Posted By thecircusblog on October 3, 2011
All of the knife throwing acts that I knew and worked with always made their own throwing knives because they had to be perfectly balanced. I also learned that each revolution of the blade, is from anywhere within 8-10 feet from the target. Note they usually stand 8-10 feet away from the target board so the knives go through one revolution before hitting.
Jack Cavenah told me that when he was a young man in vaudeville doing his knife throwing act, a marine drill instructor approached him to look at his blades and to observe his technique. Jack later found out that he was a hand-to-hand combat trainer during the second world war and part of his training was knife throwing. So just maybe our military got their first lesson in knife throwing from a vaudeville performer.
Throughout the Circus Blog there are pictures of Jack Cavenah and Bernice Dean. These types of acts were very popular pre 1970s.
It is plain to see these blades are home made.
Category: Carson & Barnes |
No Comments »
Tags:
Posted By thecircusblog on October 3, 2011
The Oklahoma Kid presented whip cracking skills and knife throwing. He worked just about everywhere. Western type acts were very popular from late 1800’s to the 1950’s. I know of at lest five that we worked with in the 1950’s. Then they just hind of faded away. Does anyone remember Jack Cavenah or Frank & Bernice Dean?
Category: Carson Collection |
No Comments »
Tags:
Posted By thecircusblog on October 3, 2011
This act was a comedy hand balancing act. I was told by Dorothy Carson that they were non stop with great tricks and side splitting comedy.
Category: Carson & Barnes |
No Comments »
Tags:
Posted By thecircusblog on October 3, 2011
YAAAAAAAAAAAA WOOOOOOOOO
Category: Carson & Barnes |
No Comments »
Tags:
Posted By thecircusblog on October 3, 2011
On many of the fairs that Dad and I worked there was a mixed bag of entertainment. And without a doubt there was always a musical act of some sort, like this country western band. The shows were billed as the grandstand variety entertainment.
However, many fairs did book in a complete circus that was put the in front of the grandstand. We would set up on the race track and quite often after each performance, the show would have to tear down to allow horse racing. It was a pain upping and downing the arena but we all enjoyed betting on the horses.
Category: Carson Collection |
No Comments »
Tags:
Posted By thecircusblog on October 2, 2011
I believe it was in 1957 when we worked together at the Arizona State Fair in Phoenix. Dad and I had the chimp act on the bill with several other variety acts which included Marty Robbins. His song, A White Sport Coat (and a Pink Carnation) just made #1 on the charts. He was one happy fellow and an overnight sensation.
To be honest with you, I had no idea what was going on and to be frank didn’t even care. Maybe that’s why we became friends. NO pretext just two performers on the same bill. I did know that he was a local hero from Glendale, Arizona, a few miles west of Phoenix and of course he had a following from there.
As time went on we worked a few other shows and we kind of kept in touch, but then like always in our business you can lose track of people even friends. I can tell you this: Marty was one fine person and one great singer…………………….If you click on his song title you will be able to hear it.
Category: Ivan's Collection |
No Comments »
Tags: Arizona, Glendale, Marty Robbins, Marty Robbins Singer, Robbins El Paso
Posted By thecircusblog on October 2, 2011
Photo from the Dorothy Carson collection. The Carson’s skating act was known as the Royal Rockets. They not only did circus tours, but also played many fairs and theater stage shows. This explains why many of the photos that you see in the circus blog are from a wide variety of show business.
Category: Carson & Barnes |
No Comments »
Tags:
Posted By thecircusblog on October 2, 2011
The head balance is not an easy trick to perform and it’s even more difficult to do while swinging. This photo is from the Tommy Bentley collection.
Category: Bentley Bros Circus, Other Mexican Circus & Performers |
No Comments »
Tags:
Posted By thecircusblog on October 2, 2011
Fernando Solonzano Sept, 4, 1964. That is all I could find on the back of this old photo. The three little people and looks like a child with them are from a circus south of our border. What country or circus I can not tell you. As a matter of of fact I don’t even know where I got this photo. I do remember bringing back a lot of photos from Mexico in 1974 when I toured with the chimp act on Ciro Suarez. I just thought I would post it, perhaps someone will make a comment on who they are.
Category: Ivan's Collection, Other Mexican Circus & Performers |
No Comments »
Tags:
Posted By thecircusblog on October 2, 2011
A unicyclist riding fast and furious created an air of excitement. This particular photo is from the Tommy Bentley collection and I think the act was on Tommy’s show. Their name is unknown to me so please comment if you have any knowledge of this act.
Category: Bentley Bros Circus |
No Comments »
Tags:
