World Jungle Compound Contract
Posted By thecircusblog on March 31, 2009
At the top of this contract are the names of Trader Horne and Billy Richards, they were the knew owners. This contact was an rental agreement for the use of animals or the compound itself. Many studios used the compound for their location shooting for a jungle type environment. No matter how many times Mr. Goebel would sell the Jungle Compound it would inevitably come back to him. The different owners did not understand how to make it work. Mr. Goebel sold the Jungleland compound several times to corporations, private investors just about anyone that had the money. Louie Goebel was not a foul as these want to be’s found out. There was only one man that understood the workings of importing and exporting animals. He also understood what would bring the common public and the movie producers to his Jungleland. Louie never called it a zoo, It was a Jungleland adventure. THOUSAND OAKS, Calif., April 24— Louis Goebel, the animal trainer whose Jungleland lion compound here was a popular attraction from 1925 to 1969, died Monday at his home. He was 84 years old.
Among the animals at Jungleland were Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s mascot, Leo the Lion. Mr. Goebel was the son of a New York butcher. He worked at Universal Studios in the early 1920’s, cleaning up after animal stars. When Universal disbanded its studio zoo, he bought a parcel of land and five of Universal’s lions to start Goebel’s Lion Farm. Jungle pictures were popular at the time, and the Lion Farm soon included all kinds of exotic beasts, prompting the name change to Jungleland.
Mr. Goebel is survived by his wife, Kathleen; a son, Eugene; a daughter, Alma Giles, and six grandchildren.
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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
3 Responses to “World Jungle Compound Contract”
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Once I had been there a few months, I finally landed a Jungleland contract. It called for $75 a week, in early 1966.
In 1970 Billy Richards (my uncle) gave me all the artifacts he had saved from World Jungle Compound. Billy was my best man when I was married in Thousand Oaks in 1952. I think many of these belong where they can be seen. One of the most interesting is a full length feature movie about how he went to Washington to have animal training added to the G.I. Bill. This was so Pat Anthony (Tony the Lion Trainer) could be trained at the compound. A rift between Trader and Billy left Billy with the film and Trader with the sound track. The film has never been unwrapped from the developer nor has ever been on a film editor.
I have many other items, awards, pictures, etc. If you know of some one who is a collector or dealer, you might pass along my address.
Jerry Osborne, I hope some of the items you mentioned have ended up in a museum, or perhaps back in Thousand Oaks with the Historical Society/Stagecoach Museum. I grew up in T.O. during the 60’s and Jungleland provided a lot of memories then and continues to be a part of my research and collecting interests today. Circus Blog has been a huge resource. The film and sound track that ended up split between Billy and Trader is quite intriguing. Too bad it was never finished. Would love to more hear about your treasures from those days.
I would be happy to have Circus Blog share my email address with you and/or anyone associated/connected with the WJC/Jungleland.