Ground Acts #5

Scan00000010008, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Ground Acts #6

Scan00000010006, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Ground Acts #7

Scan00000010002, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. "Sig. Casinova, the Knife Thrower and wife in 1897. His address then was Painted Post, New York."

Ground Acts #8

Scan00000010005, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Ground Acts #9

Scan00000010007, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Ground Acts #10

Scan00000010009, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. Walter and Roy Brownlee.

Roy Bronlee

Scan00000010011, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. I remember him from Wallace Bros. when I was five or six. Other pictures show him working in the Dinner Table number (drunk elephant) maybe due to the material used in the "knock-about" act above.

John_Ringling_at_White_House_5_14_1925

John_Ringling_at_White_House_5_14_1925, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. From Chris Berry I recently came across this old news photo of John Ringling at the White House on May 14, 1925. A quick check of the Ringling-Barnum schedule shows that indeed the circus opened in Washington DC that day - but I wondered what the purpose of the meeting was, and whether Mr. John actually met with President Coolidge. I posed that question to a group of circus historians - and while we will probably never know for sure, a little detective work by Judy Griffin resulted in a newspaper article that said that John Ringling did indeed invite Coolidge to the show and that he planned to attend. Fred Dahlinger took the question a step further and reports that Mrs. Coolidge did indeed attend the show the evening of May 14 with a "Mrs. Sargent" and while the New York Times reports that they "stayed until the end" there is no indication that the President himself attended that night. Nevertheless Mr. Dahlinger reminds us that Calvin Coolidge was one of the biggest supporters of the circus to inhabit the White House - and he did indeed attend a performance in Washington DC in 1928.

From Andrew Wightman

Hi Buckles Do you have any information on two acts. I was wondering if the Palacios act went anywhere after they were done with Ringling and were they the same kind of act that Alfred Court had some 50 or 60 years earlier ? I was also wondering what Samel’s mixed act consisted of .Was it just lions and Tigers or was it something else? Andrew

Palacio Mixed Act #1 (From Buckles)

Scan00000010003, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. Mr. Wightman, Here are some pictures from Ringling programs regarding the acts you mention. I had the pleasure of seeing both but have no idea where they went afterward. In 1991 they decided to do an elephant ride out front of the Armory in D.C. so I got a call from Tim Holst and one day Mike Fauls shows up at my place with an elephant truck and I loaded up "Peggy" and "Dutch" (Ben had the othr two with Big Apple). As I recall Ted added two more from Williston giving us four. I took Shannon with me and somehow managed to join out Billy Commerford. He would probably recall the details better than I. Aside from the Palacio mixed act the show included the Circus Togni animals and Jimmy Silverlake with "King Tusk" but doing the elephant ride kept us pretty busy. However the two things I remember best was having a spaghetti dinner in Flavio Togni's private railroad car and Tim Holst presenting me with a check for $8,000 the day we left.

Palacio Mixed Act #2

Scan00000010002, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Samel Mixed Act #1 (From Buckles)

Scan00000010004, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. When I first arrived in October of 1973 this act was already in Venice Quarters in preparation of the '74 season. I would watch them practice from time to time. I always thought that Alfred Court type acts were low key but this one could get pretty exciting.

Samel Mixed Act #2

Scan00000010001, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Samel Mixed Act #3

Scan0000001, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

From Don Covington

300h, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. Tradition’s end may be tall order for performer Rick Cobban will be grand marshal sans stilts in Quincy’s parade. This year will be much like the last 25 for Rick Cobban, who will don a funny costume and march in the Quincy Christmas Parade on Sunday. But one key component will be missing from his Elvis getup: a pair of 7-foot stilts. Cobban has decided to hang up his stilts after a quarter century of walking the 3-mile route along Hancock Street as the man who towers over the procession of marching bands, floats, and Clydesdales. Instead, he’ll participate in the parade by waving to the crowd from a float as the grand marshal. “I said to people, ‘Who’s going to know who I am? If you’re not the guy on stilts, who cares?’ ’’ he quipped before acknowledging he was touched that the parade committee made him the event’s presiding dignitary. “I just turned 60, and I figured it’s time to stop doing it. You never know what the weather’s going to look like, and for a stilt walker, it can be a little treacherous.’’

Lions Club

!cid_5B95D104FDFF11DF993EBEF7CFF086BC@snj-us-pcwp-707_us_kodak, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. Murray Bridge Lions club meeting in the lions cage at Stardust circus. I was President in 99-200 have been a lion member for 36 years Robert Perry Australia

From Anonymous

3n33k23o05O65Z45X1ac2cbc4d548733b1554, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. The party who sent this asked not to be identified. Gypsy Vanner Horse For adoption -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 2010-12-02, 1:49PM EST Reply to: [email protected] [Errors when replying to ads?] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gypsy Vanner Horse For adoption......fabian is a very healthy and well trained gypsy mare & stallion . he is pure breed first generation gypsy stallion and mare from Ireland . he is well trained to suit both adult and children's company

Speaking of Shrine Dates!

Scan00000010005, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. This is what we had to pick from a half century ago. The second route card closed with the Texas Dates.

Evansville #12 (From Vincent Manero)

Evansville_12, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Evansville #13

Evansville_13, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Evansville #14

Evansville_14, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Evansville #15

Evansville_15, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Evansville #16

Evansville_16, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Evansville #17

Evansville_17, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Evansville #18

Evansville_18, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Evansville #19

Evansville_20, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Evansville #20

Evansville_21, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

From Don Covington #1

Evansville 2010, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. There was chatter on the blog about pan lights in Evansville. Here's a shot from Margaret's blog "Circus Anonymous" that shows them in action. All the best, Don

From Don Covington #2

20101124-225212-pic-630609497_t607, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Evansville #1 (From Vincent Manero)

Evansville_1, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. Hello Mr Woodcock, I hope you're doing well. I had the great pleasure to be in Evansville for the 2010 Hadi Shrine Circus. I haven't seen many pictures of that Show on your Blog so I decided to send you some of my pictures. Best Wishes Vincent Manero

Evansville #2

Evansville_2, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Evansville #3

Evansville_3, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Evansville #4

Evansville_4, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Evansville #5

Evansville_5, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Evansville #6

Evansville_6, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Evansville #7

Evansville_7, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Evansville #8

Evansville_8, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Evansville #9

Evansville_9, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Evansville #10

Evansville_10, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Evansville #11

Evansville_11, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. TO BE CONTINUED!

Barnum & Bailey Daub (1916)

Barnum & Bailey Daub (1916) v1, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. From Chris Berry When this picture was taken about 94 years ago this week (give or take a few days) Oklahoma had been a state for less than a decade. No doubt this pair of pioneer women were a hardy lot...and no doubt they were pleased to have offered up the walls of their General Store in exchange for a couple of tickets to a performance of The Greatest Show on Earth in Shawnee on November 4, 1916.

Mickey Mouse Circus #12 (From Eric Beheim)

MMC-12, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. “Billy Burke, the ‘boss’ clown tries out a new trick”

Mickey Mouse Circus #13

MMC-13, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. “Bob-O, the clown (Bob Amsberry) and Mouseketeer princess”

Mickey Mouse Cirus #14

MMC-14, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. “The parade enters the circus past the ticket wagon”

Mickey Mouse Circus #15

MMC-15, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. “Crowds, music and laughter at the circus entrance”

Mickey Mouse Circus #16

MMC-16, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. “’Sitting up’ exercise by painted pachyderms”

Mickey Mouse Circus #17

MMC-17, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. “Daring catch high in the air by the Flying Alexanders”

Mickey Mouse Circus #18

MMC-18, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. “Professor Keller ‘works’ his big cats without gun or whip”

Mickey Mouse Circus #19

MMC-19, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. Serenado, the musical horse, dances and plays chimes

Mickey Mouse Circus #20

MMC-20, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. "Sprung from the board, she is caught in mid-air!”

Mickey Mouse Circus #21

MMC-21, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. “’Paw to foot’ Nollie Tate and his balancing dog”