Thursday, May 31, 2012

From Mike Naughton

From the television program 1978 Highlights of RBBB, Dick Van Dyke with the showgirls.

More on '78 #1 (From Buckles)

05-30-2012 04;18;58PM by bucklesw1
05-30-2012 04;18;58PM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

Mike, do you think in the distant future we might see something like this again?

More on '78 #2

05-30-2012 07;20;13PM by bucklesw1
05-30-2012 07;20;13PM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

More on '78 #3

05-30-2012 07;15;08PM by bucklesw1
05-30-2012 07;15;08PM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

More on '78 #4

05-30-2012 07;11;27PM by bucklesw1
05-30-2012 07;11;27PM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

More on '78 #5

05-30-2012 07;17;10PM by bucklesw1
05-30-2012 07;17;10PM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

More on '78

Scan12523 by bucklesw1
Scan12523, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

Kenneth Feld and "Charlie".

More on 78 #7

R.B.B.B. 005 by bucklesw1
R.B.B.B. 005, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

More on '78 #8

05-30-2012 07;08;50PM by bucklesw1
05-30-2012 07;08;50PM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

Picture #1
"Hugo" will attempt, and no doubt accomplish, the difficult and dangerous two-foot stand.

Picture#2:
"After having turned a complete backward somersalt from a teeter-board, the incredible "Anna May" lands upright on her hind legs."

More on '78 #9

05-30-2012 07;25;37PM by bucklesw1
05-30-2012 07;25;37PM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

Ted Svertesky

More on '78 #10

05-30-2012 07;24;07PM by bucklesw1
05-30-2012 07;24;07PM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

Ring 3 herd:
"Rebecca", "Sid", "Vance", "Juno" and "Major".

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

From Dave Price

BucklesSeatWag by bucklesw1
BucklesSeatWag, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

Must be the pic Bob Cline mentioned. This is not a good copy. McClosky seems to have walked away. Morgan's pants seem lighter here but I still think that's him at left.

From Buckles

05-30-2012 10;32;57PM by bucklesw1
05-30-2012 10;32;57PM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

Sarasota Quarters #1 (From Buckles)

05-29-2012 03;38;34PM by bucklesw1
05-29-2012 03;38;34PM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

Sarasota Quarters #2

05-29-2012 03;37;04PM by bucklesw1
05-29-2012 03;37;04PM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

Walter McLain with the center ring 8-act.
Those Al G. Barnes elephants were pretty big.

Sarasota Quarters #3

05-29-2012 03;35;11PM by bucklesw1
05-29-2012 03;35;11PM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

Sarasota Quarters #4

05-29-2012 03;32;04PM by bucklesw1
05-29-2012 03;32;04PM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

Sarasota Quarters #5

05-29-2012 03;30;32PM by bucklesw1
05-29-2012 03;30;32PM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

This 1930's picture indicates that the elephant "Kraal" was one of the first structures built.
The average number in the herd those days was thirty-six.

Sarasota Quarters #6

05-29-2012 03;28;45PM by bucklesw1
05-29-2012 03;28;45PM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

Sarasota Quarters #7

SAVE0476 by bucklesw1
SAVE0476, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

Sarasota Quarters #8

05-30-2012 06;26;35AM by bucklesw1
05-30-2012 06;26;35AM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

Sarasota Quarters #9

05-29-2012 03;25;00PM by bucklesw1
05-29-2012 03;25;00PM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

Sarasota Quarters !#10

05-29-2012 03;23;22PM by bucklesw1
05-29-2012 03;23;22PM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

The show brought in Louie Reed to train these young elephants the summer of 1952. He was about my age at the time (nuf ced) so he brought in Smokey to do the physical stuff.
After Arky took them out on the road in '53 Louie was told to stick around since 20 more babies were on the way.
In those pre-Disney days the Winter Quarters was open to the public year round and they asked Smokey if he could put an act together with the four old elephants Arky had retired, "Ringling Jenny", "Wallace Jewel", "Topsy" and " Mudu" (who had come over from Germany with Hugo Schmitt)
He later told me that one day Buddy North came up to him and said, "This act is better than the one we got on the road!".
The punks had fallen into disarray . The rest is History.

Sarasota Quarters #11

05-29-2012 03;21;35PM by bucklesw1
05-29-2012 03;21;35PM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

From Buckles

05-28-2012 03;42;24PM by bucklesw1
05-28-2012 03;42;24PM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

"Dona" and Joe Frisco 1963.
Elephant from Glen Oak Zoo, Peoria. Illinois.

"Jessie" #1

05-28-2012 03;39;52PM by bucklesw1
05-28-2012 03;39;52PM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.


Joe Frisco ten years earlier.

"Jessie" #2

05-28-2012 10;24;35AM by bucklesw1
05-28-2012 10;24;35AM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.
Hugo Schmitt introduced the first one foot stand in America that was presented in the act be brought from Europe in 1948.
With my latest discovery we see the first one trained in this country and depending on who you ask, it was trained either by Joe Frisco or John Cuneo.
I'm glad this picture turned up since I recalled that she balanced on the left foot.
I once asked John about this and he couldn't remember.
Consequently I began to think that maybe the picture had been flopped but now after being enlarged, the sign in the background proves otherwise.

"Jessie" #3

05-28-2012 10;26;37AM by bucklesw1
05-28-2012 10;26;37AM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

"Jessie" #4

05-28-2012 10;27;58AM by bucklesw1
05-28-2012 10;27;58AM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

"Jessie" #5

05-28-2012 10;29;14AM by bucklesw1
05-28-2012 10;29;14AM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

"Jessie" #6

05-28-2012 10;32;50AM by bucklesw1
05-28-2012 10;32;50AM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

"Jessie" #7

05-28-2012 10;30;21AM by bucklesw1
05-28-2012 10;30;21AM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.
JESSIE
1952-54 Hawthorn Melody Dairy
1955 Miller Bros. Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
1956 Miller Bros. Circus
1957-71 R.A. Miller shopping Center Show
1972-76 Mrs. Olive Lake Mary, FL
1977-82 Hoxie Bros. #2 Unit
1983 Miami Zoo
1984-86 Hoxie Bros. Circus
1987-94 Carden International

(I stopped keeping records in 1995 and am unaware of Jessie's final days.)

Hoxie Bros. Elephants 1973

05-28-2012 03;44;41PM by bucklesw1
05-28-2012 03;44;41PM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

Another nice picture by Gerry and Kaye Scheiman.

From Bob Good

IMG_0001 by bucklesw1
IMG_0001, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

Monday, May 28, 2012

From Chic Silber

VICTORY7 by bucklesw1
VICTORY7, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.


Hi Buckles

Although the official Memorial Day is May 30th

we will celebrate it the 28th as the last Monday in May

And although this photo is from VJ Day (August 14th)

I thought it might also be appropriate for this day

The 27 ft statue of this image which had been donated

by a local Sarasota veteran was recently damaged

by a car wreck at the downtown waterfront location

on "The Trail" near Marina Jack & is currently back

up in the New Jersey studio of the sculptor being

repaired & to be returned before this August 14th

Happy Memorial (Decoration) Day to all

Chic

From Dave Price

BucklesTS by bucklesw1
BucklesTS, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

Buckles & Chic: While Alfred Eisenstaedt was taking the shot Chic sent, Victor Jogensen was taking this one.
This second view, while not as striking as the first, has the advantage of showing more of Chic's midtown home for many years; the Paramount Building.

Jenda Smaha #1 (From Buckles)

05-27-2012 02;06;15PM by bucklesw1
05-27-2012 02;06;15PM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

I'm glad this picture popped up during my latest discovery.
A few of you may recall my recent rant about my brief tour on Hagen Bros. Circus in 1957 with the Paul Kelly elephants.
This is a shot of Jenda working that show's elephant "Elsie" acquired from Kelly Miller.
He had only been in the country a year or so and his brusk attitude didn't endear him to many people however we became friends right off and remained so throughout his life.
He would often tell me about his experiences training elephants but having heard that song before didn't pay much attention.

Jenda Smaha #2

Scan11204 by bucklesw1
Scan11204, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

He proved me wrong, the following year I kept hearing about this elephant with Bill Griffith's Show.
The future and absolute king of the Night Club Animal Industry was on his way.

Jenda Smaha #3

SAVE0465 by bucklesw1
SAVE0465, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

They sure took Bababoo by storm!

Jenda Smaha #4

05-27-2012 02;12;59PM by bucklesw1
05-27-2012 02;12;59PM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

The story of the sale of "Bertha" by Wilbur Deppe to John Ascuaga and the ensuing trip from Baraboo to Sparks, that included numerous publicity stops enroute, would make a better movie than "Water For Elephants".
Johnny explained the whole ordeal to me and Smokey one afternoon at Dombroski's.
What a riot!

Jenda Smaha #5

05-27-2012 02;08;43PM by bucklesw1
05-27-2012 02;08;43PM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

Jenda Smaha #6

05-27-2012 02;11;02PM by bucklesw1
05-27-2012 02;11;02PM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

Jenda Smaha #7

05-27-2012 01;54;28PM by bucklesw1
05-27-2012 01;54;28PM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.
Jenda's favorite past time was going on Safari in Africa as this picture indicates.
One evening John Herriott and I were at the club in Sarasota when Jenda dropped in and insisted he take us to his nearby estate to see some of his home movies.
Big mistake. I thought it would be Jenda and "Tanya" before the Crowned Heads of Europe but instead we got a half hour of Jenda and some other people stumbling and sweating thru the jungle.

"Tanya" #1

05-27-2012 01;43;28PM by bucklesw1
05-27-2012 01;43;28PM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

Now with his own elephant he moved down to Las Vegas into the Big Hotels!
During our years with the Polack Show when we showed Vegas for the Shrine, Jenda would roll out the red carpet and took us to all the late night hot spots.
The only uncomfortable part was having to mingle backstage with the topless Show Girls.

"Tanya" #2

SAVE1688 by bucklesw1
SAVE1688, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

At this point Jenda ruled the world.
I think he said this picture was taken in London.

Jo and Slivers Madison

05-27-2012 01;51;53PM by bucklesw1
05-27-2012 01;51;53PM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

Scott Riddle

05-27-2012 01;56;59PM by bucklesw1
05-27-2012 01;56;59PM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.

A Puzzlement!

05-27-2012 02;15;32PM by bucklesw1
05-27-2012 02;15;32PM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.
At a glance this would be my three elephants "Anna May", "Toto" and "Mack" flanked by "Bertha" and "Tina" lined up in front of the Nuggett Casino.
Try as I may, with this combination of elephants, I can't figure out how it was possible. In fact I don't remember ever being in front of the Casino.
The only solution is, this might actually be a gig at the Col. Sanders Chicken Nuggetts in Gibsonton, Florida.

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Wally Ross #1 (From Buckles)

05-26-2012 03;44;48PM by bucklesw1
05-26-2012 03;44;48PM, a photo by bucklesw1 on Flickr.
We have been busy lately storing a lot of Shannon's household equipment here since at the end of school they will leave their apartment and move to a home to be built here.
During all the commotion we came across a cardboard box containing between 5 to 6 thousand 8' x 10' photos, stored and forgotten, quite a few bear comments by my father.
I'll start off today with a tribute to the Golden West. There may be a few previously shown that I rehashed for continuity.

Wally Ross #2

Wally Ross and "Popsy" in 1961.
Cleverly named after "Pacific Ocean Park".