Jungle Sideshow 1

| November 20, 2015

 I don’t know this to be a fact, but I think this show front belongs to Bobby Reynolds. I remember seeing it at the Phoenix State Fair in the late 1990’s. I also remember that someone took exception to the use of the phase “Giant Monster Rats”saying it was misleading and untrue. They said that the animals inside the […]

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Norbert

| December 8, 2013

The wonders of the circus and a carnival side show. Norbert “PooBah” Terhurne was one of those wonders….. 1930 to 2012. He performed for Ward Hall for 55 years. He made a good living for himself and never asked for anything but a stage on which to present his talent. I once had a hot […]

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Let Me Think!

| December 26, 2012

I remember being told of an interesting event in the late 1950’s concerning the U.S. Army importing a hundred or so camels from Morocco and Arabia. The purpose was to create a military cavalry to be used to fight the Germans that occupied North Africa during World War II, around 1942.  This military program was […]

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Allan C.Hill Great American Circus

| October 12, 2012

Tiny Tim at the front entrance……… Did you know Tiny had a knew song? Tip Toe though the sawdust with me……….. Just a Jackpot.

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Move Up Old Girl

| September 9, 2012

Babe was one of the nicest elephants anyone would ever want to work with. She was on many circuses, had many handlers, and was bought and sold–I really don’t know how many times. There is one story about her that I remember well as I was there. It was the new edition of the Yankee […]

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Sells Floto Circus

| July 19, 2012

The circus back yard during set up and tear down is driven by organized confusion. Everything has its place and everything is placed perfectly into what becomes the circus. Nothing can quite compare to the rhythmic synchronization of the show. So why is it that we are disparaged so often in the media and ridiculed […]

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Mae Leure

| June 30, 2012

Mae’s pony drill, photo taken in the early 1950’s. When I look at this photo it reminds me of the times when we had crowds like this photo shows. The advance men and the show owner of the circus would be pulling their hair out. The performer would wonder if they were going to get […]

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Al G. Barnes Circus

| June 13, 2012

“HEY YOU KIDS GET OUT OF THERE!” I don’t know how many times I have yelled these words. I bet some of you have done so as well. The above sentence is most likely used more often then any other in the circus vocabulary… Seen here are kids peeking and trying to pull back the […]

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Miller Bros 101 #1

| May 24, 2012

Miller Bros air calliope 1926. I think these three are the Miller brothers. The Miller Bros 101 Ranch photos that I am posting along with many if not most of the old circus photos. This is a first time visual event for me. The wonderment and the surprise that I receive when I take an […]

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Hamming It Up

| April 16, 2012

I found this photo and thought that I would post it. This is all I know, just what’s in the photo. I have only seen two other acts like this. Uncle Henry’s Pork Chop Review and Johnny Cline had a pig act for awhile. I remember he spoke of it and said he worked it […]

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