The other day I posted some remarkable footage sent by Bjorn Krebbers of early Ringling Bros. Circus. About the time you think it can't get any better than that, something like this clip, sent by Thomas Bohner of Thomas Bohners Cage Act History fame show's up. Folks, if this clip doesn't make you catch your breath, you may be dead and just don't realize it yet. Get ready because at 3:08 you are going to see the great one, shortly before he became really, really great. I am assuming that is a young Congo in the middle of the Circus Williams herd. People have often asked me "what do you think was the secret of GGW's sucess?" In my humble opinion it was his ability to make everything look easy. If a mistake happened, Boss just went with the flow and you didn't even realize something was amiss. If he was running and tripped, he turned it into forward somersault, dropped to one knee and styled. Watch closely at 4:09 when the elephant inadvertently step's on his whip lash. That is classic GGW improv. Watch at 4:12 when he slide's off the back of the elephant that has jacked him off the teeter-board(is the elephant possibly Nellie?) Oh well, that didn't work so he does a back somersault to the elephant behind instead. Before you start thinking "that's as good as it is going to get" at 5:45 is the famed riding act. Does any one know if Henry Schroder was with Gunther at the time, and is that him in the cage assisting? Now get ready, because at 6:31 we get a look at GGW's famed Lipizzan liberty act(one of many in the future.) Fredy Knie's 12 pirouetting(waltzing) in three's is spectacular, but it kinda pale's next to this act of 24 pirouetting(waltzing) in three's. Jesus!!!! It has been suggested that Feld made Gunther Gebel Williams. I suggest the diamond was already made and Feld just polished it. Thank you very much Thomas. This is definitely going in my "keep forever file."
Thursday, August 18, 2011
GG before he was GGW--Circus Buglione 1965
Posted by
Wade G. Burck
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4 comments:
Wow. The liberty act is just breathtaking. Thanks for sharing again. Amazing what the internet unveils.
Marco,
A lot of young folks only appreciate the "contemporary" GGW. Most don't realize he was Ace's long before setting foot on American soil. Over the years I have heard many grousing that "if Ringling gave me all those animals and let me do what I wanted, I could have been better then Gunther." Not!!!! He was handed the Superbowl football, and he scored touchdown after touchdown with ease. The whiners would have fumbled after the 2nd or 3rd carry and been sent to the bench or traded to a new team. Nobody on Ringling had came close to GGW before his arrival and even fewer have come close after his departure. There was one Joe Montana, one Mohammed Ali, one Elvis Prestley, one Manuel "El Cordobes" Benitez, and one Gunther Gebel Williams.
Wade
Prettiest liberty act I have ever seen, the precision and speed breathtaking.
Madame Col.
Boss always had an amazing handle on Lipizzan's. Precision and speed aside, note the 4 horse rear in the center of the cantering horses. It is a tough task to call out one stallion from the herd and have him come to you, I can't imagine what it took to bring in 4.
Wade
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