YESTERDAY'S TOWNS

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.

My Photo
Name:
Location: GIBSONTON, FLORIDA, United States

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!

Friday, November 30, 2007

QUASSAR'S QUIZ: MYSTERY LIBERTY ACT

Here is a great looking Liberty Act, can you name the trainer????


ANNOUNCEMENT RE: EMAIL

FOR A YET TO BE DETERMINED REASON, I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO ACCESS ANY OF OUR EMAIL ADDRESSES TO READ OR RESPOND TO ANY EMAILS!!!!

ALL I CAN SAY IS WE'RE WORKING ON IT!!!!

Thursday, November 29, 2007

FROM THE FRANK CLARK COLLECTION: ANGELITO

This is Freddie Angel, of the Four Angels Acrobatic Balancing Act, doing his Juggling Act.




Here's Freddy entertaining his fellow Servicemen!

FROM THE FRANK CLARK COLLECTION

From the Hamid-Morton Circus in Toronto, 1956, The Four Angels.





FLYING RINGS DISMOUNTS

Here is an unusual act consisting of various dismounts from the Roman Rings. Somehow I feel Ted DeWaynes influence here.

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

IN MEMORY OF: JACQUELINE "JACKIE" OLIVER

From today's Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Jacqueline "Jackie" Oliver
Oliver, Jacqueline
Sept. 22, 1938 - Nov. 27, 2007

Jacqueline "Jackie" Oliver, 69, Sarasota, died Nov. 27, 2007.
Toale Brothers Funeral Home, Gulf Gate Chapel, handled arrangements.
Survivors include her husband of 15 years, Greg; a daughter; two sons; and two grandchildren.
She was born into the circus and performed as an aerialist with many circuses, including Ringling Brothers. She was a past member of Showfolks of Sarasota. She will be sorely missed by her many friends. Memorial donations may be made to Showfolks of Sarasota.


JACKIE 1951


KELLY- MILLER CIRCUS: IS ALIVE & WELL

The header below is from a letterhead of the Al G. Kelly and Miller Bros. Circus' Twenty-fifth Anniversary Tour.

The comment below that by Jim Royals appeared on Buckles Blog, putting to rest rumors that the show would not reach what I calculate is it's 70th Birthday in 2008!!!!



Jim Royal said...
Rumors in this business never cease to amaze me. Who Starts them? Thanks to your blog, Buckles, I can put a stop to this one. Winterquarters is buzzing with activity, the route is being booked and John Ringling North II is the MAN.

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

MEMORIAL SERVICE

A MEMORIAL SERVICE WILL BE HELD FOR GEORGE HUBLER SUNDAY DECEMBER 2, AT 6 PM. AT THE SHOWFOLKS OF SARASOTA CLUB HOUSE

OVERNIGHT STOP: CAMPGROUND WALMART

SAM, WHERE WERE YOU WHEN WE NEEDED YOU????

Kim & Vlastek, and Trudy & Linda parked over night a Walmart in Chattanooga.

FROM POLACK BROS. EARLY '60's: THE FREDONIAS

You can see how lucky we are to have video cameras now, once again please bear with us on the quality of some of these films, to begin with they are done by amatuer photographers, in bad lighting conditions, then transfered to video tapes then copied here.
This clip is from the Sherman Brothers Collection, & and how many times can we say, "Watch closely,etc".

Sunday, November 25, 2007

THE SUNDAY MOVIE: OPENING PRESENTATION

This one doesn't go back too far, The Hamid-Morton Circus , 1992, Here are Frank, Doris, Frank Jr., And Dieter Galambos.

THE GALAMBOS FAMILY

THE SUNDAY MOVIE: SHORT SUBJECT

For the short subject this morning, we're going back to the Gil Gray Circus in the early '60's again, with Mario, & Josefine Ivanov.

THE IVANOVS

THE SUNDAY MOVIE: FEATURE PRESENTATION

I think you will enjoy this one, the quality is pretty good, the act is great, and the scenery is superb.

RUDOLPH "PINKY" DELMONTE

BUDDIES,,,,,,,,TO THE END

This photo tells the story, Dime & Gene were best friends most of their lives.

DIME WILSON & GENE RANDOW 1975


GENE & DIME, LEFT, 1940,s
All three of these photos are from POLACK BROS. CIRCUS

Saturday, November 24, 2007

THE SATURDAY MATINEE: OPENING FEATURE

Since we have no cartoons we're going to add a little comedy relief by presenting Dime Wilson & and his "Table Rock" assisted by wife Connie Wilson, & and the inimitable Bumpsy Anthony.

DIME WILSON

THE SATURDAY MATINEE: SHORT SUBJECT

A while back I mentioned that the things girls are doing on "Silks", Sherie Troy was doing on a web many years ago. Here is a very small sample of her work, it doesn't even scratch the surface of her repertoire.

MISS SHERIE TROY

THE SATURDAY MATINEE: FEATURE PRESENTATION

This is Bobby Yerkes' "Flying Artons" featuring Reggie Armor, with Bonnie Armor & Dorothy Yerkes, I believe it is Polack Bros. Circus in the early 1960's.
I recommend you turn off your speakers, unfortunately there is no music.

THE FLYING ARTONS

TELEPHONE SNAPSHOTS FROM TRUDY

I know I said it before. They laughed at Dick Tracy's "Wrist Radio", now Trudy takes a picture with her telephone and in less than a minute I have it a thousand miles away. What a world!!!!

TRUDY WILSON STRONG
And the sequins, spangles, & stones are still sewed on one at a time!

PAM ROSAIRE ZOPPE and
One of her "Kids"!!!!


TOMMY BAKER
The costume proves that traditional still works.

MORE FLASH
I believe these are Elephant Act costumes.

TELEPHONE SNAPSHOTS # 2: BACK STAGE

WADE BURCK & SHANE JOHNSON

VISITORS FROM THE FAR NORTH
This is Dan Gabert, of Osh Kosh, Wisc. flanked by the Ralph Pierces, of Barraboo with Linda Wilson Herrmann, & Baby Huey.

THE MEN BEHIND IT ALL
Circus Producer, Paul Kaye, & Hadi Temple Circus Chairman Joe Vesoza.

LINDA HERRMANN & JOHN CUNEO

TELEPHONE SNAPSHOTS #3: PAYING THE NUT!

If I recall correctly, all "Midway" activity is before & after the show. No 45 min. intermissions here.

PONY RIDES
Actually there are two 6 pony sweeps.


ELEPHANT RIDES


BEAR PHOTOS


BABY HUEY PHOTOS
Baby Huey is back by popular demand, Joe Vesoza's broken arm is not,(last years pic).


MONKEY WHAT-EVERS

Friday, November 23, 2007

FOR MARY GRAY FRASIER: GIL GRAY SPEC: 1961

This one is for Gil's daughter Mary, and any other alumni of "The Show Beautiful", as you all know, if you worked for him a while, you were one of his kids.

DIDN'T YOU JUST LOVE DOIN' WINTER DATES

Parked in a parking lot that was too close to the building to drive, & too far to walk in freezing cold weather.


With no running water, & electricity so weak it barely handled one light bulb, or having the fuse blow out because someone was using an electric heater.

And how about the kerosene stove, you would turn on the kerosene, and forget it, then you had to sop up the excess kerosene with newspapers. Or if you lit it there were flames coming out of the chimney pipe.


This neighborhood looks familiar but I can't decide if it is Toronto, or Montreal. Toronto was usually in Oct., so it is more likely the latter.

WINTER DATES # 2

And the trailers crammed in so tight, you could hardly open the door.



Hey! Who's turn is it to clean the snow off the car so we can go to the "Grocery Store".

WINTER DATES # 3

Especially being out in a blizzard at 10 below loading or unloading.


"AAAHHH THOSE GOOD OLD DAYS"

Thursday, November 22, 2007

SNAPSHOT FROM BUCKLES: DAVE HOOVER

Dave was a fellow "Buckeye", I was from Springfield, & Dave from Middletown, which was one of our big High School football rivals, so we had a bit of fun over that.
Websters describes a Buckeye as a "worthless nut", but a truck driver told me over the CB once that a buckeye was a Kentuckian who didn't make all the way to Detroit to build automobiles.

"HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL"

HADI TEMPLE SHRINE CIRCUS 1999: BEARS & CHIMPS OH MY!!!!

This is an example of the great entertainment Evansville, Indiana audiences will be seeing today through Sunday, at the Hadi Shrine Circus.


CLICK TWICE TO START

In Ring #3, Rosaire's Bears, in Ring #1 Jimmy & Tepa Hall's Kassel's Bears, and in the Center Ring The Rosaire-Zoppe Chimpanzees.

BEARS & CHIMPS #2

BEARS & CHIMPS, OH MY #3

BEARS & CHIMPS, OH MY #4



AND THAT FELLOW BLOGGERS,,,,,,,,IS "CIRCUS"!!!!

HADI SHRINE TEMPLE, OF EVANSVILLE, INDIANA SHOWS HOW TO BUILD A "3" RING CIRCUS,,,,YOU START WITH A "WHOLE" ARENA FLOOR

ADD LOTS OF RIGGINGS FOR AERIAL "DISPLAYS"


THEN ADD "3" RINGS FOR "DISPLAYS"

ADD LOTS OF ANIMALS LIKE, TIGERS, & ELEPHANTS & CAMELS, & LLAMAS, & ZEBRAS, & PONIES, & CHIMPANZEES, & BEARS, & DOGS


LANCE RAMOS' EXOTICS




a little spit


and polish!

AND ENOUGH ELEPHANTS TO FILL ALL "3" RINGS


Wednesday, November 21, 2007

AND AFTER THE SHOW TONIGHT, "FLAG'S UP"

HADI SHRINE TEMPLE THANKSGIVING DINNER FOR THE CAST

WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK, AFTER THIS WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR, "THE GIBTOWN DIME'S STORE"

I'm kidding about the commercial, but I did just list this letterhead-flyer, & was a little intrigued with the piece in the center-fold by Roland Butler, so I thought I would share it. I also call your attention to the list of staff on the back. (If you click on each picture it will enlarge for reading.

RUSSELL BROS, PAN-PACIFIC RAILROAD CIRCUS


STAFF


RINGS OF RAPTURE


RAPTURE CONT'