About Ivan M. Henry
Dear Circus Friends,
My name is Ivan M. Henry and I am the 5th generation of a circus/show business dynasty. What you are about to read is an accumulation of circus history spanning 6 generations, starting in the 1800’s to the present. It will include Mud Shows, Vaudeville, Modern Circus, Motion Pictures, and Television including a host of circus performers. As well great animal trainers.
“Once seen, never forgotten, and once it’s over, all that’s left are wagon tracks and peanut shell”s.”
So…Sit back, Relax and Enjoy the Show!
Sincerely,
Ivan M. Henry
PS. PLEASE COME BACK OFTEN AS WE ARE JUST BEGINNING TO “GET THE SHOW ON THE ROAD”
PPS. For more information about Ivan, see categories entitled “Ivan M. Henry” and “Henry’s Chimps”
136 Responses to “About Ivan M. Henry”
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Thank you for posting these pics!! We loved looking at them and learning about our family history.
We love you Papa!!
Jack and Kaitlyn
How cool is this!? Ivan, I had no idea you were 4th generation in such a fascinating world of entertainment. Are you going to add your training of some of the most famous animal stars in recent movie history? I’ll add your blog to my favorites.
Papa,
This is AMAZING!! We all may not realize it now, but this is extrodinarily important to all of the grandkids to know and understand the importance of our family history and what Papa has accomplished. We love you dearly and miss you.
All our love,
Mike, Leslie, and Mackenzie
Dear Ivan,
I was surfing around feeling sentimental for the circus and looking up old friends. I was kind of surprised to find you! I do hope you remember my family and I. It would be great to hear from you. You can email me at the provided email address!
Wow, Ivan this is real good and my hat is off to you for the time and patience it took to assemble and put his all together for the generations to see. Maybe now, people will see the real work it takes too ” make the show possible” and the generations of family it took to keep this part of us alive.
Michael the Uncle
Ivan:
Great job with this web site. Much of this history will be lost over the next decade. Thanks for the memories.
Cappi
Ivan:
I would love to get any and all info you have on the Clarkonians as my husband is the Great Grandson of Charles Clarke.
Thanks,
Tina
Wonderful job on the site Ivan and I am still amazed at that picture of daddy . He was really young.
I did not know we went back so many generations in the circus family. Thank you for holding on to that for us and our future Henry generations.
I have fond memories of going to see you and Uncle Cliff perform and I LOVED toby!!! Still have the picture some where of me holding him.
Again great job and thank you,
love you..Debra Henry Schreck
My sister just forwarded me the photos of Siebrand
Brothers. They brought back some great memories. My two grandfathers were Sam Siebrand and Harry Clark.
I was born on the show when it was in Winter Quarters in San Diego. I spent my summers on the show from 1950 to 1954.
Dear Ivan, a truly excellent expose of the history of entertainment and the circus origins.The pictures are a time capsule of the way life was. Having met you personaly,and experienced your wisdom and knowledge,I was facinated by the images and enlightened to your family history. Great Job. Jimmy Hecker
Hello Ivan, We just found your site and wanted to say Hi. Have you checked out
circuspace.com yet? Hope all is well with you. We are still on the road. This year touring with the roadshow “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Joanne
I remember you well from Legend City. Lots of good times there. Glad to see all the history on this site. It is very well done with some great photos. It was nice seeing you a few years back at the county fair. Be well and happy.
Mr. Henry:
I was surfing the internet under “circus”.and I cam across your site.
I noticed you had several photos of the Hubert Castle International Circus.
I was a “TV CLown” on a children’s show in Indianapolis,Indiana during the 70’s and I
had the priviledge of play the “Shrine Date”which Mr. Castle had here in Indianapolis.
i did this for about 7 years and he invited me to play the CNE date in Toronto in 1970.
I have been tryoing track down any phtos I coild find of this date.I am not sure if it is
yourwebsite that has the picture of the “hubert Castle Clown”.namely Rex Young,Lee
Marx(one the Marx brothers as he used to say)and “Little Jimmy” Armstrrong..or if you have or know of.anyone who might have some photos.The only other one I have seen
is a”night shot” taken from a high angle.
I really appreciate your website and I will be a frequent visitor.If you have the time to reply to the e-mail address.I would greatly appreciate it.
Bob Warren (Nosey the Clown)
Indianapolis,Indiana
Hi Dad,
Really impressed with how the site has progressed!! Jack and Kaitlyn love the mugs!! That is so cool that you were able to put the circus posters on line and on the mugs!!
love you!!
solon, kathy, jack and kaitlyn
Hello Ivan,
Thank you for this wonderful site. I am the grandaughter of Jeanne Seibrand Paulson. Pete, Hiko and Sam Seibrand were my great uncles. I only really remember Pete and Hiko but I have really enjoyed my research of the circus/carnival and their lives. The pictures were fantastic. I have several of my own that I don’t see posted here. If you desire, I can send them to you for posting.
Thanks again. I will check back often!!
Hello Tammy………Thank you for visiting the Circus and for your comment.Yes Yes Yes any photos of Seibrand Bros, I would be happy to get so I may post along with the others. You can email them in jpeg format to ivanhoemh@aol.com. I have great memory’s of the show. Our family had many happy years there. I can’t wait to see the photos, thanks again.
My kindest regards to you and yours…………Ivan
Hello Ivan,
Just got your email about the Siebrand pictures. I have been in New York City for several days and am just getting caught up on my emails, etc. I will work on scanning the pictures I have this next weekend and get them emailed out to you. I have a picture of their very first marry-go-round that ran in Northwood, ND. I also have pictures of Pete and Hiko’s family (brothers/sisters) before their life with the circus including their home in IA. I will scan and send those as well and you can choose to show them if you like.
Thanks for your interest in the pictures. I am always anxious to learn more about their lives.
Tammy
Hi….. Tammy just got your Email thanks I was worried that I lost you. Send me all that you can on the Siebrand’s also info on the photos. The Henry’s and the Siebrand familys have always been close and it is important that they are in the Henry circus blog………..Kindest regards Ivan
Hello again ………. Tammy here is my Cel # 602 3596372 if you wish give me a call I have a great story about the Merry Go Round, on how they got it……………. Ivan
Hi Ivan,
I will get the pictures scanned and sent out to you this weekend. If you are around, I will give you a call on Sunday. Would love to hear some stories. Thanks for sharing them with me.
Tammy
Hello Ivan,
I think you’ve done a fantastic job of documenting and preserving the history of your family and your profession. Without people such as you, who are willing to invest the time, energy and passion to share your memories, something very valuable would be lost. It is so wonderful to be able to re-connect with someone who made such a lasting impression on me as a youngster. Growing up on the road is something only others who have done the same can understand. I haven’t been around the carnival business in 35 years (although my dad continued to operate his diggers until, literally, the day he died), but it was an important part of my youth and I will always treasure the memories and friends.
Thanks for sharing.
David Horner
Siebrand Bros Alumnus 1957 – 1967
Mardi and I admire what you have done to keep circus live. We learned a lot about the circus from this blog. Your effort is commendable. You are doing a meritorious service for the next generation. Let us know if we can assist you. Keep adding to your blog. You can not have too many photographs in my opinion. As a former Zoo keeper I appreciate you work with animals.
Mr. Henry,
Congratulations on a wonderfully engaging web site. The photos and anecdotes are fascinating. I applaud your commentary about the positive influence of the circus as well. My father instilled in his children a life-long love of the circus. As a city boy from a very poor neighborhood, he learned to escape some of the worst elements of his childhood by dreaming about a life in the circus. He always enjoyed the set up and the breakdown as much as any show. It inspired him to some of his greatest personal success as an organizer of a local charitable fair. Circus music helped hm recover from a coma as well. If you ever have a chance, that would make a wonderful addition. Thank you.
Mr. Henry- I’m hoping you (or one of your readers) may be able to solve a family mystery for me. My grandfather grew up in Tennessee and told the story of a circus elephant falling off a bridge into the river below. I assume it was being walked from one venue to another. I’m guessing this was in the late 1890s or early 1900s. Any ideas as to the fate of the elephant? which circus?
Thanks for your help,
Very nice site. Glad to see all the stuff we’ve talked about over the years.
Take Care.
Phil
(Altoona, PA)
Dear Ivan,
Thank you so much for creating this wonderful website. I have heard many family stories over the years about our Circus family and my grandparents time with Goebel’s and Jungleland in Thousand Oaks. I was just a baby when my parents left Jungleland and moved to Oregon, but I have fond memories of visiting Grandpa Ray and Grandma Thelma Chandler in Thousand Oaks and getting to go to the animal barns where they were working at that time mostly with the camels, Queenie, Sheba and others. I have a new found appreciation for the souvenir memorabilia from Jungleland that I was given years ago as well as all of our family photos which I would love to share if you are interested. Grandpa has been gone for quite sometime now and Grandma has been battling Alzheimer’s the last several years so I feel a lot of the family stories have slowly slipped away and along with my aunt and dad I hope to preserve as much as possible to pass on to future generations of our family. One of my fondest memories as a kid was being teased by my friends that I was the only one they knew that could “really run away to the circus!”
I just got a bunch of Shrine circus photographs. I was wondering if you’d like to add them?
I’m looking through them more there are Dobritch “Ponderous Performing Pachyderms”, Eddy Ventura a guy in a lttle car on wires, Don Giovanni with his lamppost, Tino Wallenda Zoppe, Barry a Saint Bernard, Linda Wilson Vidbel and Vidbel Elephants, “Checkers & Patches” from the Clyde Brothers Circus, Miss Olinka and many other that are not marked.
Love your blog! Let me know if you’d like to post them.
Thanks
Rebeca
I can’t find an e-mail address and so I’ll take this route to communicate. Thanks for
mentioning my GREAT AMERICAN CIRCUSES in your blog list. I’ll reciprocate by putting a
a link to your site on mine.
You have an ad for Kelly Morris Circus and wonder about it. Somewhere in my files I have photos of it setting up in Mackinaw City, MI. If I ever find them I’ll send them to you.
Kelly & Morris was a small show. In 1951 I was touring upper Michigan and I saw one of
their bills on an old farm building. They were advertising an upcoming stand in Curtis, Michigan. It was a stock bill and the town of Curtis was not printed. It was hand
drawn in black paint, along with the date.
It was rather a shoestring operation and one northern Michigan town looked them over and woudn’t even let them set up and show that year. Later, they did show at the small airport just outside of Birmingham, Michigan.
Sometime in the 50’s they played Mackinaw City, Michigan. The lot was next to the railroad yards and the elephants were allowed to wander around the yard area eating weeds. Later in the day, they were offering elephant rides. I did not attend the peformance and so I can’t report on its quality.
Ivan,
Here is wishing you and your family a Happy, Healthy and Memorable 2010. It was a great experience for me to “stumble” upon your blog, renew old acquaintances and share some great memories. I’ve lost track of most of the old gang from the Siebrand Show, but I think they would be very pleased with the way you have presented them. I hope you are able to keep this site up for a long time to come.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
David Horner
Great site old friend, Dad told me about it. I have some old pictures of James brothers and George Matthews Great London circus will send them scan them if you want or send them to you if you want. Matthew B Kellner
I just happened on your site, and it brought back a lot of memories. I am Roy Kabat’s daughter and lived at Jungleland in the mid/late 50’s. It was a wonderful place to grow up. I, too, loved Babe. She was a wonderful elephant. I learned so much fro Mel Koontz, Henry Tindall, and especially Wally Ross. They were all such great people, and it was a wonderful place to grow up.
Dear Mr. Henry…I just posted a note on your page about Officer Presley’s Safety Circus. I traveled with Ernie during the 1966-1967 season (with 18 dogs who lived better than I did!!) Great guy…thanks for remembering him on your site. Contact me anytime if you would like more info on Mr. Presley. Best regards…..Larry (I am retired and now reside in Stanfield, NC)
Fantastic site, and so appreciated. Ivan, did you do the iron jaw slide for life in “Jumbo”?
Yes ……….. Jonathan I am the one.
Hello,
Have you ever done anything on the Flying Cavaretta’s? or about Terry Cavaretta?
Thats great I will tell Terry.
Do you have any story’s on Terry to tell ? she is my wife for the past 28 years we are doing a book on her and also a documentary is being done on the cavaretta’s you can send me any information at my e-mail I will let you know when the web site is out also.
Hi Ivan, I heard from Masimmo at Circuspace that you are trying to call me here my number
Hello, my father was Bruce LaBlonde of the aerial bar act the LaBlonde Trio. I have been trying to find old film footage of the act. I saw some on Bill Strongs blog but he had passed away before I could contact him. I was hoping you might be able to help me locate some if it still is around. Fun readin your blogs, lots of names I have not heard in years. Thanks, Steve (LaBlonde) Bramlage
Ivan great website.Hows about some pictures of Clyde Beattys protege Manuel Junior Ruffin known as “Prince Bogino.”He passed away Tuesday night.
Stumbled on your site and am impressed with all the history you’ve put together. My wife is Stasia Kelly, the daughter of Emmett Kelly, Sr. and we’re working to bring his story back to the public through a one-man play and possibly a book and movie down the road.
Keep up the good work and if you get a chance check out the Emmett Kelly, Sr. Facebook page we’ve created as a starting point.
Summer of “65″
Hello Ivan.
We met on the road during the summer of 65. My dad had the Pony Ride and we spent lots of time playing Spades and enjoying Zucinni with Cliff and Charlotte. There was am unplanned breeding that summer which resulted in two tiny Poodle Pups that were given to me and my Mom. I treasured those little boys for many years… Also, I remember your shiny Eldorado that sparkled brilliantly in the sun. It was a beauty! You and your family are very special and I have often thought of those great times. How are you?? Diana
Reply
would appreciate it if you would add my site to your link list.
Love your site have been following it for about a year new
Thanking you in advance
Barry Miller
I was doing some research for a product line on a collection of posters I have had for many years just sitting in my closet for storage. I had a few hanging in my son’s room but the tigers scared him. Anyway I am amazed and glad I ran into your blog. It’s as amazing as the circus show I have experienced in my life. My compliments and thanks to you for bringing this information and platform together. If any of your bloggers are interested in the poster collection I have posted on Zazzle, have them visit: http://www.zazzle.com/colliergraphica/gifts?cg=196001760851253322. I feature the King Bros., Sells & Gray, and Hoxie Bros. The posters were gathered around my hometown in Louisiana (Mamou and Abbeville) and on a skiing trip to Colorado in Clovis, New Mexico. Enjoy and the best to you on the site. And thanks!
Thank you so much for posting this site. I have been searching for history of our family for years. Doc is my Great Great Uncle. My Grandfather was Buster Capell and I am the daughter of Larry Capell. My Dad has very little information and pictures regarding our family tree. I look foward to seeing more postings.
Thanks again
Jennifer Smith-Capell
Ivan I cant belive its been over 50 yrs. I have spoken about you many times to my family and friends about our groing up on Siebrands and all the Hell we raised, what I remember. Iam sure you remember some also.It was so great to hear your voice after all this time. I hope we talk alot more soon. What great site you have put together, I t brings back sooo many good memories. Thanks so much. Lanny
Mr. Henry – I worked at Legend City from 79-close and remember you well. You have a great website! Lots of LC alumni still in the Phoenix area and a couple Facebook pages about it as well. I was married to Dave Ramage’s daughter, Michelle, for a while and Dave, Michelle and Kelli are in Florida.
Thanks for the memories (but I don’t miss sitting on top of the logride hill).
Hi Mr. Henry. I love the site. What I was really writing you about is Ron Nix. He has been sort of a hero of mine. I am to old to really have a hero, but I met Ron at the Festival of the West this month. He was so nice to take some time, and talk. We talked about Gila Bend, where I grew up. He gave me an autographed picture, and I forgot to thank him. Could you please let Ron know that I really appreciate the time, and picture.
Thank you,
Bob Posey
Buckeye, Az.
Dear Mr. Henry,
Thank you for posting pictures of Clyde & Harriet Beatty. I found out recently that Harriet was my great aunt. She was my grandfather’s (Joesph Evans) sister. If you have any other information regarding Harriet, would you forward it to me? Thanks so much!
Sincerely,
Lucy Arenberg
Hello Mr. Henry!
First of all thank you for posting such great pictures that definitely tell part of the world’s circus history. I found your blog on a goggle search and was impressed, because as a circus researcher I’ve always found difficult to find information online, mostly it comes from books and libraries. I’d like to know if we could maybe use one or two of your pictures eventually in our blog – it would be only to illustrate a story, perhaps. You can check us out at the address above. We have a children participatory circus and travel throughout California.
Thanks!
Carolina