Posted By thecircusblog on May 1, 2012
Frank Buck an entrepreneur extraordinaire. He was an importer and exporter of wild animals, a movie maker, and dabbled in the circus . Some one created this nickname for him,”Bring em Back Alive.” Not bad for a small town fellow from Gainesville, Texas. Photo taken in 1937.
Pete Kolozsy has made a very interesting comment.
Posted By thecircusblog on May 1, 2012
It really is a shame that they didn’t have TV back in those days. In this picture, Frank Buck and one of his animal handlers are doing a radio show to a live audience but those at home had to listen and use the theater of the mind.
From the collection of Jerry Osborne.
Thank you Pete for your kind words about the circus blog.
Posted By thecircusblog on May 1, 2012
Mel was the head trainer at Jungleland and World Jungle Compound for several years. I don’t want to confuse you but both names are the same place. Different partnerships in the business made for different names, but in the end it still belonged to Louis Goebel.
Now back to Mel, he was constantly training young lions, tigers, leopards, what have you. The motion picture and television industry was humming with work for wild animals. It was important to keep fresh well trained animals on hand, after a while the older animals could get rank and maybe nail an actor. That is one of the reasons why Mel doubled for so many movie stars.
Posted By thecircusblog on May 1, 2012
This photo of Mel and his panther was taken during a training session in a back area of Jungleland, World Jungle Compound mid 1950’s.
Photo given to me by my friend Jerry Osborne who is the nephew of Billy Richards who owned the compound with Trader Horne for a short time.
Posted By thecircusblog on May 1, 2012
On the envelope that the negative of this photo came in, was written Great Wallace Circus calliope. It indeed is a wonderful photo, I only wish there was a date on it…….OK circus fans, come through for me. Give me a date.
Posted By thecircusblog on May 1, 2012
On the left is Trader Horn. The person on the right was a trainer at the compound but I can not remember name….Sorry. This photo along with others were given to the nephew of Billy Richards, Jerry Osborne, and now Jerry shares them with me. Thanks.
Roger Smith named the person next to Trader Horne. Please read his comment. Thanks Roger.
Posted By thecircusblog on May 1, 2012
Mel was always working with his cats. His type of training was geared toward the motion picture business and he surely did a lot of it. Just about every movie made with a lion, leopard or tiger was with Mel and his cats. The circus wagon in this photo was one of many that Louie Goebel had at his compound Jungleland.
Posted By thecircusblog on May 1, 2012
Photo taken atthe Jungleland compound, Thousand Oaks, Calif. early 1960’s.
Posted By thecircusblog on May 1, 2012
This is the actual release for the photo of Dick and the tiger.
