Monday, November 19, 2012

My Father The Circus King










Courtesy of Mike Naughton

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wade,
in the first part, he, Gunther, makes sure Mark finishes his horse work,was he really like this or just for camera. It was also good to see some cats messing around and how he dealt with it. Some historical gold in that footage. I missed seeing him by one week. I saw Mark on the red unit in Knoxville. Another Australian colleague got the chance and I don't know if they even realise the opportunity they had.
I have been very fortunate to present elephants for a gig with Jim Clubb, as well as watch him and his team put together a mixed act which gave me a brief insight into the hours it takes to produce big quality acts. I guess that's the clesest I have been to circus royalty. Great video's. Have you ever seen a picture of Gunther with his big tiger acts like those of the past Capt. Jack Bonavita,Terrell Jacobs and even Alfred Court and co?.All the cats in the background.
Cheers

Wade G. Burck said...

Glenn,
GGW was indeed "there every day, seeing that it was done, doing it if there was no one else." I quoted that because that is what being an animal trainer is. His work ethic is often referenced, although many others have had the same work ethic. I feel it became a "part" of the GGW mystic back when there was much debate over how good he was(and there was massive debate among animal trainers and fans, not the adoration seen today.) After all the back and forth, this and that, the pro GGW folks would always throw in his work ethic as proof positive he was the best, in their mind's thinking that because of his stature he didn't have to do it, but was doing it because that is who he was. What he did have was more cooperation from "management" then any other animal trainer I have ever known before, or since.
The "old timers" that you mention are usually noted in group pictures because "pyramid" type behavior's were the norm back then. Not much training skill involved, basic to to a place and sit. Not unlike sitting on a seat, just in a different place. GGW was one of the first trainers I noted who did "action" behaviors, which are hard to impossible to catch on still footage, nothing like posing with a pyramid. It inspired a lot of what I do today. How many pictures have you seen of my tiger doing a corbett on her hind legs over two standing male tigers? Quite a bit of video footage, but only one grainy still photo that I know of. A tiger doing a hind leg walk in a still photo isn't real impressive, but 20 sitting on a pyramid is, and ironically half as easy to train as a single good hind leg walk.

Anonymous said...

These videos are actually mine. I am sorry I waited so long to transfer them to DVD.
Jeff Stang

Wade G. Burck said...

Jeff,
How are you, friend. I am glad you did transfer them. I, and the world thank you.

Wade