ELEPHANTS #2:THE HAWTHORN ELEPHANTS PRESENTED BY GARY THOMAS
HAMID-MORTON CIRCUS, CRANSTON, RI-1992
posted by 24-HOUR-MAN | 9:50 AM
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.
About Me
- Name: 24-HOUR-MAN
- 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!
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- SNAPSHOTS & POST CARDS #4 : WASSILI SOBELEWSKI
- SNAPSHOTS & POSTCARDS #5: HANNI ENDERS
- SNAPSHOTS & POST CARDS #6: DOLINDA DE LA PLATA
- SNAPSHOTS & POSTCARDS #7: THE SEMBACH FAMILY
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10 Comments:
Who was the tusker doing the one foot stand?
That is "Gary's Elephant" Tony.
What happened to him??? Great act. Did he get all 5 on one trailer?
dan h: I should let someone a little more knowledgable answer that, but here is the story as I know it. "Gary's Elephant" Tony, came from the Diano herd, he first had him on the Zerbini show, whether Tarzan was in on the deal or not I don't know, but when Gary went to Hawthorn, "His Elephant", Tony went with him Gary worked him until the early '90's, when Tony picked Gary up & pitched him over top the other elephants, he was retired. What happened to him after that I don't know, I thought he was still at winterquarters when we left for Germany but am not sure.
Yes he hauled them all together, which brings up the term "Gary's Elephant" Evidently JC was proud of this nice looking male in his act & if people wanted to believe he owned him, that was fine too. After leaving Richmond one trip Gary called back & informed JC he got ticketed in Bollingbrook, IL. for being over weight on the drive axles. When asked who he had over the fifth wheel Gary said, "Tony", the reply was,"oh, your elephant". We assumed that meant he should pay the fine.
even though that would have been Scary for Gary, no pun intended, I can't help buy giggle a bit at the sight fo that. Five bulls on one trailer must not have left alot of room on board for tubs, houdahs, rides, and things. Thanks though Bill. I appreciate your story.
with Tarzan Zerbini being mentioned, is Gary Thomas any relation to Anthony Thomas working elephants for Tarzan Zerbini now?
dan h: Each Cuneo Cat Act & Elephant Act has a straight truck that pulls the trailer of whoever works the act, & also serves as "prop truck", & housing for the help. At least that was the case when we were there.
annonymous: Anthony is Gary's son, his mother is Patricia Zerbini.
Cat act on Carden has thier pprops and arena in baskets above cages on trailer. Help is in the sleeper of the Tractor and A pick-up and fifthwheel RV for trainers
anonymous,
That is not quite the set up for Hawthorn cat act's. The sleeper's are removed from the tractor's, and a large freezer unit is added. That way you can order 203 boxes of meat, instead of 200, and the Director of Transportation and Logistic's for Hawthorn say's it is cheaper to order bulk, making it financially feasable to put a straight truck on the road as a sleeper!!!!!!
Wade Burck
annonymous: I think all of the cat trailers are like the one on Carden, with the carts overhead. The trailer Jacqueline & Trudy used had the arena in a cart w/ removable wheels that went into the possum belly, the seats loaded over head on the sides, and the "infamous" pyramids, that supposedly took 6 propmen to handle in the ring, went overhead down the center. And by the way they were loaded by hand, by Trudy, myself, & our helper, & it was really no big deal.
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