Monday, November 14, 2011

Belle Vue Circus--Billy Smart Elephants 1960







I wonder if some of these elephants were the one's who eventually got a green card and came to the United States to live? In my opinion, riders on baby elephants look ridiculous. Who trained this act, and who is presenting it at this time?

5 comments:

DanKoehl said...

These are the elephant I have listed at Billy Smart http://www.elephant.se/location2.php?location_id=459&show=6

Philip Astley said...

I will let you know who the trainer is when I look at my records. Please send these images over, Wade, along with the other Belle Vue ones. I will comment on each one individually.

Jim Clubb

Wade G. Burck said...

Dan,
Thank you, and thank you for the invaluable elephant data base.

Wade

Wade G. Burck said...

Jim,
They are on their way. Mate, I have say there was a day when I would have been thrilled to death to be included with other folks and a "grateful acknowledgement" in your eventual book. But with all the pictures I have sent you I am thinking something along the lines of "America's Own, without who's invaluable contribution's, this publication would not have been possible" would be much more appropriate. Hell, you outbid me enough time's on ebay I assumed you had all the good shit. :)

Wade

Philip Astley said...

The date must be wrong on these pictures. Charles Illineb, the polar bear and lion trainer, presented the elephants at Belle Vue that winter. He also presented the 12 polar bears and 2 Himalayan black bears there. The elephants scarpered and went over the box fronts, through the glass windows and into the zoo.

I am sure these five were sold after this engagement. I cannot recognize the trainer, but I will do some more research on it.

Jim Clubb