Randy Runyon #5
Posted By thecircusblog on October 27, 2011
Chucko’s son Randy shows the kids around the Jungleland compound. Photo taken in the mid 1960’s.
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Gollmar Bros Circus #1
Posted By thecircusblog on October 27, 2011
I acquaintance of mine just sent me this Photo of the Gollmar Bros tabloid.
Gollmar Bros Circus #2
Posted By thecircusblog on October 27, 2011
I want to thank my new friend for these stunning photos.
The Pit Show #1
Posted By thecircusblog on October 23, 2011
Glen “Bones” Hartzell stands near his ticket box. His daughter Glenna is the ticket seller. This photo was taken in the mid to late 1940’s. Bones and Glenna joined the Siebrand circus and carnival in the early 1950’s….. I believe 1953? Here is a man with a most interesting show biz life that included the vaudeville stage, to the circus arena and then carnival show midways. Sometime ago in the circus blog I wrote a story about Bones and his Octopus pit show. This is the short version. It had to do with death of his Octopus. After many seasons of it being on exhibit and just before the fairs on the Siebrand show “Octo” passed away. Octo was the name Bones gave to him or her? Bones had to do something to save the rest of the season with his show. He removed the Octopus from the salt water and replaced it with formaldehyde. He rebuilt the exhibit tank with a bubble like see though cover. However this was not good enough Octo had to move to give a realistic appearance. Bones rigged up an air pump and attached a small hose to it. The air hose ran though an opening in the tank that lead to the Octopus. When the eclectic pump was turned on it gave Octo a life like appearance. The Octopus almost lasted the rest of the season, just long enough to make winter money and somewhere along some highway pull off is the rest of the story.
The Pit Show #2
Posted By thecircusblog on October 23, 2011
This photo was taken in 1942 of Glen”Bones”Hartzell original Octopus show. In the ticket box is his wife Olive, she passed away a few years later in 1945. We will be going back in time with photos of the life of Bones. I want to thank Randall Hartzell for many of the photos that you are about to see.
The Canon Gag #3
Posted By thecircusblog on October 23, 2011
Bones and Olive doing the Canon gag. First you need a canon like this one and then two chickens. I will explain it as I saw Harry Ross do the gag. The one chicken is loaded into the mussel of the canon which is seen here with Bones. The second chicken is in a bird cage 10 feet away but cannot be seen because he is pushed down in the bottom of the cage. The cage is in line with the canon. Now clown magic begins. Bones go over to the cage and covers it with a black cloth. As Bones is covering the cage he pulls a pin that frees a gimmick that allows the chicken to stand up, remember the cage is still covered. Bones walks back to the canon and says……. I am going to fire the canon. The chicken will fly’s though the air so fast that no one can see him and then will land in the cage. On the inside frame of the canon there is a blank gun that is fired after the audience does a count down. DID YOU SEE THAT HE’S IN THE CAGE! Now the rub and tees begins. Bones and Olive are starting to leave the ring with the their canon. Of course the everyone wants to see the chicken. So with a little coaxing from the audience Bones walks over to the cage, takes the magic black cloth off the cage and low and behold there is the chicken! The audience is in wonder………….. Now the laugh……….. As Bones and Olive are leaving the arena another pin is pulled on a trap door under the canon. A chicken falls from the barrel of the canon exposing the other chicken……….. That’s the gag. Randall Hartzell, your grandfather would be proud of you for saving these photos and wanting to know what is the canon and the chicken gag.
Funny Bones #4
Posted By thecircusblog on October 23, 2011
This photo I believe was taken in the back yard of the Al G. Barnes Circus some time in the 1930’s. The car in the background may help with the date. It is hard to say what circus he was on, because Bones was with several shows. I do remember much of his life stories by overhearing conversations with Bones and my father while on Siebrand Bros Circus.
The Exploding Chair #5
Posted By thecircusblog on October 23, 2011
The exploding chair is one clown gag that I have never seen. I have seen the collapsing chair gag that exploded but not the rocking chair. This very well could be the same thing. Bones was a good inventor and he would change gags to make them just a little different to fit his clown character. Photo was taken on the Al G. Barnes Circus in the mid 1930’s.
Olive Hartzell #6
Posted By thecircusblog on October 23, 2011
Olive and Glen Hartzell were married in Great Falls, Montana in 1922. Bones was in vaudeville at that time. He and Olive started working as a team when Bones left Vaudeville and joined up with Al G. Barnes. I do remember him talking about other shows that he was with. I am anxious to hear some comments from our senior circus people they may have more information on the Hartzell’s.
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