David Nelson…. a Circus Performer
Posted By thecircusblog on January 5, 2010
A little known fact about David Nelson is his circus background. In the early 1960’s not only was he an actor but a well trained catcher in a flying act ….and he was a powerhouse of a catcher. Both David and his brother Ricky became accomplished aerialist’s. Ricky was a flyer and was in a circus movie shot in 1961. There teacher and trainer was none other than Del Graham of the Flying Vienna’s. Dad and I did a few shows with Del, Babs and the Nelson brothers. All on the circus that watched the act were quiet surprised just how good David and Ricky were………Read comment made by Mary Jo Knolls Winter a circus performer, It is a side line comment on Ricky Nelson.
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thecircusblog
My name is Ivan M. Henry and I am the 4th generation of a circus/show business dynasty. I hope you enjoy the blog.Comments
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Early this week my wife and I saw a stage show, a trio playing music, and one song had been written by Ricky Nelson, and they said how talented he was and died so young. Anyhow it got my wife and I thinking of the first time we and our 3 children saw Ricky in person. It was in a Circus Tent set up in Ala Moana Park, Wikiki, sometime 1958-61. Does any one remember the dates and the circus???? Thanks
Yes I was there the date was 1961 with the E.K. Fernandez circus. My Dad and I had the chimp act…….. Henry’s Chimp’s.
I remember one show we did when Ricky dressed up as a clown. We were on a high school football field somewhere in So. California and Ricky came out with a broom and tried to sweep the dirt on the track. Nobody in the audience knew it was Ricky Nelson at the time, otherwise he would have been mobbed by screaming teenage girls.