. As a leopard fan and favorite cat to work with, this is very impressive.
I believe this was the first effort by John and Eloise as a couple in producing a major wild animal act with Eloise being its first presenter. Eloise would be the first to admit that was not a gorgeous sex pot type but when she did get out of the coveralls, put on the wig and some of that beautiful wardrobe she looked pretty good. It certainly was a beautiful well trained act. I do know that the leopard act of Gunther left alot to be desired and am sure that the Felds and Gunther were glad to get it sold to Mexico just as soon as the gracefully could. We know that John and Eloise have marched to the beat of their own drummers good, bad or indifferent but both have had a trmendous input in animal acts over the years.
Just to show what a wonderful training job ELOISE did with this act, I was showing the act to the HUGO crowd in a garage that first winter. JOJO was doing the charge and my hair got tangled in the whip. I just sat on the floor and fixed it while JOJO waited for me to get up and resume the act. God protects idots and dumb young girls. DR,, OKIE came apart even JC got a look on his face. I did not know at that time that the person DR bought the act to work had got mauled pretty good. Thats why DR had to hire me. I never got a scratch the whole time I presented the act. Eloise and I had some good laughs over the years. Girley stuff. Eloise always looked very nice in a dress when we went to dinner. Not too many people got to see that side of her. I miss her more then you will ever know. I played the same drum and always will.
Its interesting to see the great pictures of this act in its glory days but also what happened to it. I heard Mr. Miller sold it to Mexico and I wonder why? Did you go there with it. Were you its last presenter? Was the act a full complement of its original group.Was the person that was mauled a cat person or somebody Miller just threw in to work the act. What were your credentials in taking over this sophisticated act?Thanks, it would be interesting to hear the rest of the story.
I had no idea this act went to Mexico until Buckles sent me pictures this last year. I really have and never did have circus credentials to perform before the public. I was on the outside looking in and happened to be there when someone was needed to help out a friend. Eloise was my influence with animals and I still use things she taught me to this day. I have always loved training and still do it on a much smaller scale and with house pets. There are many many people on the circus that you never read or hear about. Without them the show would not go on. I already stated that I knew this act outside the arena to the last detail before I ever went inside the arena. Eloise had the animals so well trained that all I had to do was be in the right place and know the right cues. I never knew the politics behind the circus until it was all over.
Since I commented on the charging leopard, it has been on my mind that it may have been "BONJO" 45 years is a long time to remember that far back. Don't have that once great memory.
Post a Comment
<< Home