Wednesday, May 16, 2012
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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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4 comments:
The Elephant Show at the SDWAP began with Don McClennon and Joan Embrey in the mid-1970s. Not sure on dates but the show progressed when Franz Titsch (sp?) took over. He had Sonita, the older elephant that did the cover routine, that the Park got from Charlie Franks. Franz did train the younger elephants and they all did well. Franz would work the elephants in the ring from off stage - impressed me. I believe he followed Buckles into Circus World and had a pretty rough time. No idea who the girl is in the video but they worked.
Last time I saw a show at the Park it was a hands-off demonstration. Interesting but it use to be better.
Jim,
Did Don and Joan do the show together? The girl in this video wasn't so bad, and yes they worked. I wonder where Franz Tisch is now. He seems to have disappeared. He did a stint with Siegfried and Roy when Gilda went to Vegas, and also worked with the horses purchased from and trained by from Donnie Anderson. When he left S & R he was working with various Andalusian farms. He had an "Andre Skarbecki" knack of scoring with well to do females.
circusnospin.blogspot.com/2011/03/jungle-land-elephant-ride.html
Wade
As I remember the original show Don, Joan, and Red Thomas worked three elephants. They had a Indian inspired wardrobe. I saw it at sometime, in some form but don't remember anything unique about it. Don left, Franz came in, and Joan went on to do all the TV shows like Carson. Red worked with her getting the animals in and out.
Jim,
That's right, they did have Indian inspired costumes. Don had a few pictures which he shared with me in 1975 when I worked with him on Circus Vargas for a few months. Don was a good, good all around animal trainer with a number of species, as well as a superior leather/harness maker. He presented one of the liberty act's that year and his wife rode a beautiful black Morgan high school horse that Don had trained.
Wade
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