Posted By thecircusblog on March 21, 2009
The Johnny Cline elephants, Princess, Dell and Molly. Johnny’s wife, “Emelia”, better known as Milonga, is seen in this photo. Chata, Easter and their brothers Henry and Lalo are all Escalants. Milonga lives in Fiorida …at the age of 87 and doing quite well.
Posted By thecircusblog on March 21, 2009
Johnny and his daughter Kathy. In 1960 EK Fernandes hired Henry’s Chimps along with Johnny Cline and his animal acts. We were selected to go aboard the ship that took the animals to Hawaii. It was a seven day trip and John and I fed, watered and cleaned all of the animals. Each night there would be a poker game with the crew of the Matsen Liner cargo ship. I think Johnny won more money in the poker games than he did in Hawaii.
Posted By thecircusblog on March 21, 2009
In the mid 1950’s there was a television show called “You Asked For It”. It was quite popular, people would write into the station requesting different types of entertainment…. animals from the movies, artist, magicians, odd and unusual talent from all walks of our society. In this 1955 photo is Ray Chandler on the left, back right Gene Holter, and in the center is Art Baker, the shows MC. The horse is “Silver” from Movieland Animals. Movieland Animals was owned by Gene Holter. Ray Chandler was their head trainer. My father also performed on the show. Someone wrote into the show asking if they could get someone like Batman to walk up side down on the ceiling. My father was called for the job. Dad built a foot loop stretcher bar and a week later did the show. They had the wardrobe…. dad had the talent. Photo supplied by Ray Chandlers daughter Janice…… Thanks.
Posted By thecircusblog on March 21, 2009
Janice Chandler, shown here at age 11, is the daughter of the famous animal trainer Ray Chandler. This photo was taken at Jungleland where Ray trained animals for the motion picture studios and for Jungleland. In the picture she is holding 3 cougar cubs from the compound. She now lives with her family near Wilcox, Arizona. Photo taken early 1960’s.
Posted By thecircusblog on March 21, 2009
The last time I saw Roger was in the early 1960’s. I went to Thousand Oaks to pay visit with Big John Strong who lived not to far from the Jungleland compound. I happened to run into Roger who was at that time just developing his cat act and by all reports he was an up and comer. This was photo taken on Hubert Castle show.
Posted By thecircusblog on March 19, 2009
Dave Hoover carried himself in the arena in a way that separated him from others. I remember him as being cool and calm with a smooth routine and all the while having an exciting cat act. A Bill Strong photo.
Posted By thecircusblog on March 19, 2009
Here are Harold Simmons and Gene Randow…. two very talented clowns. Gene had a pure instinct for comedy. He understood timing and how to get a laugh. Gene was a great help to me with the chimp act. The comedy in our act would start slowly then build to one laugh after another. We allowed the chimps to do their own thing during the act and the chimps loved to ham it up. However there still had to be control. Gene would hide while watching the act so the chimps could not see him in clown make up/ We had one chimp, Big Jackie who did not like clowns. Gene gave me comedy tips that I used in the act. Our finish trick was a head stand on the perch pole. I would kneel down so Bongie could jump up to my back to climb the pole. This one show Bongie decided to goose me before the trick….. Embarrassed yes, I turned and said a few things and then finished the trick . Between shows I went to practice the trick to stop the chimp from goosing. Gene got to me first and said that’s the funniest gag I’ve ever seen. Leave it in and I did…………….Thank you Bill Strong for the photo.
Posted By thecircusblog on March 19, 2009
Stephano was another fine big cat trainer that Jungleland turned out in the 195o’s. His zesty Italian personality gave him his own originality.
Posted By thecircusblog on March 19, 2009
Dick McCraw? This I believe is a picture of Dick McCraw in an inside shot at the Jungleland arena. ……………. Need ID.
Update 3-27-10, See comment from Dick McGraw’s son Kevin McGraw…… Thanh’s for the ID.
Posted By thecircusblog on March 18, 2009
The Gil Gray Circus in 1961 created a production called the “Deep Purple Ballet” . In this photo are Bill and Trudy Strong….looking good. Like most performers, when we look back, we wish we could do it all over again.
