Posted By thecircusblog on April 27, 2009
I just happened to find this old add advertising the Osa and Martin Johnson Jungle Adventures. This has nothing to do with the circus, or does it? Drive in theaters were quite the rage many years ago, mainly in the 1950’s and 1960’s. Then they started to loose there popularity. If you’re old enough to remember this, just in front of the screen there was a large play area for kids to use during intermission…….Now hang with me. Well it got to the point where something had to be done to increase ticket sales. Mr Ray Edwards owned several theaters in El Monte and the surrounding towns and he was also a circus buff. My Dad was good friends with Ray, so much so that Dad took the family to the movies every so often….it always was free, because of the friendship. One night we went to the movies at the Edwards Drive-In and as usual Dad would visit with Ray if he was at the theater. This night Dad was gone for a long time. Ray was at the box office where Dad went to say hello. The next thing we knew Dad had made a deal to bring in circus acts to perform before the movie started and during intermission, The time spent by the movie goers was a little longer now but proved to be good for the concessions. We moved the play area off to the side and put in a one ring circus in front of the screen. The attendance came back up in all the drive in theaters………….. Like all things, this only lasted for a while.
Category: The Great American Circuses |
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Posted By thecircusblog on April 27, 2009
It is most apparent that Clyde Beatty loved his animals as this photo shows. As for or myself, I never met an animal I didn’t like. I guess you could say that about most all animal trainers, at least the 0nes that I knew in the circus. In all of the years of my owning and training……my animals came first in care and food. Even if there were a few hard times where money was short my animals ate first. Thats a fact.
Category: The Great American Circuses |
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Posted By thecircusblog on April 27, 2009
To tell you the truth, I love to read these old posters. They were created to excite the public and their imagination and thus brought them to the circus. Tom Mix is featured in this season with Sells Floto. Does any one remember Hoot Gibson? He was another famous movie cowboy and he worked in a few after shows. Do you remember the name of Tom Mix ‘s horse?
Category: Sells Floto Circus, Tom Mix Circus |
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Posted By thecircusblog on April 27, 2009
The Season was 1953 and the show was having record crowds and why not? Circuses were the best form of family entertainment money could buy. It made no difference what show you took your family to they all offered good clean entertainment, and when you left the show grounds you and your children were still excited and talking about what a wonderful time they had. Some of our names have changed, but we are still traveling thoughout the small towns of America …..We are part of the American tradition.
Category: The Great American Circuses |
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Posted By thecircusblog on April 23, 2009
This photo is from the 1953 motion picture “Perils of the Jungle” starring Clyde Beatty. The studio changed his regular circus wardrobe for some unknown reason. All in all the movie was not bad, it was considered a B+ movie. Clyde Beatty is the only circus performer that I know of to ever star in a motion picture. The studios realized that his popularity would bring money to the box office. They were right.
Category: Clyde Beatty Circus, The Big Cat Trainers |
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Posted By thecircusblog on April 23, 2009
Here is another movie that Clyde Beatty was featured in. I never saw this movie but I am sure it’s in a video store. Just for fun I think I’ll take a look.
Category: The Great American Circuses |
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Tags: Ring of Fear
Posted By thecircusblog on April 23, 2009
Nero was Clyde’s favorite working lion. Nero was a fighting cat and a very good one at that. Clyde put on a exciting whip and chair routine, It was all show. As you can see here, he was very content with his master. However there was one incident where Nero did nail Clyde in the leg. This photo was taken in 1926.
Category: Clyde Beatty Circus, The Big Cat Trainers |
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Posted By thecircusblog on April 23, 2009
Best known as Hopalong Cassidy, William Boyd was featured on Cole Bros. Circus. He also starred in numerous motion pictures and his famous television series. One of his side-kicks was Andy Clyde, know as California. Dad and I did a Christmas show with him in 1956. One of the things I remember about him was his infectious laugh.
Category: The Great American Circuses |
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Tags: Hopalong Cassidy, William Boyd
Posted By thecircusblog on April 23, 2009
1951 Program Cover….note the cost of only 25 cents. They employed a very innovative art and marketing staff.
Category: The Great American Circuses |
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Posted By thecircusblog on April 23, 2009
This is what you could call a real “armload.” It is obvious that Clyde Beatty loved his animals. It was a well know fact, that he took outanding care of all his animals.
Category: The Great American Circuses |
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