The Oglie Zavatta Family
Posted By thecircusblog on October 4, 2009
I wish this news clipping of the Zavatta family was better but it’s all I have. This photo shows the Zavattas in their custom bus, built by Oglie himself from a Trailways passenger bus. They were on the Polack circus at the time of this photo . This bus had all the comforts of any home and if you did not like your neighbor you could always move. The Siebrand Bros. circus was where my family and I first met the Zavattas. Monte and Geno were older then, Oglie was just starting to teach them the family acts. During the week-days there was not much to do as we had evening shows only. This off time gave us the time to practice new tricks. Our trailers were always parked close together behind the circus making it very easy to visit. Oglie would sit outside his bus in his favorite lawn chair, next to him a crank up 78 speed record player. He listened for hours to Mario Lanza and if he spotted me he would call me over to hear the great Mario Lanza sing. Oglie would say in broken english ……… Now Ivan this is music… it is good for you. ” Listen to these beautiful songs, here is a true artistry. Not that, Rocka….. anda…… Rolla….. Junka.” When I saw Oglie cone from the bus with his Victrola, I would take off runing for some place to hide, but I was not always successful in my attempt to get away. I now know just about every Mario Lanza song and can sing O Solo Mia backwards.
Monte, Geno, You had a great father.
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