Robinson Military Elephants #1

When the John Robinson Circus was sold after the 1911 season, the Robinson family decided to keep these four elephants and booked them at Fairs, Celebrations, Parks and especially Vaudeville. Though originally trained by Tim Buckley at the turn of the century, we see them here presented by Dan "Curley" Noonan circa 1913. Their names were "Tillie", "Clara", "Tony" and "Pitt" (Petite).

Robinson Military Elephants #2

At one point after becoming an independent act the elephants were shipped out to the Selig Zoo in Los Angeles, probably to do some movie work. I have a set of pictures of the act in a practice session while at the zoo. I like this one best showing three elephants with sleigh bells on their ankles, dancing on wooden tubs while a fourth plays a piano. My dad liked this kind of stuff but fortunately when he eventually got his own elephant act I didn't have to load and unload a piano, Anna May's tambourine was enough for me.

Robinson Miliary Elephants #3

Of all the Vaudeville skits they did, the war number is best remembered and in fact they became known as the John Robinson Military Elephants. This publicity picture and the next appear to have been taken at a military base. The act didn't include this type of weaponery but they did have a cannon on stage that was fired

Robinson Military Elephants #4

This is "Tillie" and Noonan both doing the "dying swan" after having been wounded in combat. One of the elephants would skip around holding up a front leg that had been bandaged. The highlight was two elephants carrying the mortally wounded soldier back from the front lines. For the blow-off an elephant would pull down the German flag and then raise "Old Glory" as seen at left.

Robinson Military Elephants #5

This is my dad at left with the Robinson Elephants in 1931 at St. Thomas, Ont. with St. Leon Bros. European Circus. With him are George "Red Cap" Thompson and Sean "Cactus" LaFleur. My dad was with the Floto Show 1930-32 and as I undestand it, Zack Terrell the manager of the show was very good friends with the Robinson family and sent my dad over there to make this gig (years later they gave Terrell "Pitt" when he owned the Cole Show.) My dad told me that it was not an easy job, the elephants having been in the Robinson family so long he was given a long list as to how they should be worked and endless instructions. He said the thing he hated most was that "Tillie" would make a peculiar noise on command which might be construed as "Ma Ma". It was included in the act, the band would stop playing and a lengthy announcement would be made. Tillie would go "ma ma" then to his chagrin he would have to walk over close to her and whisper "Louder you son of a bitch" Then she would go "MA MA!". All in all, I think he was glad to get back to the Floto Show.

"Toddles"

Dear KC, I do have a picture of "Toddles" but for some reason not at hand. It will turn up. As I recall he was tuskless and the picture shows him being led overland by Al Langdon who was on horseback. Langdon and my dad worked together at Hall's place and later he was at the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago. TODDLES (male) Imported from Hagenbeck Zoo (Original name TAMBUS) 1901-04 Ringling Bros. Circus 1905-09 Big Otto (Animal trainer in Wisconsin) 1910-14 Selig Zoo (Los Angeles) 1915-16 Wm. P. Hall Animal Farm 1917 J.E. Henry Circus (Died in the fall,of 1917)

Early Al G. Barnes/ Louis Roth

John Robinson Circus 1928/ Mabel Stark

Chicago Worlds Fair 1934/ Allen King

Hawthorne Corporation

Ben Davenport

Norma Davenport

Eve Davenport, "Butch" and Ahrumi Singh

Dailey Bros. Circus 1948/ Gonzales, Tx. Winter Quarters

Elephant men from left are Smokey Jones, Rex Williams, John "Sweet Pea" Lehew, Ben Williams (Rex's older brother), two Hindi that came with the elephants, Francis "Streamline" Frizzel, and Ahrumi Singh.

Kelly Miller

Dave Price says, "Don't forget Dun Rovin at the gate".

John H. Sparks "Old Virginia Shows"

This show was always well thought of, I never heard of them ever leaving any heat when they left town. During this time they moved on 10 cars (9 back and 1 ahead).

John H. Sparks Shows circa 1909

This is the real thing so the drawing was pretty accurate.

Sparks Circus 1922/ Parade elephants

Nice looking picture, you can almost hear the calliope playing. Louie Reed riding the first elephant, Walte McLain the second. Elephants from front to back are: "Topsy", "Sparks Queen", "Barnum Queen", "Myrtle", "Bonnie" and "Babe". Babe died with Stevens Bros. Circus while wintering at the Fairgrounds in Hugo in Feb. of 1951. I remember it well. Kelly Miller was in the process of building his large estate across from the Kelly-Miller winter quarters and upon Babe's death had her carcass skinned, the hide tanned and made into things like sofas, etc. that were placed in the vast basement that served as a Recreation Room. He gave my dad a pair of elephant skin house slippers which he promptly threw away. This rec room, along with a pool table, had an elaborate bar in one end, above which Babe,s head was mounted. Stamped into the front of the bar were several thousand silver dollars that spelled "Kelly's Silver Dollar Bar". Not too much later while the show was on the road, several of Hugo's more astute criminals broke into the house and pried loose all the coins but were arrested the following day while trying to purchase a car with silver dollars. The front gate of the estate was built with a low archway since Kelly wanted to make sure D.R. couldn't park any show trucks in his back yard, one night a fire broke out gutting the entire estate, Babe and all. The fire rescue was hindered when the archway took the top off the Fire Engine.

Sparks Circus 1922/ Spec elephants

The elephants are just leaving the menagerie headed for the back door and spec, "Topsy" in the lead. Nice looking blankets, howdah and the Prima Donna all smiles. You can always spot the Sparks elephants during this time since Mr. Reed had those straps hanging down beneath their chins. I find them attractive but thankful I never had to deal with them. Just one more thing for the elephants to pull on, chew on or get hung up on during the act.

New York City Art Class

Is this the drawing Rebecca was inquiring after? Looks like I owe my wife an apology, she really can't draw hands.