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!
The Statler Brothers were booked so we'll have to do this without sound. Here are some things from the files of, "THE GIBTOWN DIME'S STORE". How many do you remember?
The Luvas Sisters, Trudy & Struppi,(a very early photo of this great duo.)
The Mascots Balancing Act
The Berosini's Risley Act
Ivan & Clifford "Hap" Henry's Chimp Act
The Arrigonis, all girl Cradle Act
posted by 24-HOUR-MAN | 8:43 PM
13 Comments:
I knew that was the LUVAS act!!!
Just look at that perfect style!!! Not a body part out of place. To me this is perfection. Trudy trained her well.
On Miller-Johnson, I was a triple threat as Performance Director/Announcer/Lion Trainer. Germaine gave me a stack of contracts, from which I had to allow for billing, costumes changes,and a little temperament, and program the menu. Ivan Henry gave me my best lines in the show, with a running dialog for his chimps. He must have liked my work, as when my son was born, Ivan whipped out a hundred-dollar bill for his first crib. I last saw Ivan in November, 1975, when he sold trailers in Wichita, Kansas. Anyone know where he is today?
My grandmother is turning 93 this month. She was a great teacher. Her vision was not only great tricks, but form, and the choreography of a routine.
The best thing, the choreography didn't overcome the routine, I think so many acts today are choreographed to death.
Tavana,
please tell your Grandmother Happy Birthday for me....
we go back many many years....
The Donnie Johnson flying act had some stylish choreography on the board between tricks. Not overwhelming, just some nice flash, in contrast to some acts I've seen up there picking their noses and scratching themselves before going across about 4 times.
I told my folks that The Luvas Sisters had a picture on the blog and they said Trude loves to hear from all her friends, so if you want to send her a birthday card:
Trude Luvas
15330 FM 421
Kountze,Tx.77625
Thank you!
The picture of the Henry's is of Ivan & Clifford Henry. I know because my dad Max Craig & Clifford grew up together on the Henry show. The stories those two could tell on each other when they were kids were unbelievable!
Is that you Candra, in more questioning on identities, some one came up with the nickname "Hap", they knew the boys as Glenn, Bum, Todd, & Hap, it is a fact that we know many people all our lives & never know their real names. How is your mom, I haven't heard for a while and am almost afraid to ask about anyone.
I never knew "OKIE'S" real name until I visited Carson and Barnes the year before he died. I told him I was imbarest to ask, but what is your name? He told me DONALD CARR. The first time I saw it in print was on his tombstone in Hugo. I traveled across the country doing winter dates when he drove the semi and was my cage boy for the leopard act and never knew his name. Just another reason I blog so much. Never lose contact with the people you had adventures with good or bad.
Every time I see the Arigonis I think of this story. There was a 4 person Cradle Act on Vargas with us, & one day the guy who was the cradle bearer proudly, said to me, "I bet you never saw anyone hold three people in a cradle act before"! I replied, "yes I have, and as a matter of fact, it was a woman". Instant ego buster!!!!
Bill:
"Instant ego buster!!!!" I bet it was! By the way, you made me wonder why modern lady performers do not attempt acts with the caliper of their grandmothers’ generation. If one compares clips of acts from way back in the day to modern acts, we will see a sharp decline in the difficulty of the tricks. Is that because times were much harder then and people had a better work ethic? I mean they had to push the envelope to be able to get booking and keep their families fed. Or, is it because they wanted to have unique acts that no one can replicate? Please give me your on the subject.
Mic
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