Monday, January 31, 2011
Who Say's You Can't Have Fun While You Work
Clip courtesy of Casey Gibbs
Rick Mercer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Paul, this is why the International Peace Gardens was built as a joint effort. Who wouldn't want to be a part of this hootenanny!!!!!Pat Jamison and the Hawthorn Wild Animal Fantasy
The advertising sheet below, reminds me of years of training acts for John Cuneo. He would hand me a hand written list(I have kept every one he gave me), normally on a sheet of legal pad paper as they were long and he could write a lot of stuff, LOL, of exactly what it was he wanted the animals to do in the act, in what order he wanted them to do it, where each animal would sit, etc. etc. as well as when he wanted the presenter to "style." He would list it, after a trick as "presenter takes a call." As you were training the act, and he was "helping" he would often times ask, "why didn't you take a call after that trick?" I would grit my teeth and tell him, "because we are in the barn, there is no audience here, and I an just training the damn act, not selling it." LOL Often times the "script" was written before the animals were even located or chosen. If you suggested that "so and so couldn't do what it was he wanted them to do", he would suggest back, "nonsense, such and such animal did it 10 years ago, so it will not be a problem for this one!!!" You just shook your head, strapped on the meat pouch, and got busy. Years later I was rather grateful for his "insistence" as I learned so much more about animal training, not being given an "option/choice." John Cuneo loves circus life and animal training, in a way only he understands, like nobody you will ever meet.
Pat Jameson
I note I have been spelling Pat's name incorrectly, as it is printed on the top photo as Jameson. Does anyone know what act this was, and who owned it. I don't believe it was a Hawthorn act.
Pat Jamison and the Hawthorn Paramount Bears
For a clip of the Paramount Bears, and additional info type Paramount Bears in the search bar at the top left of the blog
Pat Jamison and the Hawthorn Wild Animal Fantasy
The day the leopard escaped at The Everglade Club, Palm Beach, Florida.
Eloise Berchtold and the Hawthorn Wild Animal Fantasy
"History" as I have been told, was that Eloise trained and was the first women to present the Hawthorn Wild Animal Fantasy. Before the black leopard was added to the act, a Aoudad was used, and sat on the top seat at the back of the arena, before the "pyramid" seen below was added, along with the black leopard.
Jim Garner--Circus Belli
Jim is using a sub species of the grant zebra, known as a Gibbs zebra. This is the remnant of the Hawthorn Wild Animal Fantasy of leopards and german shepards.
Charly Baumann and Bernice Collins
Pictured with Charly is Show Girl Bernice Collins who worked with him for a time to learn to present the tiger act, which Daniel Suskow eventually worked until the end of 1993. Bernice presented the horse act I trained for the 1984 season.
New GGW Picture
I have never seen the picture above of GGW, and my wonderful son Eric was kind enough to send it too me with the note:
Pops,
Have you ever seen this picture before? I thought you would like it. I like it because it reminds me of my favorite picture of you,(see below) the black and white one with you hugging Conan.
I love you, Eric
Aren't children the most precious, wonderful beings on earth. I love you to, Eric. With all my heart.
Pops
Gunther Gebel Williams
Don't hold your breath, and wait for it to get any better then this, ever again.
A Priceless Piece of American Circus History Can Be Had For Pennies on the Dollar
A Vanishing Breed: Back To The Drugstore
"Feld Family Buys Ringling Bros"
http://cgi.ebay.com/VTG-RINGLING-BROTHERS-BARNUM-BAILEYS-CIRCUS-POSTER-/390285127587?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5adece6fa3#ht_2918wt_811
Link Courtesy of Mike Naughton
"Many folks don't realize it, but the poster that is linked above of the 1984-1985 edition of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus was the last show that Irvin Feld produced and Don Foote costumed together. Both of these brilliant men died in 1984. Don on Jan. 3o and Irvin on Sept. 6. Don's costume sketches are quite valuable, and are cherished by many. I sure wish I had the one's he did for me, but I gave them to someone so the costumes could be made, and they refused to give them back. I sure wish they were hanging on my wall. The poster is also the only one ever made that pictured Irvin and Kenneth Feld.
DON FOOTE Costume Designer FAN PAGE | Facebook
Don Foote was a prolific costume designer for touring entertainments such as circuses and ice shows. Raised in Rochester, New York, he went to California to study costume design at a school in Hollywood. On the advice of costume designer Edith Head, he went to New York to work on Broadway and eventually became a staff designer for Eaves costume house, which provided costumes for the stage and television. He left Eaves in 1969, when he was offered a position as the costume designer for the Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus, which had just been purchased by the producers Irvin Feld and Kenneth Feld. He spent the rest of his career designing costumes, props and scenery for the circus and for other entertainments operated by the Felds, such as Disney’s World on Ice, Ice Follies, Holiday on Ice, and Siegfried and Roy – in 1983 he told a reporter that he was responsible for the production of over 400 costumes per year.On his death, the Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Combined Shows, Inc. issued a statement saying, “His genius created beautiful and imaginative costuming that entraced a generation of entertainment audiences, and his respect for each artist fashioned creations which enhanced their performances. We have all lost a good friend and a talented associate who has left a lasting mark on American entertainment.”
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