From the Tues. Oct. 5th thread:
Raffaele De Ritis said...
Net/wire cages: with all respect for Carlos' genius in circus props, at my knowledge the net cage was first introduced and patented in 1960/61 by Wioris Togni, for his brother's Darix tiger act (patent number displayed on cage at every performance!). At the time, a delegation of Soviet Circus visting Togni's, casually discovered the solution and introduced it in Russia; other circuses followed in Europe's as Williams etc. I don't know if the first to introduce it in Usa was Charly Baumann, or others before.
Thanks to whom can correct or precise my informations.
Raffaele,
How have you been, friend? Accepting that the Togni's are Holy Creators of things show business, and Italy in the Bethlehem of Circus, and Darix Togni is the Messiah, I was referring to the "interlocking 3 1/2 inch diamond pattern net," not the ugly square chain arena of Darix's or the net square's of different sizes nico pressed together, so that every picture taken of an act has silver "dot's" across it. The square's of different sizes with the nico press dot's holding it together, is the same "design" Ringling used for years, until they saw Hawthorns. Carlos built the first Hawthorn "pull up cage" in 1974 with the interlocking diamonds. He being a trapeze catcher used the same grid/pattern of his flying act net. In 1976 Hawthorn had an aluminum chute(which is now pretty common in Europe, thank you) made strung with cable. Flyer Billy Woods as hired to string the cable, I was told because 1. Carlos didn't have time, or 2. Carlos was too expensive. You choose the right answer, Raffie. They strung the cable straight through it's self, which was standard, without interlocking it. An attempt was made to "match it to the arena, so it was strung in a diamond pattern, which meant nico press sleeves couldn't be used like they were in a "square" pattern. The knock against the net cages was that the square holes "stretched" and got bigger over time, as the nico press sleeves weakened. The chute I am mentioning, ended up being the most dangerous, death trap you can imagine, and a number of people were injured when tigers shoved their heads and paws out and grabbed them, but it was used well into the 80's(which Carlo's eventually changed into the locking diamond pattern, copied over the world. In 1977-1978 Carlos was brought to Richmond to the winter quarters to make a second net cage for John Cox and the second Hawthorn cage act. During that time, he and I discussed what a great deal the "locking diamond pattern" net would be for zoo exhibits instead of the standard bars or expanded metal which was used for barriers. I suggest that smaller locking diamonds could even be used for aviary's, because of it's ability to "drape" over obstacles such as trees, posts or towers. Brookfield Zoo was in the process of building their monumental Tropic World and Carlos went into the city often to "pitch" them on the idea of his "interlocking 3 1/2" diamond pattern net. John Cuneo often "complained" that he didn't hire Carlos to fool around at the zoo. LOL. Brookfield and I believe a zoo in Ohio, maybe Columbus or Toledo were the first one's that used Carlo's net, followed shortly by the Audubon Zoo, and it has sense become standard all over the zoo world. Ringling went to the "3 1/2" diamond pattern on their arena's sometime in the late 80's, as it was not the old "square nico pressed" arena that I used when I returned in 1991. I believe Carlos and company did their arena also. The pattern was later incorporated into "section arenas" also. Folks who can't afford the expense of a diamond net pattern arena, will alibi that they prefer the stronger old barred arenas. The stainless steel cable that is used for the diamond net cages is virtually indestructible, in addition to looking a thousand times better and less prison like, to the "think they know animal rights nuts" then the barred arena's used since the dawn of man.
Now, you can correct me if I am wrong, Raffaele. As long as you do it gentle like I did.
Wade
Posts
8 comments:
There's no way that could be Ringling, since there's no track. It's much more likely an Indian or Mexican circus judging by the patrons, and even if you enlarge the picture there is no metal ring around the bottom, or stakes - yikes!
Ian
Yes Wade, Carlos did claim to have made the nice arena on Ringling you referred to. That makes it so in my eyes.I just saw that Circo Rolex and Circo de Miami two of the three major circuses of the children of Jesus "Bobo" Fuentes, so undoubtedly the third and probably other Fuentes shows as well, have very nice net arenas in their ring curbs. They are diamond patterned but nico-pressed instead of woven. Being in tents they pull up from the four center poles, the top ring completely level and with safeties at the hoists. Not as nice as Carlos made but a lot better than this picture.
Mark Horton
Mark,
Mexico is indeed another world, and they do thing's that have to be seen to believed. I was on a show down there a few years ago, for a month on a show that had a 20 tiger act. I have never seen so many massive props in my life. I thought, "not only how is the trainer going to move them, but where is he going to put them." That was answered at the first show I saw. In addition to the man door, and the chute door, which opened with a swinging door, there was a third "door" big enough to drive a semi through, that raised up and down like a curtain and had a huge "safety cage" attached to it. When a trick was completed, the "door" raised up and two or three prop guys ran in, pickup the prop and carried it out, and the "door" was lowered.
You should have seen the chute. A mile long straight net cable "tube" which the animals had to crouch and almost belly through to the arena. There were no doors, so if they wanted to section an animal off, one prop guy stepped on the chute in front of the animal, and held it down with a forked stainless pole, and a prop guy stepped on the chute behind the animal, and held it down with the same type of fork. As there were 10 prop guys on the show, they could only put 4 animals at a time in the chute, unless they hired more "doors". Craziest thing I have ever seen, and don't forget I was around Hawthorn for a time.
Wade
I remember Circo Atyde in the 80's.
I was living in Oaxaca and had a good friend living next door.
He woke me one morning around 4 a.m. Less than sober. He asked if I wanted to work in the circus. I looked down from the second floor and told him to go home and sleep it off.
Next day he recalled that he had been out drinking and met Manuel Atyde. That afternoon we went to the show and were treated royaly by a graceous Manuel for the next 2 weeks. Engagements in Mexico can last up to a month in one spot.
I saw them more than once connect several cat cages to a pickup and drive them around town. What cajones! Dennis
Dennis,
Manuel Atayde was on the first show I was with in Mexico City in 1975, Circo Frank Browne Atayde. He worked the two adult elephants and an incredible camel liberty act with 6 camels and 6 beautiful girls riding them in "harem garb." Manuel worked them while riding a white horse, dressed in "sheik garb" complete with flowing keffiyeh, and with his black mustache he looked like a young Omar Shariff. A super act, and nice guy, but did he like to drink. I was a young kid, and if it wasn't for Pat Anthony looking out for me, I could have gotten in all kinds of trouble.
Wade
Wade
I knew the way I spelled Atayde didn't look right.
How many circus owners and performers presented 'old liquor breath' to me over the years?
When I first started out I thought it was a pre-requisite for a job.
Funny thing, when I was through with Carson & Barnes I learned that Okie was a heavy drinker (from his family) but working with him, shoulder to shoulder everyday, I never noticed he'd been soaking it up. God bless Okie.
Dennis,
Not me. John Cuneo and Kenneth Feld didn't drink. The one time I did note it was when I spent a week on Carson and Barnes picking up Obert, Kelly, and Tracy. I always assumed that was why the names were spray painted on the elephants foreheads. If I recall, Kenny Ahearn was the only one in the elephant crew that didn't "list to the port side" when he stood up.
Wade
From the "history channel," for completeness:
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Jim Clubb said...
This was the Dammoo Dhotre arena for Court's mixed panthers. This was the last year it worked. It was then sold to Circus Amar in France. Amar wanted to buy one of these "new" type arenas, but Court advised him against it. They were made of chainlink and if you pulled them up too tight they sometimes broke in the middle. That's why you see it is quite slack in the picture. As time went on the diamond style was adopted and was made out of steel cable. The first time this type of arena was seen in the UK was at Bertram Mills Circus Olympia in 1961. Mills called it the Mills-type cage - the cage without bars. Cyril Mills told me he had seen the RBBB version and was trying to develop a new type of cage, better than RBBB. It took him 10 years to do it, but of course Knie was already using one in Switzerland. The first Knie one was made out of steel rings and was almost, in my opinion, as unsightly as the first RBBB effort. No wonder Court didn't want to send one to France. You will also note the arena was much smaller than the other cat and bear arenas. The panther act of Court's always worked in a smaller arena than the other animals. This was to quicken up the act, as they were always sluggish and reluctant to move.
12 November, 2010 12:06
Anonymous said...
Dennis,
Thanks for sharing a great set of photos.
These steel chain mesh cages were introduced in 1948. They were touted as giving the viewer an unobstructed view of the animals.
They were used on and off until 1956.
The bottom was attached to wooden platforms. The seats for the cats or bears were placed on top of the wood which helped to hold it down. There is a good view of this set up in DeMille's The Greatest Show On Earth.
Some where in the house I have a short video of the dismantling of this cage.
The bottom of the mesh was unhooked from the boards and the top poles were pulled apart. Unfortunately that's all that is shown. Perhaps someone who actually saw the tear down and can fill us in.
Dom
12 November, 2010 12:14
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