Laurel & Hardy
Posted By thecircusblog on September 5, 2018
As a kid growing up in the circus world it got just a little boring to watch your fellow performers. Comedy was fun and no better were Laurel and Hardy, they would make my day. Even when I was performing in what ever acts at the time, Laurel and Hardy skits often ran though my mind. To this day I enjoy there comedy. During the winter Dad did a lot of studio work, there was always a need for circus performers and or animals. While at Paramount studios on a back lot my father noticed a bus that seemed to be in storage. Dad asked one of the Grips what the story was concerning the bus. He learned that is was owed by one of the production personnel. Dad found out who and asked if it was for sale, witch it was. The timing was right and with that Dad bought the Ford Bus. There are photos of it in within this blog. The bus was framed for location work and was fitted out with bathroom ,beds small kitchen, also a special foot bath for Hardy. It was some what self contained and had a generator. All of that was good, but for the motor had no horse power. Going up hills it would vapor lock. I remember one time dad put a block of ice in front of the radiator. We were going up the Grapevine pass on our way to Bakersfield, Calif. The ice did work ,it got us to the summit. 1948, roads then were not like they are. Two lines top speed for us 45 miles per hour and if you got to 55 down hill you were flying. We were circus people and never missed a show. Hard times but great memory’s made up for it.
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