The arrival of the 79th edition of Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus to the circus grounds in Falconer N.Y. The date is summer of 1949. Bjorn suggests that the man on the Appaloosa horse in front of the elephant's is Arky Scott. Does anyone have a positive identification.
This clip is from the 1940's-1950's and opens with Hugo Schmidt unloading the elephants on the Ringling train. John Herriott, who is the high school rider at 2:14? It is sure nice to see a long "picket line" of fine horses again. At 3:45 some great shot's of Clyde Beatty cat's in the cage wagons and being fed. Who's Polar Bears at 5:57? Who is the elephant handler at 8:02 and the trainer at 10:10? It is truly amazing, with today's technology when vintage footage like this is found and shared with the world. Great stuff, Bjorn. Thank you for sharing.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Courtesy of Bjorn Krebbers
Posted by
Wade G. Burck
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3 comments:
Amazing footage.
Wade --- I don't know the name of the polar bear trainer first hand.
But I have a pretty good guess.
The 1947 Ringling route book lists a performer named: Michael Konzelmann. Up front, in the Program of Displays, it lists:
Konselman's Educated Polar Bears.
First Time in America. The 1948 route book also lists Konselman's Educated Polar Bears and it has a picture taken in the Cow Palace showing the newer lower-profile cages similar to the one in your video. The clincher is: the 1948 program of displays ends with the "Circus Ball," featuring "a stag line of high-hatted" elephants, just like the elephants shown in your fabulous video. --- ToddP
Todd,
Thank you for that insight. Not to shame you folks here in the Colonies, but this is Europe coming up with the great vintage Ringling footage and information. Europe is fortunate to have a "new" generation of rabid circus fans.
Wade
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