Parker & Watts Circus
Posted By thecircusblog on June 4, 2012
A few days ago this photo along with this article were given to me. To my surprise I saw Delbert ‘PaPa’ Graham’s photo, sitting with his chimp Andy Calino. I looked for Anna Marie” Ma Ma” Graham in this photo who was an aerialist at that time. On the far right, third row in white wardrobe I believe this might be her? The Grahams are the parents of Del Graham who was a flyer on the Ringling show in his younger years. Later he started his own act the Flying Vienna’s. In the mid 1940’s the Grahams retried to another kind of life…. Delbert went to work for the Los Angeles Zoo. He and his wife Anna took care of the primates. Andy their chimp was also retired but now and then they would do special shows. Andy Calino died in the late 1940s, his age had to be 35 or 40 years old. MaMa Graham passed away not long after PaPa Graham died. I really don’t remember much more, maybe I don’t want to…. I salute to those old Cirques that are gone.
Most of the information concerning Parker & Watts came from,The State Historical Society of Missouri.
Thanks John for your comment.
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thecircusblog
My name is Ivan M. Henry and I am the 4th generation of a circus/show business dynasty. I hope you enjoy the blog.Comments
3 Responses to “Parker & Watts Circus”
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Nice about Parker-Watts. Lots of folks I trouped with were with it including old “bunyan foot Iree Watts and his misses. Plus others. johnny
As a child my grandmother took me to visit “mama and Papa Graham” in Los Angeles, They had a chimp that wore overalls and had his own room. They also had a beautiful Macaw Parrot loose int heir kitchen. This was well after the circus business and if memory serves their son was still travelling with the Circus. Wonderful memories!
I can still remember the parrot when I was a kid when we went to visit (we called her grandma Graham). I was thinking the other day Ivan, did you ever eat any of her Spanish rice she used to make with chicken gizzards and hearts, onions, green peppers, and fried white rice? Mom still fixes that dish for us to this day and it has been passed down to the grand kids as well. It is a favorite of my sister and my niece.
I hope you are well,
Much Love,
Jackie and May