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!
NOW MR. LEE, I KNOW YOU KNOW THIS ONE, SO DON'T BE LETTIN' THE MONKEY OUT OF THE BAG RIGHT OFF! 
EXTRA!
This is Al Antonucci's daughter.
posted by 24-HOUR-MAN | 5:48 PM
26 Comments:
he... must...be...greek....
to...me..he...sure...look...like...
one....lol...
My mouth is sealed. I chall not talk about monkey business, but I will sneek-out' that they where very nice people.
alls quiet here too! Mr.Lee
al antonucci's chimp act. the picture might be from a Polack Bros program, circa 1950s.
al antonucci's chimp act. the picture might be from a Polack Bros program, circa 1950s.
Lee Stevens, I've been under the weather lately...I just found out that you and I are the same age.
Does Metamucil come in hazelnut?
Does the McDonalds in Florida have 25 cent old fogie coffee?
I thought I was getting older when my age was higher than my blood pressure.
lol lol lol...Mr.Lee
One of the reasons I knew Lee could guess this one is because he used to live on the street behind us, on a property was formerly Al Antonucci's home. It now belongs to Ervin Hall.
By the way it is directly across the street from the house of the late Scott Taylor which is now owned by Joanne Wilson, who rents it out as a vacation rental appropriately named "Scott's House".
Mike: Someone told me, "You're not getting older, you're getting better", I hope I don't get too much better, I won't be able to get out of bed!!!!
What' a laugh I am having' reading the 24 hr-man last comment'.
Bill!! You sure have a great sense of humor. I am still laughing' out-loud'.
the coolest thing was that the property has been owned and used by 3 consecutive monkey folk! Thanks bill, Mr. Lee
IF...THERE...WAS...SO...MANY....
MOMKEY...HOUSE....OWNERS...
WY...NOT...CALL...IT...THE... MONKEY...HOUSE....
I...BET...THERE..WAS...A...LOT...OF
MONKEY...BUSINESS...THERE... LOL...LOL...
Bill,
In the middle of the night it takes me a few minutes to sit up, then stand up and then shuffle down the hall and by the time I get to the end of hall I forgot why I got out of bed!
Probably to turn off the picture light that shines from the ceiling towards the giant portrait of Lee Stevens. At Christmastime it even twinkles in keeping with the spirit of the season and the spirit of Lee's wardrobe.
Al Antonucci started out at the St. Louis Zoo's chimp show with Leon Smith. He had family in town and when he was in town we'd see his truck parked across Hwy 40 from the Zoo.
They look like chimps to me....
don't much about it...but what is the difference between monkeys and apes???? Please enlighten me....
LOL LOL
AN....APES....IS...A...MONKEYS....
AND....A....MONKEY...IS...A...APES......LOL...LOL...
AN....APES....
IS....THE...DIFERENTS......
BETWEEN....A....GORILA.....
AND...A..MONKEY.....LOL...LOL...
When they framed the Blue Show they actually hired an American act. Al's chimps. Now Director Richard Barstow was known for his brow beatings and tirades over the microphone in rehearsals and he would raise hell with clowns, showgirls, iron curtain acts, etc. He got around to Al early in rehearsals to let him be aware of who he was. So Al quietly walked up to the production table and said to Richard, "Listen one more crack out of you to me and I'll throw your ass up into those seats back there". Oh, the ugly American.I believe Al's Ringling days were kind of short, but he certainly made the season.
One time Richard came to the Blue Show in Baltimore to shape up the spec in a rehearsal prior to opening. He again loudly proclaimed over the mike that he would like to see the elephants go around the track faster "like Gunther Williams elephants do on the Red Show" So at the time he yelled "Elephants" and we called to the back area "OK Hugo elephants". I dont think the dust has settled yet in the Portland Civic Center and am sore there are some loose rivets in the beams in the building. The only initial comment was, "What the Hell was that"? Richard did comment that it was fast enough.
Johnny,
Hilarious, I read it a half an hour ago and I'm still chuckling, it made my day!
Keep em coming!
Mike
Apes do not have tails, monkeys do.
:-)
Cindy Potter
Sorry! But there are some monkeys with out-tail's. Barbary macaque', Siamang, Baboons. they are not conceder Apes. and who nowns if more?.
Not to miss mentioning the very nice person and quite atractive in this picture, is' Al Antonucci wife! 'Jerry'.
Al is featured in a photo on Johnny Weissmuller's site with Weissmuller and one of the Cheetah chimps. Jungleland's Henry Tyndall had most of the Cheetahs from the first Weissmuller outing as Tarzan. But Al deserves credit for being there, too. We had an article in the LA Times stating that the only Cheetah chimp just turned 75 and was trained by Tony Gentry, whose nephew has the animal now. I pointed out the errors therein and the author called me to complain that he knew his research, but he stammered when I told him of Tyndall and Antonucci--the writer had never heard of them. He had bought the Gentry claim and ran with it. Another story of someone claiming another's work.
Roger I believe that George Emerson predated all of people mentioned being at that time the resident trainer for MGMs ownership of the three young elephants and the chimp. George told me many stories about both and of Frank Whitbeck who engineered it all.
Just whent back to check any more enjoyable comment's, well I found one that did relate to me, in a big way. as the mention in Roger Smith comment. I have designed many costumes, for performers and all kind of Shows. Went I left the Jim Nordmark Ice show. Happen to see just in time that some ..... clown was on t.v. saying that 'He' was the one (when asked who designed those beautiful Purple costume?) Yes' pretty sad that some ...... have to steal the credit of some one that has worked pretty hard on that jubject.
Does anyone have any family information about Al Antonucci? I was told he was my grandmother's cousin, and I would love to find a relative.
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