The photo above is one of the most classic shot's ever taken of an elephant act in my opinion.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Circus Knie
Posted by
Wade G. Burck
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A Blog designed for discussion of topics related to, but not limited to, Circus, Zoos, Animal Training, and Animal Welfare/Husbandry. Sometimes opening up the dialog is the best starting point of all. And if for nothing else when people who agree and don't agree, get together and start discussing it, it will open up a lot of peoples minds. Debate and discussion even amongst themselves opens a window where there wasn't one before.
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13 comments:
There have been some great acts as you know but in recent history,the Cassely's have stuck in my mind with their horses as well.Cheers ay.
Glenn
Glenn,
Agreed to the Cassely's, but I would think they would be in a "different" category from "elephant" act's with the utilization of horse's. They would also not be classed as an "exotic" act either. Interesting, because now you have made me think, "what would their act be classed? A "elephant and horse act", like a "dog and pony" act? A "mixed species liberty act?" It is so much more unique and beautiful the just a simple "exotic act."
Wade
Have you seen the Minyak 5 at Circus world and also one of the frisco bros with i think 5 or 6 elephants,but I can't place which brother or where.They are both in that category.I haven't seen every act but they should go on the list.Also Charlie Gray working his bulls in the 80's and 90's.Some of that is legendary.Cheers
Glenn
An amazing display. I note that I do not see one handler in the picture - are they off to the side?
Also, is the tub for the hind leg stand one piece or are they stacked? The former I would hope.
Glenn,
I said the three top elephant act's in "Europe." If we were talking about America there would have to be a "Top Ten" list at least. America has dominated Europe in the circus elephant training field and there have been too many great ones to limit it to three. Hawthorns 5 act and Eloies Berchold's male act, or Axel in charge of two other rings in addition to his 6, would surly be top contenders. I like Charly and respect his work, but if we put him on your list we will have to put an astrix by his name designating that it is a park/zoo act, or have two list's. Circus and Zoo. There is a world of different talent needed to travel from city to city with the animals then there is to work them in the same location for most of their lives. As much difference as a football player setting his records on artificial turf or natural grass.
Wade
Radar,
Rolf Sr. and Jr. are there, just stepped out of camera shot. Yes, it is one tub stacked on top of the other. It is a classic elephant "mount" that is often seen in old circus posters/lithos, often as some illustrator's imagination. To see it done live, with the addition of sit up's is a treat for me. The old Hawthorn 5 act had a 6 inch tall stand that the center elephant's(Tess) tub was lifted on to elevate her. It gave a more pleasing visual look, the stagnant, all the same size tubs give.
Wade
Yes,I overlooked the Europe statement.Being in the business you have far more knowledge than me of great acts.I just like looking at them and can appreciate the 'graft' that goes into them.I don't know C.Gray personally but his work with those bulls has to be in the top ten acts in my book.
Cheers ay.
Glenn,
In the category Zoo/Permanent, I don't know if you could come up with 10 really great acts. But leading up would surely be Charley Grey followed closely by Mike Hackenburger, Roman Schmidt, and Ron Whitfield. I never saw any of the St. Louis Zoo acts and only have old 8mm, photos, and "word of mouth" to go by. Cheers returned, mate.
Wade
Wade,
Here is a link to a video I found that includes some clips of Floyd Smith's elephant act at the St. Louis Zoo. I believe my dad has several in his video collection but I need to go through them and somehow transfer them to my computer from the old VHS mode they are on.
Regarding the tub, was there not a danger of the two stacked tubs sliding apart? Or was there a gimmick, such as a lip, holding them together? I wish I could see videos of that act, and especially a video of Eloise's bull act.
Radar,
A very, very small "gimmick" on the lip of the bottom tub, as it is also used for other mounts. It is a behavior that needs to be done very consistently each and every time it is done. It can't be "yahooed" one moment, and then "candied" the next. Like the "stand" that Tess's tub was set on, she could not slide her front feet on, and then haul her back feet up, as it would topple off the stand. She had to lift her front feet up, place them exactly on the tub, then do a temporary front foot stand, so her back feet could be placed exactly on the tub. Took a great amount of precision on the old girls part. I only had it come off the stand once, and that was because like a moron, I couldn't get out of her way quick enough, and she "held back" when she lifted her front feet, so she wouldn't kick me in the mouth.
Wade
Addendum to Radar,
In regards to Eloise's act, I had the once in a life time thrill of watching it 6 times at Marineland and Game farm, in 1976 a few months before she was killed. John Cuneo had brought her to the park to cover for Hawthorn, until we could get there. The best way to describe the "sight" is, "there is no way any real elephant afficiato could look at the magnificent boy's without getting a giant chubby!!!!!" So much power and grace in one 40 foot ring, it was guaranteed to stand the hair up on your neck. For anyone who didn't witness that act, it was like missing Halley Comet. Gone for your lifetime.
Wade
Sorry Wade, forgot to include the link. Here you go.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xVRMZLKVK4
Who put the Hawthorn five act together that you speak of?
Radar,
Here is the "tell" as it was told to me, years ago. Unsubstantiated and worth only that. It was never put together as a "5 act" per se. It was originally a 3 act of young Asian female's imported to the Hamid Morton show, named Bombay, Delhi, and Siam. I was told they were originally trained by John Smith. A couple of years later 2 babies were purchased named Joyce and Sherma. I don't know who trained them. Word was the 2 babies were handled and worked by a number of "show broads" reputed to be girlfriends of George Hamid Sr. It is suggested that may have caused their ill behavior in later life. The act was worked for quite a time by Bucky Steele as a 5 act, but again, I don't know if he added them together. John Cuneo purchased the act, including the ring curb and trailer, supposedly) in the late 60's, rumored for 10,000 and the forgiving of past salary owed by the Hamid Show to Hawthorn. Shortly after Hawthorn purchased them, the elephant Siam died, and Tess was purchased from Frank Thompson to replace here.
Shortly before Siam died, Bobby Gibbs was hired to present the act as John still had commitments with his large horse review, and while Bobby was working the act at, I believe Baraboo he was attacked quite severely by Sherma. Sherma was sold to Mexico and disappeared into the mesquite as was the fate of many back then. John now had the 4 consisting of Tess, Bombay, Delhi, and Joyce. He purchased Billy from Southwicks and hired Buckles Woodcock to train her and deliver her to Miller Johnson/Circus Vargas where Hawthorn was contacted. John and Herta put Billy in the 4 act and that is how it ended up a 5 act. The only one's who know the "real" story are Bombay and Delhi and their are both dead. They were inseparable friends, who stood side by side each other, through thick and thin, from the time they were captured at the age of three, in 1957, until Bombay died in the mid 90's.
Wade
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