Posted By thecircusblog on November 4, 2011
Armida doing the tight wire. Photo taken in the early 1960’s on the Ken Jensen Circus. Armida and I did a bit in the TV series “Greatest Show on Earth” staring Jack Palance. The bit was on the wire doubling for Alejandro Ray and Dorothy Malone. I won’t go into the details as they’re not important but I will say this we had fun doing the bit and the money was well worth our time.
Posted By thecircusblog on November 4, 2011
Johnny Gutierrez Sr. enjoying a little play time with his daughters. I believe this photo was taken in the back yard the Cronin Bros Circus. The children look like Armida and Alicia.
Posted By thecircusblog on November 4, 2011
Russell Bros Circus. From left to right top. Name unknown, name unknown, Dora Gutierrez, next looks like George Perkins? Bottom CoCo and Grace Fairburns and Maurice Marmalijo in middle.
Posted By thecircusblog on November 4, 2011
Double wire act with Dora, Molly, Armida, & Alicia. The Show and year are unknown to me. Perhaps Michelle Lopez can help me with this photo. I will say this it was not unlike Mr. Gutierrez not to take advantage of talent. All of his seven children were fine performers and they were eager to learn.
Posted By thecircusblog on November 4, 2011
From left to right: Arturo, Dora, Molly, Johnny Jr and on the bottom row Armida and Alicia. Arturo was a fantastic performer. One of his acts was called “Bounding Rope”. His tricks were superb and the height that he reached before each trick was unbelievable. The only other person that I have seen do a good Bounding Rope was Tony Fossett.
Posted By thecircusblog on November 4, 2011
Johnny Gutierrez and his beautiful wife Jovita. I am only guessing that this photo was taken some time in the 1920’s.
Posted By thecircusblog on November 4, 2011
From left to right are Arturo, Dora and Johnny Jr. The trampoline was another of their many acts. Johnny Jr did a tight wire act that in itself was one of the finest I’ve ever seen. He did just about every trick in the book but his finish was what the audience liked best. Someone would start to slack off on the wire making it into a slack wire. As they are doing this another person is handing Johnny his props which were a sombrero, a serape and a bottle that resembled a whiskey bottle. He then would take a sip from the bottle and some great comedy followed. His twisting , turning, undulating body made it look like his next step was his last and then he would almost fall off backwards, only to pull himself forward before he would leap from the wire for his bow. Even at the beginning of the next act people were still chuckling and talking about the comedy and the drunk Mexican wire walker.
There is a photo of his act in 101 Ranch categories.
Posted By thecircusblog on November 4, 2011
This is where it began for most of us…..in the back yard of a circus. Our tradition is carried on through the teaching of our parents…..as it has for generations.
This photo is of one of the Gutierrez children.
Posted By thecircusblog on November 1, 2011
Ringling Bros, Barnum & Bailey. This is a four horse hitch that is pulling the Cinderella float. The date of this photo was some time in the early 1950’s. The Walt Disney Cinderella move came out in 1950.
