The Beattys and Friend

Posted By on December 6, 2009

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On the road but Clyde and Harrett still have time to visit with a friend.

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Florida Jungle Compound

Posted By on December 6, 2009

Clyde eatty Jungle compound

This photo was taken at the Clyde Beatty Jungle Compound in Florida.

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Merv And Jack

Posted By on December 6, 2009

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This photo is of Merv Griffin and my good friend for many years Jack Badal. Jack appeared on the Merv Griffin Show in the early 1960’s. In Jacks arms is his gorilla Ramar. Jack started his career with wild animals at a young age, first working as a animal attendant in many zoos though United States. In Jack’s 50+ years he became a top animal handler and trainer and is known as one of the best. He has worked with just about every exotic wild animal you can imagine. Soon I’ll be posting more photos of Jack and his animals. Some were his personal animals, others he trained for different zoos such as Brookfield and the LA Zoo. Jack Badal is now retried and leads a quiet life in southern California……….. This photo was given to me by Bill Biggerstaff of The Circus Report.

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A Great Circus

Posted By on December 6, 2009

george-matthews-circus  As I looked over this old program it brought back such nice memories. What a great group of performers to work with. I am glad that a friend found this old program……. quite often we forget our fellow performers. I guess that’s the nature of our business. I know we don’t mean to, but we are in a tough lively hood and every day is a challenge and more often than not our final curtain has no applause.

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Clyde Beatty on Cole Bros.

Posted By on December 6, 2009

cole-bros-clyde-beattyClyde Beatty on Cole Bros Circus.  Photo taken in the mid 1940’s.

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Dora Gee Gee

Posted By on December 6, 2009

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Our little baby was born in 1968 and was named after Dorise Gatti and Gee Gee Steel. Dora GeeGee’s mother was Kenya, an older chimp we did not use in the act. Dad and I had the chimp act on the Joe Gatti  Circus on and off for a few seasons, Never a nicer man to work for and his wife and daughters were always a pleasure to be around. Just a fine family. To this day the show is still going strong and there is no doubt in my mind that it will continue to be successful. Later she was one of the chimps we used in the movie Planet of the Apes.

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Cristiani Circus Western Show

Posted By on December 6, 2009

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I personally never knew the Cristianis to have an after show, but as you see  in this ad,  they must have added a congress of Cowboys and Indians to compete with other circuses.  Note the other great names. In the late 1950’s our family went to visit the Christianis when they played El Monte, CA.

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Andy Colino

Posted By on December 4, 2009

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 This photo was on a post card and the chimp was called Consul. The year was 1909. However, I know this chimpanzee as Andy Colino. What jogged my memory of him are the rings on his fingers as Andy Colino was fasinated with jewelry. I also remember other photos and stories about him being so intelligent.This is something I remember as a young child in the early 1940’s when my family was on the Yankee Patterson circus. The Grahams were on the circus with us. They did a single chimp act with this well trained animal who wasthen much older and a giant of a chimp. PaPa Graham worked the act and MaMa Graham handled the props. It opened with a restaurant bit and PaPa Graham was the waiter serving the well dressed chimp. The act continued with hand balancing and acrobatic tricks using a teeter board. As time went on Andy could not work any more because of his age.The Grahams semi retried in Los Angeles after the death of Andy Colino. He had lived to be over 40 years old which is quite unusual. I remember our family visiting the Grahams quite often.  PaPa Graham worked at the Los Angles Zoo taking care of the primates until his death. The Grahams had one son and as a young man he learned acrobatics and trapeze. He traveled with many circuses and became a very good flyer, Later he created his own flying act. His name was Del Graham of the Flying Viennas.

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Kelly Morris Circus

Posted By on December 4, 2009

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If anyone out there in the circus world has information on this circus please inform me. The only thing I know is what is in this ad.

 See comment made by Roy Morris.

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Cristiani 17 Days

Posted By on December 4, 2009

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This is an overlay ad where two ads are put together to make a change in a rush for a dead line…………. Doesn’t look too good but it made the paper. You can see where it does not line up properly.

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