Mabel Stark
Posted By thecircusblog on March 25, 2009
Mabel Stark performed at World Jungle Compound in her later years. Her act was just like clock work. Every trick was precision. Notice in this photo……no chair, no whip or prod pole. She cued the tiger with her hand. Incidentally, the chair, whip and prod pole were more often used for drama …..although sometimes they were needed to protect the trainer. It is a good thing to have something between you and the cat. They are wild animals….they are not tamed, they are trained.
About the author
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
One Response to “Mabel Stark”
Leave a Reply
Please note: Comment moderation is currently enabled so there will be a delay between when you post your comment and when it shows up. Patience is a virtue; there is no need to re-submit your comment.
Mabel is seen here in typical dress at that time. She wore the more formal wardrobe for special days. She continued the old-style costumes with the epaulets and braids across the chest, a cape and 26″ boots. I have one of her capes, the last lash whip she used before Zoo and Shiek tore her up so badly in Bangor, Maine, in 1928, on John Robinson, a pistol she somehow obtained from MGM, and her trunk.
The tiger seen here is Bill, the wire-walker before my time there. In my day, Tiba walked the wires, and Mabel told me in detail how to break the trick.