Zippo
Posted By thecircusblog on May 12, 2017
Mary Wise
Mary could you make some comments about yourself and the photo you sent me for the circus blog?
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Circus International
Posted By thecircusblog on May 12, 2017
Jeff Powless sent this photo of the Hubert Castle Circus poster. The date is 1971. The show was playing Toronto but I know very little about Hubert’s show. In the mid 1960’s Dad and I worked with his show with our chimp act. In his younger years Hubert Castle was known as Hal Smith which was his true name. In my collection of old photos there is one of Hubert performing on the tight wire. It so happens that he was one of the acts on my grandfather circus….the J.E. Henrys Big Show. There is no date on the photo of Hubert, but it had to be some time in the early 1930’s? Thanks again Jeff for the photo.
Pork Chop Review
Posted By thecircusblog on May 12, 2017
The name of this act is Uncle Heavy’s Pork Chop Review. Thanks Mary for your comment.
Clyde Beatty Circus
Posted By thecircusblog on May 12, 2017
If you knows the year of this program, please comment. Thanks
Polack Bros Circus
Posted By thecircusblog on May 7, 2017
This was the program cover. Not to bad a likeness of Pat Anthony. Pat was not particularly happy with it, which of course gave me the opportunity to rib him. Because of our friendship I could get away with it. My father and I first met Pat when he started training at the Jungleland compound in Thousand Oaks, Calif, 1946, or 47. His ambition was to create a great, mixed cat fighting act and in a few years Pat accomplished just that. I must say that Pat’s cat act at that time was the best in our business.
Polack Bros Shrine Circus 1967
Posted By thecircusblog on May 7, 2017
Tony and Ingmar Smaha both were very wonderful people. They had a very classy horse act. As you see here in this photo, this horse leaping over 5 foot straight up from the arena floor.
Polack Bros Circus 1967
Posted By thecircusblog on May 7, 2017
Pete and Patrova were fine people and had a great act!
Photo from the Jimmy Cole collection.
Polack Bros Shrine Circus 1967
Posted By thecircusblog on May 7, 2017
This photo came from the Jimmy Cole collection. Casey Gibbs sent it to me. This Tiger in the photo is Cubby and she was a trouble maker, always looking to start a fight with one of the lions. Cubby was also the safety cage door bouncer. She was the last cat to leave the arena, so for exciting finish. Pat would haze her to the exit shoot door, reluctantly Cubby would turn as to attack Pat at the safety door where by Pat closed it between them just in the nick of time. All was very well performed for the audience and you could hear a sigh of relief.
Jack pot…….. There were times Cubby just didn’t want to bounce the safety door. Pat of course wanted to close the act with excitement, so he would rattle the door, step in and out of the arena, shoot a few blanks and if that didn’t work, throw the chair, then the whip amd of course all was in vane. Cubby would lay down on the arena floor and look at Pat as if to say “not today Pat”. The crowd did get a kick out of it as Pat exited the arena saying I tired her out, along with other words under his breath.
It would’nt be fair not to mention a person that was Pat’s right hand man… Bill Johnson. I would say that Bill was the back bone of Pats act. Bill did every thing for care and upkeep. Bill Johnson was one of a kind.
Polack Bros Shrine Circus 1967
Posted By thecircusblog on May 7, 2017
There were many times that Pat would ask me to work safety for him. That meant if anything should happen where he might be down on the floor, it would be my job to get the cat off of him. Pat had the sense to know when things could go wrong. The worst time was when females came into season. I give thanks that we never had a problem. I do remember that I was pretty sure of myself and I had Bill Johnson and Casey Gibbs behind me.
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