Gene Holter Ranch
Posted By thecircusblog on September 28, 2012
Ray and Thelma Chandler working with a cheetah most likely for a movie. Gene Holter along with his show also had Movieland Animals. in Norco, Calif. Ray Chandler was one of Gene’s top trainers. Ray must have been born with a natural talent for working with and training animals of all kinds. He never had any formal training. Most trainers have a mentor, or start out in the business as a groom, not Ray. Here is a little known fact about Ray Chandler….. his career started out as a birthday and party clown. His daughter Janice will be sending me photos of him in clown makeup for posting. I also want to thank Janice for all the Chandler family and the Johnny Cline photos.
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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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This cheeta’s name is “Tarzan” and I knew him well. I worked for Gene Holter (a dear friend of my parents) when I was very young, in the summers of 1958, 59, 60 and 61.
Tarzan unintentionally clawed the back on my left hand while I was wrestling with and exercising him. Loves working with that big predators, including wolves, tigers, Bertha the bear and two cougars they had.
Got to work on the set and do some stand in for actors supposed to be attacked by these loving and tame animals. We had a wonderful and exciting youth back then!