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The Circus Blog by Ivan M. Henry is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at www.thecircusblog.com.
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Billy Barton #4
Posted By thecircusblog on April 13, 2014
This article was in the Akron Beacon Journal Oct,26, 1975.
Ivan Henry & Gary Wallace
Posted By thecircusblog on April 13, 2014
The pay one price was indeed a success. It allowed you to ride all the rides, all day, for that one day. We did have individual ticket sales for those who wanted just a short stay at the show. There was a general admission, if you did not buy the POP. The food and games were not included in the pay one price ticket.
Tobie’s Liberac
Posted By thecircusblog on April 5, 2014
While practicing on a new comedy bit between shows one time, I was a little harsh with Tobie. He was a real cry baby. While he was having his tantrum I put my fingers over his lips and then I noticed when I removed them he made a sound like ma ma. I put my thumb and fore finger back over his lips closing them and then released ma came out again. It took about two weeks of practicing till on que he would say Mama. You could hear him at the piano as he played saying mama, mama. There were however times during the act when I yelled at him to straighten him out, he would start with his “mama” bit. He knew that the audience loved it…. so whenever he wanted to upstage me or the other chimps he would do his Mama routine.
Tobie
Posted By thecircusblog on April 5, 2014
Tobi was a great little chimp. After all these years I still miss them all.
Ivan and Bongie
Posted By thecircusblog on April 5, 2014
This photo was taken in 1957. It was later used in 1976 for a news ad for Legend City Amusement Park,Tempe, Arizona.
The Get Well Date $$$
Posted By thecircusblog on April 5, 2014
The “get well” date came just at the right time. Dad and I had a good season, but more money went out faster than it came in. When we got home for the winter we had high hopes of booking a lot of Christmas shows like we always did, but for some reason Christmas dates were few that year. Then a phone call came in from Cindy Bardine an X performer that we had worked with before on many different shows. Cindy had become a booking agent for the “Roaring 20’s Show in Portland Oregon. We were delighted to know that she was doing well in her new career. She said “I have this date for you in Portland, it’s only for two weeks but it is very good money and I am sure once they see your act, they will hold you over”.
Dad and I took the date and off we went on January 6th, 1967 to Portland. When we arrived at the Holt Hotel where the show room was located we discovered that the stage was nowhere near the area needed for a circus act. We were in a jack pot. Dad said it is obvious that we can not do any of the large prop tricks, so we stayed in a vaudeville mode and did more comedy. We cut the act in half and basically did stand up comedy with hand balancing, and old style slap stick, along with Tobie’s piano routine. The band was great they played a little ground jazz and somehow it just all came together.
We put together a 15 minute comedy chimp act that could work on a stage 12 by 16. Dad and I knew at that time we were not limited in our act due to area or space. The Star of the show, Gracie Hansen held us over for another 6 weeks. I think it was because of her baby Tobie. Yes it was a get well date $, because of the indifference and difficulty…. we bettered ourselves.
The Greatest Little Circus On Earth
Posted By thecircusblog on April 5, 2014
I took Henry Bros Circus out with Space Age Amusement. It was one of the best seasons I have ever had. Al Mirro owned the carnival. He paid weekly over and above what my regular salary was.
Clifford Henry
Posted By thecircusblog on April 5, 2014
My father’s talents were many. After he retired from our chimp act, he decided that he would continue on in the business. Many show producers asked him if he would help them repair or build show equipment. He really wanted to travel visiting friends and circuses. I remember him saying, “I have worked pretty hard all my life, now it is time for me to enjoy what I have left”.
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