The Circus Blog

Ken Willer

Posted By thecircusblog on April 30, 2011

This photo along with others was sent to me by an old friend Robin Badal, the brother of Jack Badal, wild animal trainer. It was a very windy day as you can see in this picture, but Ken held his one finger stand in a champagne bottle despite the weather. In the back ground is the Suarez brothers. They had the riding act on the Kay Bros Circus. 1966. It is said that the blond guy in the back ground with the Suarez brothers is yours truly….Maybe?

Category: Kay Bros Circus | 4 Comments »
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Pretty Good Crowd

Posted By thecircusblog on April 30, 2011

I remember this day well. There weren’t any more seats available in the grandstand. We had to put down some of the side wall on the ground for extra seating. Al was very proud of his show and when he saw the crowds he would always pull me over and ask the same question, “What do you think of this?” My answer was always the same, “How sweet it is Al”….. The clown is Al’s grandson. Thanks for the photos ROBIN….please send more.

Category: Kay Bros Circus | No Comments »
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“See You”

Posted By thecircusblog on April 30, 2011

“See you at the next spot”. Tommy in the cab of one of the show trucks. Late 1970’s.

Category: Bentley Bros Circus | No Comments »
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Set Up Day

Posted By thecircusblog on April 30, 2011

From left to right…..The two fellows on the left were part of the Suarez family. In the middle is Raul, then Pino and Tommy Bentley. Tommy was responsible for getting the Suarez family started in this country. In 1974 we spent the season with Circus Suarez. I retrained a routine and worked their two elephants. Judy the African elephant was a jug head, I put a few tricks on her but never had the time to get her straighten out. Our main reason to be on the show was our chimp act. All I can say about these people is, “They are JUST GREAT”. This photo was taken on Kay Bros or Rudy Bros in the mid 1960’s.

Category: Bentley Bros Circus, Other Mexican Circus & Performers | No Comments »
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Al Kayda

Posted By thecircusblog on April 30, 2011

In the 1960’s Al Kayda was a circus producer in southern California and I might add very successful. He and his wife Irene put together about thirty non profit organizations to sponsor his circus”Kay Bros”. It was nothing more than a side wall show that mostly showed in ballparks but the show looked clean and it was good. Al did not skimp on the money for the acts. Al knew, in order to be successful you needed to have good talent and there was plenty of that in the Los Angeles area during the spring and fall. Some of the acts were forty milers while others like ourselves had a complete season elsewhere. It sure was nice to pick up gravy money before going on the road. I admired Al Kayda. He played two roles.

At the beginning of show he would kibitz with the sponsor committee. When the overture started he would disappear and the next thing you saw was Al the candy butcher working the seats. Al Kayda knew where the money was at and he did quite well with his food, candy and popcorn concessions.

Category: Kay Bros Circus | 4 Comments »
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The Final Touch

Posted By thecircusblog on April 25, 2011

P.W. Siebrand looks on as Norman puts on the final touch ups on the Merry Go Round horse. This photo was taken at the Siebrand winter quarters 24 th st and Van Buren Phoenix, Arizona. Early 1950’s.

Category: Siebrand Bros Circus & Carnival | 1 Comment »
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Kids & Elephants

Posted By thecircusblog on April 25, 2011

Norman and Norma. They are the son and daughter of their parents, Norman and Norma Prather. Photo taken in the early 1950’s on the Siebrand Bros Circus & Carnival. They were showing in Butt, Montana. The elephants belong to Ed Widamen. This little brook that the elephants are drinking from, I use to catch the finest Brook Trout you have ever tasted. The Sieband show played this spot every year on the 4th of July. I spent my time in the early mornings fishing. The last time I fished there was in 1975 while with the Sid Kellner Great London Circus, We were traveling though Butt on are way to Canada. I had to stop at the old lot because of memories and the fishing.