From Jenny Wallenda

CHA CHA MELUZZI DIED YESTERDAY MORNING AT THE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL IN SARASOTA THE VIEWING WILL BE ON MONDAY AT THOLE BROTHERS FUNERAL HOME ON ORANGE AVE .FROM TWO TO FOUR AND FROM SIX TO EIGHT. AT SEVEN THERE WILL BE A SERVICE THEN ON TUESDAY THE FUNERAL WILL BE AT ONE AT ST. MARTHAS CHURCH, FOLLOWING THAT THEY WILL BRING HER TO THE CEMETERY IN MANISOTA WERE SHE WILL BE BURIED NEXT TO HER BELOVED HUSBAND ROBERT, JENNY WALLENDA SHE WAS MY DEAREST FRIEND FOR MANY YEARS, WE MET WHEN BOTH OF US WERE JUST FIVE YEARS OLD AND OUR FRIENDSHIP LASTED THROUGH ALL THESE YEARS AND I WILL MISS HER SO VERY MUCH. THERE DID NOT GO ONE DAY THAT WE DID NOT TALK TO EACH OTHER JENNY WALLENDA

Al G. Kelly & Miller Bros. Circus 1949

This is the 1949 elephant herd "Margaret", "Tena", "Elsie", "Jess", "Daisy", "Vic", "Dixie", "Myrtle", "Jenny", "Kay" and "Barbara". Capt. Jack Lorenzo at left also Robert (Peanut-nose) Schoen and John Carroll. These are the first punks the Millers ever bought and were named after Kelly and D.R.'s mother (Jenny) and daughters (Karen Kay and Barbara Jane) at this point they were still untrained. Late in the season my father was brought in to train these new elephants with the intention of framing a cat act for for Capt. Jack which he couldn't manage to pull off. Maybe the rank had something to do with it so Col.William Woodcock took over and trained a total of eight baby elephants the following winter "Jenny", "Kay", "Barbara", "Hattie" (named for their first elephant), "Anna May", "Norma", "Hazel", and "Sally". By 1951 the show carried 17 elephants the largest number to travel with a mud show up until that time.

From Jenny Wallenda

1951RBBB5, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. LOLA DOBRITCH GOETCHI 'S MEMORIAL WILL BE AT THE CLUB ON DEC.; 8TH AT TWO O CLOCK. SON EMIL WILL SEND IN MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HER, JENNY

Jenny Vidbel

jenny vidbel and pony, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. With the "Old Tyme Circus".

From Jenny Wallenda

MY DEAR DEAR LITTLE FRIEND DALE REST IN PEASE WE WILL SEE EACH OTHER IN THE FOREVER AFTER. I LOVED YOU JENNY

"Big Ruth" and Walter McLain 1938

698878526_55de51b452_o, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. DEAR BUCKLES I WAS ON THE RINGLING SHOW WORKING FROM 1947, MY LAST YEAR WAS 1951. I RODE THE ELEPHANT CALLED BIG RUTH BUT SHE REALLY WAS THE SMALLER ONE, THERE ALSO WAS A BIG RUTH WHO WAS BIGGER, ANY WAY BIG RUTH WAS IN THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH THE ELEPHANT THE MOVIE STARS HAD TO RIDE ON AS SHE WAS THE MOST GENTLE. I NEVER SEE ANY THING OF HER IN YOUR LEDGER, WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO HER??? THANK YOU JENNY WALLENDA THE REASON I ASK ABOUT HER IS THAT SHE SAVED MY LIFE IT WAS IN BOSTON GARDEN AFTER THE ACT WHEN WE ALL CAME OUT OF THE ACT RIDING THEM ALL OF US GIRLS WENT OFF THE ELEPHANTS RIGHT AFTER THE ENTRANCE AS THERE WAS OUT DRESSING ROOM. THIS DAY AS I DISMOUNTED HER I WAS RIGHT IN FROMT OF HER SHE JUST GRABED ME BETWEEN THE LEGS AND WAS HOLDING ME CLOSE AND RUN WITH THE REST OF THEM TO THE STABLE I REALLY GOT SCARED BUT THEN I REALIZED THAT THE ELEPHANT BEHIND HER PUSHED HER AND THAT WAS THE ONLY WAY FOR HER TO SAVE M3E FROM NOT GETTING RUN OVER BY ALL OF THEM WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE STABLE SHE TURNED AWAY FROM ALL THE OTHERS AND LET ME REAL GENTLE DOWN. SO THAT IS WHY I REALLY LOVED HER AND LIKE TO KNOW IF SHE IS STILL ARROUND. THANK YOU BUCKLES JENNY WALLENDA

From Jenny Wallenda

ARTUR GROTEFENT PASSED AWAY THREE DAYS AGO HE HAD FALLEN AND BROKE HIS HIP AND WAS OPERATED ON AND ALREADY IN REHAB AND DID SIX STEPS THAT NIGHT HIS WIFE DOROTHY GOT A CALL TO LET HER KNOW THEY HAD TO BRING HIM BACK TO THE HOSPITAL FOR BLOOD TRANSFUSION. AT SIX AM SHE GOT THE CALL THAT HE HAD AN HONERISSUM AND PAST AWAY. THE VIEWING WILL BE ON FRIDAY AT ELEVEN AT PALMS FUNERAL HOME AND THE FUNERAL WILL BE AT MANATEE SEMINARY IN THE ROTUNDA AT TWO THIRTY. A MEMORIAL WILL BE AT A LATER DATE ANNOUNCED AT SHOWFOLKS. JENNY WALLENDA

From Buckles #5

The ten performing elephants were: Ring 1 1. Little Babe 2. Big Jenny 3. Tessie Center Ring 1. Big Babe 2. Carrie 3. Louie 4. Jean Ring 3 1. Nellie 2. Little Jenny 3. Wilma These last three were the ones I took to Garden Bros. in Canada for Paul Kelly 11 years later. I thought I was a rising star in the circus firmament  until my dad mentioned to me one day that these were the worst elephant acts he was ever involved with.

Showfolks Circus (From Jenny Wallenda)

DEAR BUCKLES ALL THE POSTERS ARE OUT BUT I DO NOT GET MANY CALLS BUT RIGHT NOW MY BIGGEST CPMSERNE IS WE DO NOT HAVE ANY SPOT LIGHTS AND THE WORSE IS WE NEET A MAT FOR THE CENTER RING. PLEASE SOME ONE OUT THERE HELP. THE THING WITH THE PICTURE I MGUESS I JUST PUT A BIG BOARD UP WITH ALL OF THEM.AS THERE IS NO ONE WHO WILL HELP ME WITH DOING IT AND I AM NOT SMART ENOUGH TO KNOW HOW TO GET SOMETHING LIKE THAT DONE.MY ANDY WOULD HAVE KNOWN BUT HE IS GONE I LOST HIM. PLEASE HELP THANK YOU JENNY

Cole Bros. Circus 1941 #15

Scan10407, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. Elephant Supt. Alonzo Dever at left with Marian Knowlton posing on "Big Babe". 1941 Elephant Herd 1. Big Babe (The first five came from 101 Ranch) 2, Louie 3. Carrie 4, Jean 5. Joe (male) 6. Blanche (The rest all came from Hall's Farm) 7. Tony 8. George (male) 9. Little Babe 10. Big Jenny 11. Tess 12. Nellie 13. Little Jenny 14 Wilma

C ole Bros. 1943 #12

Scan12796, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. From Buckles: The show opened with 14 elephants but while playing Des Moines on July 10, a female named "Baby Mine" was picked up from the local zoo. Christened no doubt, when an adorable baby, now grown and half tough, was renamed "Katy". 1. Blanche 2. Big Babe 3. Carrie 4. Louie 5. Joe (male) 6. Jean 7. Tony 8. Little Babe 9. Big Jenny 10. Tessie 11. Nellie 12. Little Jenny 13. Wilma 14. Pitt 15. Katy (The show owned another elephant named "Trilby" that for some reason had been in the Cleveland Zoo since 1939. She was returned in 1944 and during our time with the Cole Show she and "Katy" made up the team my dad worked on the lot.) Eugene Scott and Ted White in the picture above.

To Harry Kingston

During the winter of 1949-50 my father trained 8 young elephants for Kelly-Miller Jenny, Kay, Hattie, Barbara, Anna May, Norma, Hazel and Sally. DR wanted to open the show with a 5 ring display of balancing elephants whereas the last five in spec, rather than exit the tent, would continue right on into the rings already occupied with preset props. Jenny and Hattie walked planks in the end rings, Anna May rolled the ball and Barbara the handstand pedistal  in rings 2 and 4 and in the center Kay walked bottles while towing a cart. I was a high steppin' candy butcher in those days and well remember the display but particularly my father, Kay and an utterly terrified Eddie Dullem. The act concluded with Kay doing an "up and over" sometimes with disastrous results as the bent shafts in the picture above proves. I must say Eddie was truly dedicated to his art form, after scrambling across the ring to avoid being crushed by the cart, the most I ever heard was a muffled "Mercy!". I might add that "Norma" went to Cole & Walters and later the Silverlakes. Hazel to Beers-Barnes and finally Hoxie Bros. Hattie to Vargas in 1974. While Sally (trained half grown) remained with K-M for many years until sold to Clyde Beatty for a Florida park that never developed and wound up as the first elephant at Tampa Busch Gardens where she became a celebrity.

From Jenny Wallenda

JUST GOT A PHONE CALL THAT DOROTHY YERKES PASSED AWAY LAST NIGHT . SHE FELT REAL BAD AND THEY RUSHED HER TO THE HOSPITAL BUT IT WAS TOO LATE AND SHE DIED. THIS WAS BOBBY YERKES WIFE. JENNY

From Jenny Wallenda

Scan11511, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. THERE WILL BE A FUNERAL MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR ALBERTO ZOPPE ON FRIDAY MAY THE 8TH AT ST MARTHA'S CHURCH IN SARASOTA AND AFTERWARD EVERY ONE WILL MEET AT SHOWFOLKS. PLEASE MARK THE DATE ON YOUR CALENDAR. SEE YOU ALL THERE JENNY WALLENDA

Elephants/Rhinos #3

Roman Schmitt and his young female black rhino Kenya and female African elephant Jenny. He got Jenny from Jurgen Schulz in 1978. This is in the barn at Circus World, Haines City, FL. I saw the same scene in person in 1984 with both begging for treats.

Circus Hall of Fame #8

CHOF8 Jenny Lind Cutter, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. Jenny Lind Cutter

From Robert Perry

Jenny,Robert & Kate, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. Buckles, Jenny Robert & Kate Simpson Great granddaughters of aunt Dorry Nelson nee Perry at her funeral in Sydney on 9th oct 08 ps these girls could be our next tennis hopefuls. Robert Perry Australia

Kelly-Miller 1951

Scan10561, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. From Anonymous: Acts often enlist the use of props commonly known to the audience. Ergo, the French would see wine bottles, Americans milk bottles. America had a much greater German influence, so one was more likely to see barrels in acts than wine bottles. Working with an object familiar to the viewer heightens the interest. That's the idea with jugglers tossing chainsaws and whatever. By the way, it looks like glass milk bottles of the type used or imitated were first used by dairies in the late 1870s. Those impossible to win ball-toss bottle games must date from sometime thereafter. Ned, later known as Tusko, was also photographed doing a bottle walk of sorts with an apparatus not unlike the Jacobs item you described. I'm sure Buckles is familiar with it and other similar elephant acts. "My dad always called this a "bottle walk" for lack of a better name. The winter of 1949-50 he trained five young elephants to do a lot of stuff "Jenny", "Kay", "Hattie", "Barbara" and "Anna May". Not only were they the center ring elephant act but were the last thing in spec but rather than follow the rest of the herd out the back door they went directly into the rings and the show opened with a five ring elephant display. "Kay" and "Hattie" (seen above with Red Smith) did bottle walks, "Jenny" walked a plank, "Barbara" did the hand stand pedestal and "Anna May" rolled a globe. As you can see, the bottle walks were the most clumsy and difficult to load and unload." Buckles

Cole Bros. Circus 1944 #20

This unusual picture of the complete herd taken in McCook, Nebr. 7-29-44. 1. Blanche 2. Jean 3. Big Babe 4. Big Jenny 5. Louie 6. Little Babe 7. Tony 8. Katie 9. Nellie 10. Wilma 11. Tessie 12. Little Jenny 13. Carrie 14. Trilby. For those of you astonished viewers who think I can identify these elephants from the rear, I must confess, my father wrote their names on the back of the picture. (With the total collapse of the Buccaneers and the Gators operating some pansy East-West offense, I am now reduced to watching "Dancing with the Stars". My wife was up til 2:00 AM on the phone trying to vote for her beloved Mario while I attempted to explain that Emmet Smith is in on the fix.)

Richard Reynolds comments on Barnum & Baliey Giraffe picture

Richard reponds to this article CLICK HERE TO SEE THAT ARTICLE This photograph, though in the 1914 B&B program, was probably taken several years previous. The annual programs for B&B, Ringling and RBBB often ran photos of animals taken years earlier than the date of the program. This photo shows only three giraffes. The B&B press books of 1907, 1908 and 1909 refer to the three giraffes in the B&B menagerie. They were males Tom and Fritz and female Mary. This picture likely shows them. The man is almost certainly Andrew Zingraben (1861- 1931). A native of Hungary he joined B&B during its European tour. He was a veteran animal keeper with a long association with Hagenbeck. B&B bought two giraffes from Hagenbeck while they were in France in 1902 and Zingraben was employed to look after them, bringing them back to the USA with the rest of the show at the end of the 1902 tour. When B&B bought these two giraffes, their menagerie was without that animal. The earlier one had died on the ocean voyage from USA to England at the end of the 1897 tour so B&B had no giraffe on its European tour until the two joined out near the end in France. The two 1902 giraffes went out in 1903 but one was lost early in the season. The other made the tour but was injured on the way back to Bridgeport winter quarters and died shortly after the show arrived there. For the next year (1904) Bailey acquired four giraffes and placed them under Zingraben’s care. Two of them were Mary and Fritz. Zingraben was with B&B throughout its years as a separate show under Ringling control. He was with RBBB from the 1919 merger until his death in Sarasota on September 24, 1931. Owing to the devastation of the Great Depression, John Ringling had closed the show in Atlanta on September 14th. Zingraben went to quarters with his giraffes and died only 10 days after the final date in Atlanta. At the time of his demise one of his females was pregnant. She gave birth the following year in Harrisburg, PA. The new calf was named “Andy” in memory of him. Zingraben’s giraffes were the first breeding group with a circus. The first was born in 1910, followed by calves in 1912, 1914, 1916, plus the one born in 1932. In order those calves were: Jennie (or Jenny), born in 1910 - - later sent to the Boo based Ringling show and then placed on loan with the Bronx zoo because the merged outfit of 1919 had too many giraffes to carry on the road. At the Bronx she was bred and produced calves. She was again with calf when Hagenbeck Wallace picked her up while playing the Bronx on June 20, 1933. She gave birth to the calf in Peru just before the start of the 1934 season. Alas, owing to careless, negligent, and rough handling of the giraffe wagon while being loaded onto the flat cars in Peru to start the season, she fell, broke her neck and died. (Her calf made the 1934 H-W tour), Jenny had a longevity of over 24 years, the record for a circus giraffe, albeit many of those years spent in the comfort of the Bronx zoo. Harry, born 1912. one report had him with Ringling by 1914 and another said he was with B&B that year. Death date unknown. Annie (a/k/a Anna) born 1914. Died with RBBB on Aug. 9, 1934 at Peoria, IL. She had a 20 year longevity, very good for a circus giraffe. Louise born 1916. Died aboard the RBBB circus train at night en route from Columbus to Cincinnati on July 18-19, 1934. - -i.e., two giraffes lost within 3 weeks in the summer of 1934. Andy born in 1932 to Annie (see above). Died in the terrible menagerie fire in Cleveland in 1942. He sired the calf Henrietta born in Madison Square Garden in 1940. The mother of the first four of these calves was Mary. She joined B&B in 1904 and died with RBBB at Aurora , IL on July 21, 1924 - -a remarkable animal - -four calves and 20 years of trouping. Since she was wild born and about 2 or 3 year old when acquired by B&B in 1904, we must put her down as about 23 years old when she died. That is the best longevity for a giraffe that spent all her years on the road (as contrasted with Jennie who spent a long time at the Bronx zoo). Incidentally, the all time record for a giraffe in captivity is 37 year and one month, held by a female who lived in Miami from October 1958 to November 1995, first in the old Crandon Park zoo and then at the new Miami Metrozoo. Some wonder about the enclosure in which the B&B giraffes were exhibited as shown in the picture. They were rigid metal mesh pens, comprised of detachable panels.. When disassembled the panels were attached to the sides of the giraffe wagons for transportation. When assembled, a pen for four giraffes extended across the middle of the menagerie from the public viewing area on one side of the tent to that on the other side. B&B seems to have been the first with these rigid giraffe pen panels. They had them as early as 1904. Photos of the Ringling set up in the early years of the 20th century show giraffes enclosed within a pen whose sides look like heavy fish net hung between poles arranged in a rectangle.