Posted By thecircusblog on January 31, 2010
Jack Badal sent me this photo of Cheerful. The photo was taken in the back yard of the Hagenbeck & Wallace Circus in 1931. I took the photo into Office Depot to have it reduced smaller so I could scan it better for the circus blog. I handed it to a young lady and explained what I needed her to do. She then looked at the picture and said “Oh My God”, and I suddenly knew what she thought! I settled her down and said this is a trick, it’s done in the circus, the elephant is not eating the man. The trick is called a head carry and the trainer here in this photo knows what he is doing and so does the elephant……..I saw this trick done once before in person by the late Wally Ross, a well known bull man. In the movie “Elephant Walk”, Wally and the elephant Babe are seen doing this trick to make it look like the animal is killing one of the actors. The movie was shot in the 1950’s if you want to rent it.
Great comment please read.
Category: Elephants & Elephants Trainers, Hagenbeck & Wallace Circus |
4 Comments »
Tags:
Posted By thecircusblog on January 31, 2010
It is somewhat hard to see, but where the saddle horn is not where it should be. Dorothy’s horse has a side saddle rig. This type of saddle was used by women in the old days. It was un-lady like for a woman to straddle a horse and ride like a man. It wasn’t till the early 1940’s that most women started to ride in a western saddle. I am sure that there were a few exceptions and I think the motion picture industry had a lot to do with this change. My personally still like to see a woman ride side saddle…..I simply think it is elegant.
Read the great comment by……….Janice Trevino. ALSO comment by Roger Smith.
Category: Ringling Bros----& Barnum, Bailey |
4 Comments »
Tags:
Posted By thecircusblog on January 31, 2010
Doc Capell began his career in show business at the age of 14 with the J.E. Henry Wagon Show and stayed with the circus 12 years. He worked with the animals and learned acrobatics. He then became a professional wrestler, stepping into the ring with Ed “Strangler” Lewis, Rudy Dusek, Joe Pesek and many others. He stayed with wrestling quite some time, then took out his own professional wrestling show. Doc also had a medicine show for awhile, that’s how he got his nick name Doc. To this day I do not know his first name. In 1949 he started the Capell Bros Circus. In this photo are his two sons, Jack on the right Bob on the left. Bill Capell the youngest of the three boys came later.
Category: Doc Capell Capell Bros. |
3 Comments »
Tags: Capell Bros Circus, Doc Capell, medicine show
Posted By thecircusblog on January 31, 2010
This photo I believe was taken on the J.E. Henry Circus. When I discovered this photo, I noticed the name Rube Capell, a Capell brother I never knew of. I found this very intresting so I did some research and spoke with Dorothy Capell today and she vaguely remembers Rube Capell and that he died at a young age.
Category: Doc Capell Capell Bros. |
1 Comment »
Tags:
Posted By thecircusblog on January 31, 2010
The thrill shows of yester-years are all but gone. These rare photos were sent to me by Chris Burky. The other two photos that follow are part of the same show. I remember seeing these shows back in the 1940’s and 1950’s on carnival midways, amusement parks and fairs. They were called Motordrome Thrill Shows. I could not find the name of the show on the upper banner but perhaps someone may know and comment.
Category: Fairs & Exhibitions |
No Comments »
Tags:
Posted By thecircusblog on January 31, 2010
The vehicles in this photo look to be from the 1920’s. However, this kind of car and motor bike were sometimes custom made and used for several years. This thrill show could have been at Atlantic City??………. Check out the lion in the sidr car.
Category: Fairs & Exhibitions |
No Comments »
Tags:
Posted By thecircusblog on January 31, 2010
No question about it….this is different. I don’t know if this is the same thrill show or not….. The lion in the car is something I have never seen. In those days they came up with the crazy ideas. The photo is great. Please comment if you have any information on names or places.
Category: Fairs & Exhibitions |
No Comments »
Tags:
Posted By thecircusblog on January 30, 2010
John “Chubby” Gilfoyle and Enest Woska, both great wild animal trainers. This photo was taken in 1926, just before Chubby sadly lost an arm in a lion attack.
Category: Ringling Bros----& Barnum, Bailey, The Big Cat Trainers |
No Comments »
Tags:
