Merry Christmas

Taschen Book

This is the 2012 English language reprint version. I have 5 copies available for sale on my website for $45.00 each. www.thecircusworld.com There are 386 pages in it with amazing full color photos never seen before.

1993 Bandwagon Special

The Circus Historical Society will be offering a huge special on some past editions of the Bandwagon. Each and every special will only be good for two months. The 1992 special has now ended.


We are making the fourth offering for the entire six issues of 1993. These issues are covered in detail on our website under the Bandwagon Magazine tab, indexes of Bandwagon Articles, then to 1957 to 1999.

These issues are filled with great circus history as authored by Bill Johnston, Joseph Bradbury, Gordon Carver, Orin C. King, John Polacsek, Fred D. Pfening III, Mark St. Leon, Stuart Thayer, Chang Reynolds and more.

Maybe you haven’t been in the CHS for 20 years and would love to read lots more about the circus or maybe you’re looking for that perfect gift already, but you can’t pass up a deal like this.

$25.00

Includes the shipping in the US!

Make your check payable to the C.H.S. and mail it to: Bandwagon Special – 1993, 1075 W. Fifth Ave., Columbus, Ohio 43212 or you can use PayPal on our website at www.circushistory.org

CHS on Facebook

Go to the CHS Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/CircusHistoricalSociety?v=wall and LIKE us.

Christmas Ads in the Bandwagon

    It's not too late to take a Christmas ad in the next Bandwagon. Our deadline date will be December 15th. It's an opportunity to send holiday greetings to friends in the circus community, share something about yourself, pay tribute to one of our brethren, avoid the time and expense of Christmas cards, and show support for the Circus Historical Society. The Christmas issue is the year's largest and most costly, and advertising revenue helps defray costs. Ads are encouraged from individual members, as well as from circuses, museums, libraries, suppliers, and other circus-related organizations.


   A full page ad is $200; half page, $125; quarter page, $75. Ads can be created to specification if camera-ready copy is not available. Advertisements and payment should be mailed to CHS Secretary-Treasurer Bob Cline at 2707 Zoar Road, Cheraw, SC 29520 or emailed me at fivetiger@shtc.net

PETA loses Two More Court Cases

PETA Meets Two Judges, Loses Two Cases


One of the goals of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is to grant animals the same legal rights as people, but this foolish quest suffered double setbacks this week. PETA is no stranger to losing in the courtroom—like its frivolous case claiming that Sea World’s performing whales were slaves or a not-at-all-frivolous case involving a breach of confidentiality that a jury found cost a police officer his job—but it added two new defeats to its list, one in California and one in Kansas.



In California, a judge ruled against PETA’s lawsuit attacking California’s “Happy Cows Come from California” dairy marketing campaign. The judge found that “experience and knowledge substantiate that dairy farmers … adhere to some of the highest animal welfare standards in the U.S.” PETA’s record on animal welfare is killing over 90 percent of the pets in the group’s care in each of the past six years, so it’s understandable that the group might not recognize high welfare standards. (After all, animal welfare, a science, is not at all like animal rights ideology.)



In a U.S. District Court in Kansas, a judge found that PETA cannot force Kansas State Fair organizers to let the group publicly display a profane and graphic anti-meat propaganda video. PETA won’t be denied a booth, but people who want to see the video will have to seek it out. Even so, an anti-agriculture group will still have more access to an agriculture fair than any pro-agriculture group would probably have at an animal rights event.



PETA’s “press sluts” tactics might get it in the news, but thus far the group has little to show for it. And now courts are joining pop idols like Lady Gaga in telling PETA to get lost.

http://www.consumerfreedom.com/2012/09/peta-meets-two-judges-loses-two-cases/?fb_action_ids=10151216891472812&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=246965925417366
See:

Ringling Pre-Sale

Pre-Christmas Special

I am offering you a great opportunity to find a Christmas present that won't be found anywhere else for the circus enthusiast in your family. I have been digitizing Photo albums that have been collected for nearly 60 years. This Christmas Special offer is for Seven different CDs that cover the Great Wallace Shows and mostly the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus with a little bit of the John Robinson's 10 Big Shows tossed in with over 1700 images for your historical and model building pleasures.

There are photos from numeroues collections such as P.M. McClintock, Richard Conover, Chappie Fox, Pete Mardo, Joe Heiser, Jr. Scaperlanda Bros., Russ Warren, Walker Morris, the Melvin collection, Hugh McGill, Gordon Borders, Tom Duncan and others. Some are duplicated from a small photo to an enlargement, a few are billing stands and a few are posters. You certainly won't be disappointed.

The Special will only cost $125.00 plus shipping. That works out to a little over 7 cents an image. You can enlarge these, use Adobe Photoshop programs to crop, colorize, contrast, etc. print any of them at home or at a photo Lab and see details you won't see in a magazine. Go to my website at www.thecircusworld.com

For every set purchased, I'll donate 35% to the Circus Historical Society, Inc. to help preserve the publication of the greatest Circus Historical Journal in America, the Bandwagon.

Have a great time. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at tigeract@thecircusworld.com

Bandwagon Special Offer

     The Circus Historical Society will be offering a huge special on some past editions of the Bandwagon. Each and every special will only be good for two months. This is the Last three weeks for this great speacial offer. We are making the third offering for the entire six issues of 1992. These issues are covered in detail on our website under the Bandwagon Magazine tab, indexes of Bandwagon Articles, then to 1957 to 1999.


     These issues are filled with great circus history as authored by Bill Johnston, Joseph Bradbury, Gordon Carver, Orin C. King, John Polacsek, Fred D. Pfening III, Mark St. Leon, Stuart Thayer, Chang Reynolds and more.

     Maybe you haven’t been in the CHS for 20 years and would love to read a lot more about the circus or maybe you’re looking for that perfect gift already, but you can’t pass up a deal like this.

$25.00

...Includes the shipping in the US!

     Make your check payable to the C.H.S. and mail it to: Bandwagon Special - 1992, 1075 W. Fifth Ave., Columbus, Ohio 43212 or you can use PayPal on our website at www.circushistory.org 

RBBB - Gold Unit

Coming off of their two year tour on the Red Unit, the smaller version will now be the Gold Unit opening on Christmas Day in West Palm Beach, FL. and making a South Carolina appearance at the Florence Civic Center February 14 through the 17th, 2013.

A call for Papers

CALL FOR CIRCUS PAPERS

The 43rd Annual Convention of The Popular Culture Association & The American Culture Association

will take place

March 27-30, 2013

Washington, D.C.

This will be the seventeenth meeting of the Popular Culture Association Circuses and Circus Culture interest group. We invite papers that explore the past and present of circus as performance art, historical analysis, and a unique form of popular culture. Circus, a continuously evolving tradition of live entertainment, lends itself to scholarship from many perspectives.

Topics of interest include but are not limited to:

Menageries, Sideshows, Aerialists, Historic Relevance, Worlds Fair Exhibitions, Logistics of Circus Transportation, Clowning, Circus and Sideshow Documentary Screenings, Performance Art, P.T. Barnum and Other Promoters, Gaffs, Pitch Cards and so much more!

Our panels have been diverse and fascinating. We invite you to join us. Send a fifty word abstract of your paper by November 30, 2012 to: http://ncp.pcaaca.org and feel free to contact me at:

Stacey L. Mascia

Humanities Department

North Country Community College

75 William Street

Malone, NY 12953

Phone: (518) 483-4550 ext. 3250

Email: smascia@nccc.edu

Note: Only one paper may be submitted to the Conference.

Chalk Festival

This came from Mia Cristiani-Alvis by way of Laura Sedlmayr today. - Today at the Chalk Festival - a nice tribute to our family - all the Zacchinis that contributed to their fame - Bruno, Teo, Mario, Edmundo, Victor, Mario, Emanuel Sr., Emanuel Jr (Lali) Sylvana (ChaCha), Egle, Duina, Germana, Olympia, Madeline - all wonderful performers and I am so proud to be part if their lineage - I hope I didn't forget anyone.

Bard Graduate Center in NY

Image: “Ringling Bros-Barnum & Bailey / Europe’s Latest Sensation The Wallendas” ca. 1928. Color lithograph poster Erie Lithograph & Printing Company, Erie, Penn. 42 × 28 in. (106.7 × 71.2 cm) Shelburne Museum, Shelburne, Vermont, Gift of Harry T. Peters Sr. Family, 1959, 1959-67.194

On View in the Gallery

Circus and the City: New York, 1793–2010

Lecture: The Circus In America

Thursday, November 1 @ 6pm

BGC, 38 West 86th Street

At the turn of the 19th century there were more than 3,000 circuses traveling around the United States. The development of the tent and use of the railroads, the introduction and refinement of advertising, the circus parades, the use of elephants as attractions, and the side show are some of the themes that contributed to the distinctive American quality of the circus. Susan Weber will explore how the European circus was transformed in America into an immense multimedia phenomenon that was eventually billed as the “The Greatest Show On Earth.”

Susan Weber is founder and director of the Bard Graduate Center.

$20 general

$15 seniors and students

Register online, e-mail programs@bgc.bard.edu, or call 212-501-3011.

Bandwagon

The Latest edition of the Circus Historical Society's periodical the Bandwagon was mailed on Wednesday October 24th. Members should start receiving it next week. For those that aren't members and are steadily missing out on the great history of the circus, get on the Bandwagon as they say and join us on our website at www.circushistory.org

Ivan Henry's Surgery

I received a terrific phone call from Ivan yesterday telling me he had already had his double lung transplant and was in the process of getting on with the rehabilitation work. Big Thumbs up. He said he felt like a new man again.

Feel free to post some good wishes to him on his fine circus blog at http://www.thecircusblog.com/

PS: I spoke with Ivan yesterday. He has had all the IVs taken out, is feeling fine and coming home today. ( 10/25/2012 )

Pray ( Hard ) before you Vote!

You should be able to double click this to enlarge it enough to read Rev. Billy Graham's message.

Photo Albums for your Computer

I've been converting many of the photo albums in my possession to computer CDs for a modern way of sharing circus history via photographic images with others at an incredibly reasonable price. With people on eBay trying to sell one photo for $10.00 to 13.00 each, I am offering the computer CDs at an average cost of 10 cents a photo. You can then take the CD to a Film center near you and get copies made for about 30 cents or print them at home or just enjoy going through the CD over and over again.

While I do offer these on eBay, I sell many of them through my website at www.thecircusworld.com

Happy Birthday Herr Bloggermeister

From our Octoberfest to yours, Happy Birthday wishes go out to Big Jim Peterson, owner of the Mighty Peterson Shows and controller of the Million Dollar Blog. Hope you have a grand time my friend!

Necessities

Here are the two Ringling / Barnum units as seen on the train in 1952. I wonder where the dumping stations were back then?

Necessities

This is 1988. This is a Hal Guyon photo taken in Rock Hill, SC.

Necessities

The 1973 and 1974 version on Circus Kirk was a small streamlined version that was pulled by a station wagon.

Necessities

Circus Kirk had changed the unit a couple times over the years. By 1975, ye old toilet had been positioned into an old Bread truck for ease in getting to a dumping station. ( This is a Fred Curchoe photo as found on the Circus Kirk Facebook page )

Necessities

This was a former Ringling / Barnum unit that went to Royal American Shows and eventually came to the Circus World Museum. It was used on the Milwaukee Parade grounds a couple times in the early 1970s.

Necessities

This is Circus Krone's facilities complete with attendant. This was taken by Bruce Hawley this summer.

Ivan Henry

( Photo is courtesy of Ivan's blog - The Circus Days. - I have a link to it below )

This wise old troupe of veteran performers were the gymnasts, leapers, and teachers on the 1962 movie JUMBO! On the far left is a good friend of mine by the name of Ivan Henry who is part of the J.E. Henry family and a Chimpanzee guy by trade.

Ivan called me tonight to say that all the tests are done and over with. He's met with every doctor and he has his bags packed awaiting a call to allow him to have a double lung transplant at any given moment now.

Best wishes my Friend! We're thinking about you!

CWM Attendance is up.

October 03, 2012 3:30 am  •  By Ed Zagorski

     Attendance and retail sales are on the rise at Circus World Museum in Baraboo, but not at the nine other Wisconsin historical sites.

     Circus World is enjoying an 8 percent jump in attendance this year, and revenues have increased more than 2 percent.
     So far about 300,004 people have visited the state’s 10 historic sites and spent more than $735,332.95, which is down 2 percent from last year’s figures.
     Circus World Executive Director Steve Freese said the downslide in the economy has played a large role in attendance and sales at the historic sites.
     Freese noted Circus World offers a coupon — buy one, get one free — distributed at Devil’s Lake State Park throughout the summer. While the park attracted nearly 2 million visitors this year, only 342 redeemed the coupon, which would allow one person into Circus World without paying the $14.95 admission fee.
     “That’s pretty stunning to me,” Freese said. “Those people who went to the park decided to stay at the park without taking advantage of our coupon.”
     At the largest historic site, Old World Wisconsin in Waukesha County, there was a 1.3 percent decrease in attendance — 41,080 this year as compared to 41,620 last year. This year’s sales at Old World Wisconsin were down nearly 13 percent from $98,671.16 last year to $86,233.91 so far this year.

Circus World shows a larger jump in attendance, with 68,162 as of Tuesday.

     All of the sites except Circus World wrap up their seasons at October’s end. Circus World stays open year-round.
     Freese said despite a sluggish economy and extreme heat, Circus World enjoyed a great summer.

     “About $9 million is spent on trying to get people to come to the Wisconsin Dells and we try to capitalize on that by getting some of those people to come here,” Freese said. “The grandparents want to take their grandchildren somewhere different other than the water parks, so they come here.”
     Ringmaster Dave SaLoutos said Circus World is “something that is universally appealing” to all ages.

“This is a place where grandparents, parents and children can come together and have a great time,” he said.

1992 Bandwagon Special

The Circus Historical Society will be offering a huge special on some past editions of the Bandwagon. Each and every special will only be good for two months. The 1991 special has now ended.

We are making the third offering for the entire six issues of 1992. These issues are covered in detail on our website under the Bandwagon Magazine tab, indexes of Bandwagon Articles, then to 1957 to 1999.

These issues are filled with great circus history as authored by Bill Johnston, Joseph Bradbury, Gordon Carver, Orin C. King, John Polacsek, Fred D. Pfening III, Mark St. Leon, Stuart Thayer, Chang Reynolds and more.

Maybe you haven’t been in the CHS for 20 years and would love to read lots more about the circus or maybe you’re looking for that perfect gift already, but you can’t pass up a deal like this.

$25.00

Includes the shipping in the US!

Make your check payable to the C.H.S. and mail it to: Bandwagon Special - 1992, 1075 W. Fifth Ave., Columbus, Ohio 43212 or you can use PayPal on our website at www.circushistory.org



Royal American Shows

I never saw the Royal American Shows in operation but I did get to visit their WQ in Tampa on a few occassions over the years. This is the Sedlmayr's family coach which is now housed in the car barns at the Circus World Museum.

Royal American Shows

Here it comes!

Royal American Shows

As far as the eye can see. What a sight this was.

Royal American Shows

One Truck and a trailer fill a 70' flatcar. I wonder how heavy that load was.

Royal American Shows

Here are a couple of the fiormer RBBB Thrall flats in use.

Royal American Shows

I can see myself driving for miles to follow this train as it unexpectedly went through a crossing that I was sitting at waiting for the train to go through! WOW!

Royal American Shows

Beautifully painted!

2013 CHS Convention

You won't believe what we have in store for the CHS Convention next year. Just you wait and see!

Hotel details will be available in the CHS Newsletter coming out this weekend.

West Baden WQ

Springs Valley Herald - July 22, 1915


West Baden, Ind., July 10 - (Special)



Ed Ballard, who, with C. E. Cory, controls the corporation which operates the Great Hagenbeck-Wallace Shows, accompanied by a landscape artist and architect, arrived here today and announced that the Hagenbeck-Wallace Company had chosen this city as the place where it would erect its big winter quarters and repair shop.

The leading citizens were jubilant over the news, and a movement was promptly inaugurated to grant the big circus exemption from taxation for ten years. It is also planned by the people of the valley to raise a fund by subscription and with same to build one of the new buildings.

Mr. Ballard is easily the most popular man in these parts and the people hereabouts feel that in as much as he turned down many alluring and attractive offers from other municipalities that it is up to them to reimburse him.

West Baden feels highly complimented.

Every citizen concedes that Mr. Ballard has treated the town handsomely and deserves handsome treatment in return.

The grooms, animal men, keepers, trainers, and mechanics in the repair shops that will be carried through the winter will easily number a hundred and the population of the town will be permanently increased to that extent.

Besides that the shows will rehearse and open here annually, and that means that the whole 500 employees will be here each spring for periods ranging from two to four weeks each. The money paid out in salaries will amount to huge sums and merchants and hotel men will benefit vastly.

The winter quarters, furthermore, will be a distinct acquisition as a show place and will be an added interest for the guest of the big hotels.

It is planned to erect very beautiful buildings and to park the land all about them and make the site as attractive as artistry and ingenuity can.

Mr. Ballard's handsome home will not be greatly distant from the location chosen. This mansion, the most spacious and beautiful in the Valley, has also lent much class to the great American spa.

Extensive boulevards are building in every direction, and it is planned to "tarvia" all roads and turnpikes centering at West Baden, thus providing many charming drives and excursions for automobile parties.

There is no evidence of hard times or tight money at West Baden. Money is being spent like water on improvements.

By the fall the resort will be the most attractive in American, if not in the world. - Billboard Magazine

West Baden WQ

Here's a few pictures from the West Baden WQ circa 1920-1923. Looks like spring has sprung and the horses are being harnessed up again.

West Baden WQ

West Baden WQ

Must be a good day to work on the canvas in WQ. Note the three spool wagons sitting in back.

West Baden WQ

Here's a great view of the extra wide steel rims on these heavy wagons.

West Baden WQ

There were some large two story buildings on the property.

West Baden WQ

I don't know it they were practicing or not but the horses are hitched to be able to move the spool wagon.

eBay helps Benefit the CHS

eBay has a helping hands program for Non-Profit Groups. The Circus Historical Society is one of those. Go to the CHS eBay Giving page at http://donations.ebay.com/charity/charity.jsp?NP_ID=56723 and save it as a Favorite. Anytime you buy anything off of this page, a percentage is given to the CHS. You can make a donation to the CHS without buying anything or you can donate $1.00 or $2.00 to the CHS when you purchase anything from a seller that is registered to donate to the CHS. Powerful help even at a $1.00 a time.

Circus Photos special - Benefits the CHS

I have this RBBB CD # 13 listed on my website at www.thecircusworld.com all the time and is on eBay right now for 7 days only. This CD has over 550 photos that were taken mostly in the 1940s and 1950s of the Sarasota WQ and on the road. This has been collected for years from circus fans, family and friends. At less than 10 cents an image, you won't be disappointed!

Anyone that buys it in the next 7 days on eBay or my website has 70% of the purchase price donated to the Circus Historical Society!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Over-550-photos-of-the-Ringling-Barnum-WQ-and-road-on-a-CD-13-/330795798904?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d04f75178

Sarasota's Sailor Circus DVD

Sailor Circus’ 63rd Annual Spring Show DVD Based on Mary Poppins is available for purchase. Approximately 1 and 1/2 hours in length and this video was made by Richard Czina.




Make check payable to Sailor Circus Novelties for $12 postage included. (You may also pick your up at the arena for $10)



Send your check to:

Pete Adams

Sailor Circus Novelties

5578 Burnt Branch Circle

Sarasota, FL 34232

Bandwagon is in the Mail.

The latest edition of the Bandwagon was dropped in the mail to all of the Circus Historical Society's members on Friday September 7th, 2012.

Bandwagon Special - 1991

Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!

     The Bandwagon Special for the complete year of 1991 is ending September 30th. You don't want to miss out on one of the greatest deals filled with Circus history to ever be found. These issues are covered in detail on our website under the Bandwagon Magazine tab, indexes of Bandwagon Articles, then to 1957 to 1999.

     These issues are filled with great circus history as authored by Bill Johnston, Joseph Bradbury, Gordon Carver, Orin C. King, John Polacsek, Fred D. Pfening Jr. Mark St. Leon, Stuart Thayer, Ward Hall and more.
     Maybe you haven’t been in the CHS for 20 years and would love to read lots more about the circus or maybe you’re looking for that perfect gift already, but you can’t pass up a deal like this.

$25.00

Includes the shipping in the US!

Make your check payable to the C.H.S. and mail it to: Bandwagon Special - 1991, 1075 W. Fifth Ave., Columbus, Ohio 43212 or you can use PayPal on our website at www.circushistory.org

Olga Celeste

I was sent a bunch of photos a couple years ago that included these four photos of Olga Celeste. IN February of 2011, our friend Roger Smith commented on Buckles Blog about Olga.

Roger Smith said...


     Olga Celeste was born April 9, 1888 in Lund, Sweden. Her formative years are very remote, but she had a strong history as the Enchantress of Leopards in early 20th century circuses, notably the Barnes show, and in vaudeville. She worked on at least 4 pictures: JUNGLE REVENGE (1915), a short; DeMille's CLEOPATRA 1934), uncredited as a slave girl, but onscreen with her leopards featured in the dance scene; off-camera trainer to Nissa leopard, who played the title role in BRINGING UP BABY (1938); and as trainer for the leopards needed for TARZAN AND THE LEOPARD WOMAN (1946).
     Olga retired in 1951. When her last leopard died then, she did not suffer the cruel demise as did her contemporary, Mabel Stark, who ended her life when her Goldie tiger was shot, in 1968. Olga bore up to retirement, and carried on. Mabel often told me of going to visit Olga, driving herself along the freeways in that massive Buick of hers. That Mabel so enjoyed friendship with Celeste was something of a miracle, since Olga (at times) was also a blonde animal trainer. The decisive factor was that Olga preferred leopards, and was never competitive with tigers. Some time back, a blog contributor noted knowing Olga, and where she lived--maybe he'll re-write his comments to refresh our memories.
     In the 1930s, Olga was sufficiently established in Hollywood, that she was invited to sign a shirt with fellow film folks Elizabeth Taylor, then a child star, Abbott & Costello, Cary Grant, Mabel Stark, Louis Roth, and little Shirley Temple. In 2005, bids for the shirt ran close to $1,000.
     Look up "Luna Park Zoo" for her history and photos there, where she performed from 1925 to 1931. Co-workers were Louis Roth and Mel Koontz. Admission then was 30-cents.
     The Enchantress of Leopards, died at 81, in Burbank, California, on August 31, 1969.

Olga Celeste

I see he's smart enough to keep his hands to himself!

Olga Celeste

There is nothing on front to indicate this is a promotional photo and yet nothing is written or stamped on the back either, other than her name written in pencil.

Olga Celeste

This is an 8 x 10 with just Olga Celeste written by hand on the back.

Coming Soon!

Coming Soon to a mailbox near you. It's at the Printers right now.

Cage # 28

The Cap Curtis designed Corporation cages are a lengthy study for anyone trying to get a grasp of what cages went where. This two section cage was originally built in 1924 for the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus.

The cage on the right is shown here on the Sell-Floto Circus in 1932. Following these cages gets mind boggling after awhile. In trying to follow this cage, we are looking at primarily the two sections, the four carvings side by side on the center board at the bottom and the ribs on the front wall.

( You can double click the photo to enlarge it. )

Cage # 18

As you may recall, the Cole Bros. Circus suffered a terrible fire in Winter quarters in February of 1940. They bought this cag from the Peru winter quarters. Good thing too as most of the Peru equipment all went up in flames the very next year. Notice the ribs on the front. If I remember right, this is the only corporation cage with this distinguishing feature.

Cage # 18

This photo was taken on May 17, 1940 in Kokomo, Indiana when this was cage # 18.

Cage # 12

This is a Wm. Koford photo of the # 12 cage on the Cole Bros. Circus before being finally taken off the road and parked at the Paul Kelly Farm.