Posted By thecircusblog on January 17, 2012
Kayletta joined the Siebrand Bros Circus in the mid 1950’s. Her high pole aerial act was exceptional. She did every trick in the book and finished with a slide for life. I had a great deal of respect for her. Kayletta was a single lady and would set up and take down her rigging by herself and never ask for help. Kay was from the old school, she definitely was a pro. As the years passed on the circus she met Jack Gorden. He worked in the electrical on the show and then one day they were married. Kay continued to do her aerial act the only thing that changed was Jack was now putting up her rigging. Kayletta performed on the Siebrand circus for at lest 15 years. If I remember correctly she retired from her act at the age of 69. Kayletta and Jack still continued with the show until the very end.
Category: Siebrand Bros Circus & Carnival |
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Posted By thecircusblog on January 17, 2012
Just looking at this photo tells me that they had to be a knock out comedy act. How I love comedy! Put comedy and a few good tricks together and you will make money. When I think of comedy the first person that always comes to mind is Doug Ashton……… now he was funny, no matter what he did. His comedy was all natural and spontaneous.
Category: Carson Collection |
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Posted By thecircusblog on January 17, 2012
From the Carson collection 1948.
Category: Carson Collection |
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Posted By thecircusblog on January 17, 2012
Backyard photo…on the right is Otto Ringling. The other person’s name is unknown to me. Mr Ringling passed away in 1911.
Category: Al G. Barnes CIRCUS |
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Posted By thecircusblog on January 17, 2012
” Old Time Acrobats” was the name of the act. They did modern hand balancing and tumbling. The wardrobe is what sold the act.
Category: Carson Collection |
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Posted By thecircusblog on January 17, 2012
This Dorothy Carson Smith in 1940. She and her husband Lee Smith…and brother John Carson were the well known for their roller skating act” The Royal Rockets’. Many of the photos that you have seen come from her collection. Dorothy is in her late 80’s now and she she says….. “I could not be better”.
Category: Carson Collection |
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Posted By thecircusblog on January 17, 2012
They had a portable double trapeze act. Dorothy Carson said they could work anywhere… and did because of their rigging, No stakes no guy lines.
Category: Carson Collection |
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Posted By thecircusblog on January 17, 2012
I believe we worked with they people on a Paul Kay date in St. Louis, MO at Bush Stadium in the early 1960’s. It was a tremendously powerful act !
Category: Carson Collection |
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Posted By thecircusblog on January 17, 2012
This letter brings back so many old memories. Jackie Knupp sent it to me for the circus blog. Thanks Jackie. Jackie is the daughter of David and May Knupp. Her mother, May Kovar and her cat act were featured on Ringling in the early 1940’s. As for my Cobra trailer, while pulling away too sharply from the tent stake line, the back of the trailer bumper caught one of the stakes. The damage was not all that bad, just repair some light wires and bend the bumper back.
At the time we were with Sid Kellner’s Great London Circus and we had an overnight jump. After the act we loaded up and in my haste, well stuff happens. On our way north we stopped to visit our friend the Allens in Pixley. We fixed the bumper and the wires. Beverly made some lunch for us and within an hour we were on the road again. I don’t know how many of you knew the Allens. I can tell you this… they were fine people.
Category: Ivan's Collection, Sid Kellner's Great London Circus |
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Posted By thecircusblog on January 10, 2012
Here is one more great photo of my grandfather parading his “Big Show” as he called it. He is at the front of the parade in his two horse drawn buggy. Later he started to use the circus name more often. The name ‘Big Show” was only to separate himself some what from the other circuses and there numerous shows on the road in those days. The greater majority of circuses traveled by train from town to town and they played all the bigger cities. Grandfather was content with his little wagon show, but then I believe in 1913 or 1914 he started converting model T’s over to autos tractors that could pull his wagons that were modified with from auto frames into small trailer semis Then when the model A’s came out in 1927 he actually cut the back seat out of the cars exposing the frame and created a 5th wheel by chris-crossing steel ties and then used a steel stake as a king pin…. Note, the model T’s was his first conversion. Then later in 1928 he bought two Cadillacs and converted them over to tractors, they could pull much heavier loads because there larger motors and transmissions. I remember my father telling me a story about how they would have to put the model Ts in reverse and back up over hills. The model T was not powerful enough to pull a load up hill. Even in it’s lowest low gear it would stall out. Reverse had a much lower gear and could take the hill. but there were times that didn’t work and they would use two T’s. A puller and a pusher would win the day. If you go into circus categories, J.E. Henry Circus 1800-1900 there are photos of his equipment This photo comes from the Bob Cline collection. Thank you again Bob.
Category: JE Henry Circus 1800 - 1900 |
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Tags: Animal circus parade wagons, Circus owners, Circus Parade, Henry 's Big Show, Henry Bros Circus, Henry Ford Cars, Henry Ford History, Model A Ford, Model T ford, Old time cars, The Big Show, vintage cars
Kayletta joined the Siebrand Bros Circus in the mid 1950’s. Her high pole aerial act was exceptional. She did every trick in the book and finished with a slide for life. I had a great deal of respect for her. Kayletta was a single lady and would set up and take down her rigging by herself and never ask for help. Kay was from the old school, she definitely was a pro. As the years passed on the circus she met Jack Gorden. He worked in the electrical on the show and then one day they were married. Kay continued to do her aerial act the only thing that changed was Jack was now putting up her rigging. Kayletta performed on the Siebrand circus for at lest 15 years. If I remember correctly she retired from her act at the age of 69. Kayletta and Jack still continued with the show until the very end.
