End of Pawnee Bill Show # 3

This was the Billboard coverage offered in the May 2, 1908 issue on Page 26. As stated, Pawnee Bill did not retire from Show Business. In December of 1908, he combined forces with Buffalo Bill age 63 and Pawnee Bill ( Gordon Lillie ) only 40 years old. They created the Buffalo Bill's Wild West and Pawnee Bill's Far East Exhibition that worked until monies due forced the closing in 1913. Their auction was held in Overland Park, Denver, Colorado on August 21, 1913 generating about $16,000. Another auction was scheduled on August 27th.

Pawnee Bill - 1906

This was a full page spread in Billboard on Nov.17, 1906 as found on page 23. Billboard carried a variety of shows in this format during 1906. This is the first of several I'll post over the next few days. The 1906 version of the Pawnee Bill show found it greatly enlarged with several Railroad cars, and wagons and in particular four elephants that had been on the Wm. P. Hall show the season before. Again, I have enhanced this on Adobe PhotoShop to increase the quality of the copy that is lost from the poor microfilm.

Miller's Elephants - 1905

You should be able to double click this and enlarge it to read the caption. The Microfilm was really crappy so I enhanced this with Adobe photoshop as much as I could. I talked to Buckles about the Miller elephants and he didn't know anything about them. This is the only mention I ever found in my research. They look like they are all Asian elephants in the 5 to 7 year old range. This ad was in Billboard on Nov.4, 1905, on Page 14.

Happy Fourth of July

A Happy Fourth of July to all of you out there. This postcard comes from the largest and finest Amusement Park in America. Cedar Point is located in Sandusky, Ohio where I grew up. Spent many a day there over the years. I was employed there for a few summers and then worked for Jungle Larry's African Safari in the park a couple summers. Lots of great memories and always the best Fireworks show ever on July 4th.

Letterheads anyone?

Before the advent of Promo Photos, just about everyone advertised their specialties with a custom designed Letterhead. There is one show Letterhead in particular that I can think of that was basically a stock unit with different show titles applied, but almost every performer had their own unique Letterhead. This ad was in the Billboard on August 4, 1906, on Page 33.

Washburn & D'Alma's Famous Trained Animal Shows

Here's another really nice piece of artwork found in the New York Clipper on September 8, 1906 on Page 775. This shown was jointly owned by Leon Washburn and Mr. D'Alma. The title was used in 1905 and 1906.

The four baby elephants were Fanchon, Jumbino, Modoc, & Lou. Leon Washburn owned them from 1904 to 1910. Mr. Washburn offered all four elephants to Wm. P. Hall for $6500.00 in 1910 but Hall turned down the offer. He sold all four to James Patterson in the winter of 1910/1911.

In 1912, Lou & Fanchon died of a Mineral Poisoning in Michigan.

Jumbino was sold by Patterson to Andrew Downie where she appearred on his shows and died unexpectedly in 1918.

Modoc went on to great fame when she was the dancing elephant on Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey from 1931 until she passed away in 1957.

Carl Hagenbeck - Animal Importer

The vast array of animals that were imported by Carl Hagenbeck's operation probably surpassed all others. In addition to his Hagenbeck Zoo in Germany, which was the focal point of the import business, he also had his Carl Hagenbeck Wild Animal Show at the Louisiana Purchase Gardens in St. Louis under the direction of his son Lorenz that included 15 elephants. This complete show would be bought by Ben Wallace in the winter of 1906 / 1907 which created the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus.

Louis Ruhe - Animal Importer

Now this is a name everyone knew when it came to finding animals. This ad was in the Billboard on March 23, 1907 on page 31.

J. Hope - Animal Importer

I have to admit, I've never heard of J. Hope. I don't know which show this was either, but it would be fun to do the research to find out. This was in the Billboard on August 5, 1905 on page 28.

Donaldson Litho Co. has a Circus for sale.

Here we see a complete circus for sale through the Donaldson Litho Co. Were they holding a lien for unpaid paper, who knows. It happened many times. ( If you double click the ad, it will enlarge enough to read. ) I don't know which show it was and don't want to speculate either. The ad appeared in the Billboard on June 6, 1906 on page 56.

Lemen Bros. Circus

This ad was found in Billboard on August 18, 1906 on page 26. ( You can double click on the ad to make it enlarge so that it's readable. ) I'm not 100% sure what role The Campbell Bros. played in this but they were involved in trying to get the show sold and would keep Wm. P. Hall informed of every move. Wm.P. Hall did buy the Lemen Bros. Circus but not until May of 1909.

Great Wm. P. Hall show for sale!

William P. Hall, "The Horse King of the World", of Lancaster, Missouri only advertised a couple times in his career. Here we find in the New York Clipper on April 28, 1906 on page 275, an ad offering his complete circus for sale. ( unfortunately, the microfilms aren't very good sometimes )The Great Wm. P. Hall show toured for one year in 1905 being largely made up of the old Walter L. Main Circus properties. The Pawnee Bill show bought a good bit including four elephants. The Campbell Bros. Shows bought most of the menagerie animals. The rest remained at his quarters.

The Great Wallace Show for sale!

As found in the Billboard on December 1, 1906 on page 35, although advertised, This particular offer was never allowed to happen. Instead, Ben Wallace bought the Great Carl Hagenbeck show, combined it with his and it hit the road in 1907 as the Great Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus. Carl Hagenbeck was infuriated that his name was being used by someone else and even filed suit in the courts to stop the use of his name. Needless to say, the Hagenbeck-Wallace title is still in use today by the Ringling organization.

Eph Thompson # 1

Eph Thompson was a gifted elphant trainer at the turn of the century. He was the boxing partner to the famed Adam Forepaugh elephant John L. Sullivan in 1888. Unfortunately being a Black man, he was not allowed to gain the respect of other trainers at the time so he went to Europe. Here he achived the recognition he so richly deserved for his fabulous training of four huge elephants. This particular ad was placed in Billboard on November 17, 1904 on page 34.

Eph Thompson # 2

I won't claim to know very much about Eph Thompson or his elephants. I'm sure his performances in the United States were during 1904 to 1908. Before or after those dates, I don't know. Mary was his famed Somersaulting elephant.

Eph Thompson # 3

Eph Thompson offered his elephants for sale here in the New York Clipper in the March 10, 1906 edition on page 87. They didn't sell however. The Billboard on March 7, 1908 on Page 22 carried a small article stating the Ringlings had offered $50,000 for the four elephants.

History tells us they didn't go to the Ringlings in 1909.

Parker & Watts # 1

The Parker & Watts show came out of the barn for the first time in 1938 and lasted through the 1939 season. Charles Parker and Ira Watts were the owners. This was a medium size truck show giving a daily parade. The show opened with five elephants. Ena, Mabel & Mona had come from the Seal Bros. Circus. Maxine & Thelma were owned by W. C. Richards. In a sign of things to come, Charles Parker tokk ill suddenly and died June 8, 1938 in Mobridge, South Dakota.

In 1939, Ira watts added one more elephant named Vera who was owned by Jimmy Hamiter. After the show folded, Ira Watts kept the three elephants he owned until he sold them to Hamid Morton in 1942.

Parker & Watts # 2

They had a tie in with Sinclair Oil obviously helping out with some monetary aid. I don't know, but I assume this was inflated on a daily basis.

Parker & Watts # 3

Parker & Watts # 4