thecircusblog | September 7, 2008
We did a show with Liberace …..hence came the comedy piano routine. Toby wouldn’t play the piano without his candelabra. There was always a hush in the audience so they could hear Toby play.Polack Bros Circus 1967.
thecircusblog | September 7, 2008
This trick was copied from Rubin and Anita Alvera. The styles of perch balancing include forehead, shoulder and belt. I felt it was safer for the chimp and I had more control by using a perch belt. The height of the perch is 14 feet.
thecircusblog | September 7, 2008
Jackie was a very temperamental chimp. Anybody who was dressed strangely or loudly she took an immediate dislike to…..it must have caused a distrust within her. Anyhow, she often used the stilts as a javelin and would throw them at whoever was her victim at the time. As a result, we never let her do […]
thecircusblog | September 7, 2008
When I was a young kid I was impressed with Landon & his midgets. They were on the Escalante Circus with my family. Mr. Landon and Miguel did a head to head. Years later, my dad and I taught Bongi to do the same trick. We are on the Roaring20’s stag at the Hoyt Hotel […]
thecircusblog | September 7, 2008
Toby would work totally free…he knew his tricks and performed them without any assistance from me or Dad. The audience loved him. When it was his turn he would run and get his prop do the trick take a bow and run back to his chair.
thecircusblog | September 7, 2008
One Hand to Head….I saw this trick in a German hand balancing act and I taught Bongi how do it. Siebrand Bros Circus. 1955.
thecircusblog | September 7, 2008
This was part of the comedy routine. I would try to spank him and he would cover his bottom with his hand. Photo was taken in the infield of the Pomona fair race track we were with Polack Bros,1967.
thecircusblog | September 7, 2008
Bongi thought it was funny to step in my face just before he went into a handstand. It would bring laughs and Bongi knew it as you can see from his face …he’s looking at the audience. Notice Toby peeking under Cheeta’s dress in background.
thecircusblog | September 7, 2008
Bongi shows his talent. I wanted a chimp act that was different, so I patterned our tricks after other hand balancing performers and did the same type of trick.The comedy came naturally, I blended it in with the serious tricks.
thecircusblog | September 7, 2008
To my knowledge, no other chimp other than my Bongi, has ever done this trick head to cane. He was a natural. To this day I often think of this remarkable chimp. He was so easy to train. It was like a game to him, just fun and eager to learn. Most important of all, as […]
