thecircusblog | March 9, 2009
This man was my childhood hero. At home in El Monte, Calif. there was a movie theater called the Tumbleweed not to far away from our house. All the kids in the neighborhood would go to the Saturday matinee. There was always a cowboy or a Tarzan movie and the price was right….25 cents. When Dad went to the compound […]
thecircusblog | March 9, 2009
Buster Crabb played Tarzan in the movie King of the Jungle. He is pictured here with “Jiggs” the chimp. He was as popular as Johnny Weissmuller. Lex Barker also played Tarzan for a brief period of time. Whe you see some of the older Tarzan movies, look closely into the jungle foliage and you will see […]
thecircusblog | March 7, 2009
This photo of Chet Juszyk during a performance on the Dobritch International Circus. Chet was a nice, easy-going guy. Some trivia about him includes that he was a paratrooper in the Korean War and went to Jungleland in Thousand Oaks to learn how to be a cat trainer under the GI Bill.
thecircusblog | March 7, 2009
This picture was taken just before Chet Juszyk was mauled by Brutus, one of his lions. This occurred during a performance at Jungleland. Chet survived the attack but needed months of medical attention and rehabilitation. I saw him months later and was relieved that he was doing well.
thecircusblog | March 7, 2009
thecircusblog | March 7, 2009
thecircusblog | March 7, 2009
Thanks to Lou Regan and Dick McGraw who went into the arena and fended off the lion Brutus.
thecircusblog | March 6, 2009
A great photo of Clyde Beatty with Albert Fleet at the safety door. This photo was taken before Mr. Fleet had a chimp act. He started his career with the Clyde Beatty Circus and stayed with it for years. Clyde Beatty was noted for having a fighting lion act. His use of chairs, whip cracking etc. […]
thecircusblog | March 6, 2009
In the bottom left corner is Joe Metcalf with Jenny 0ne of the zoo’s elephants. This photo taken in the early 1930’s at Luna Park formerly called Selig Zoo. The owner was WillIam Selig. Thoughout the years there were other wild animal trainers such as Olga Celeste, Louis Roth and Melvin Koontz. The park was located […]
thecircusblog | March 6, 2009
This is Tusko, one of many great circus elephants. Photo taken on the Al G. Barnes circus 1930’s. He was considered a great attraction during his time.
