Bucky Steel’s Elephants
Posted By thecircusblog on February 28, 2011
The following photos were shot by Bob Atterberry and sent to Gil Gray. The date when sent is unknown to me. These photos came from the collection of Mary Gray Frasier.
Read comment made by Kandra Robertson.
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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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These are Mr. Gray’s elephants that Bucky worked for a few years on Mr. Gray’s show. My mom (Gertie Craig) is on the right, I’m in the middle & Ingrid (I can’t remember her last name) is on the left. My mom started working in the elephant when Carly Peterson was head of Mr. Gray’s animal department. Ingrid & Donna (sorry I can’t remember her last name either) then joined the act. I took Donna’s place when she left & Suzy Dennis replaced Ingrid later.
The 3rd girl in the act is Ingrid Sommar who started with the Sidneys skating act. She and Lindy, who married Gus Kenowski, were roommates for quite awhile. Nice girls!
Thanks Kandra for getting the elephants back for Dad! Luv U….
From the looks of Kandra and the size of the elephants my best guess would be this was in about 1962-63 in Austin, as Bob Attebury mention.
The elephants names were Jinnie, Minnie and Tilly…..
Thank you Mary for naming the elephants. According to elephant historian Bob Cline, these three were purchased in 1952 by the Gil Gray Circus and sold in 1966 to the Tarzan Berosini Circus in Mexico.
According to Buckles Woodcock, Tarzan Berosini worked the elephants for Gil Gray and went to Mexico with them in 1967 when they were sold to Atayde.
Does anyone have more information as to what became of the group once it left south of the border? Are they still around?