Posted By thecircusblog on August 7, 2011
Here is another fine book that concerns our circus business. The great true story of Johnny Yong, who made himself the best in what he did in the circus world. I enjoyed the read, and will no doubt read it again. The book can be purchased at Barnes & Noble, on Amazon.com or by emailing rovanus@yahoo.com
This book tells the very fascinating true life story of Johnny Yong.
Posted By thecircusblog on August 7, 2011
No matter what act Herbie did, he was always considered one of the best. When he finished his act, he would slip on a butcher’s coat and hat and dash off to sell popcorn or cotton candy. I asked him one day why he went to all the hurry and trouble to get to the popper. He smiled and said, “This is my ace in the hole. There are times I make more butchering popcorn than I do with my acts.”
Posted By thecircusblog on August 7, 2011
Herbie and Chatta Weber were like family. I remember them first as a kid on the Escalante Circus in the very early 1940’s. We worked numerous shows together over the years. They were terrific people and true blue to their profession.
For those of you who knew Herbie, and perhaps worked with him in a three or four ring display, you’ll probably remember this story.
Herbie was a nice guy, but if you butted heads with him and tried to finish your act last to get the applause for yourself,….BIG MISTAKE! Herbie was type type of performer who knew all three rings had to finish simultaneously, Each performer knew the finish trick and watched each other so they could do so, but there was always someone who wanted to be the very last to take the bows.
If Herbie would see you were stalling, he would immediately go into his last trick and deliberately fall from the wire, causing an uproar with the audience, and of course, all eyes were upon him. Chatta would lift him up from the floor and help him back to the rigging, with him limping every step of the way. Then, with a Roman-type style to the audience, acknowledging the applause, he would go back to the center of the wire and wait however long it took until every performer was done with their act. He would then finish his trick to a rumbling ovation and steal the thunder.
Posted By thecircusblog on August 7, 2011
Here is a photo from the Los Angeles Times, taken Oct. 28, 1935. Its location is is unknown to me, but I’m guessing it could have been at either Goebel’s Lion Farm or the Los Angeles Zoo. It is said that the California Zoological Society trained the two lions, Tarzan on left and King on the right, to pull a feeding cart. They were also part of the entertainment. I’m quite sure they were not pulling meat in the cart; most likely monkey food. The names of the trainers are unknown to me.
Posted By thecircusblog on August 7, 2011
Henry Tyndall is the only full blood Native American chimp trainer I know of. This photo was taken at the Jungleland Compound in Thousand Oaks, Calif. in 1970. Henry was one fine chimp trainer and I’m proud to say I was a friend of his.
Posted By thecircusblog on August 7, 2011
Well…not really a triple. The performers’ names are unknown to me, but it is the Siebrand Circus in the early 1950’s.
Posted By thecircusblog on August 7, 2011
This is an actual photo of Ziggy trying to kill “Slim” Lewis. A lucky shot taken by a patron of the zoo. “Slim,” seen here between the tusks of Ziggy, “Slim” was lucky, too. Ziggy’s tusks stuck into the ground, allowing Slim to crawl out and jump to safety in the moat that surrounded the elephant yard. The person who took the photo sold it to the Chicago Tribune. “Slim” later wrote a book titled “I loved Rogues.” It is said that Clifford Jones took Ziggy back to the barn after this incident. It is also said that Ziggy died in 1072?….. By Darren Kearney, grandson of Clifford Jones. 2014.
