Bea Fee and Garland

Well this is afirst time you tube post. I've got to figure out how to get rid of the empty box. But I'm going to leave this as is this time. This clip was made in Gibtown. The Lady is Harry Fee's x wife Bea and her Boyfriend Garland Parnell, on heck of a monkey trainer. Sad to say neith one of them is still with us.

Dick's Screw-Up of the Year Award

News is in that the Delaware State Fair, Harrington, after 10 years, at least, of having a free gate
on Thursday, Preview Night, has decided to charge 3.00 for gate admission. Regular nights it's 6.00 so they are advertising 50% off Preview Night.
Well I can't figure this out because of all years to do this they pick a year when gas is up around 4.00 a gallon and the economy in general stinks. They make it sound as if they are giving the public a break! Heck they're not giving anybody a break because it's always been a free night for at least the last 10 years!
What Do You Think?

On Strates Shows

This shot was taken at the Central Florida Fair, Orlando back in the 80's. We were booked with James E. Strates Shows. This was the second time we played that fair. The first time was with
Al Mandy who had the contract with the independent midway. Mike Denapoli, from Syracuse shared a location with us.

New Arrivals

Here's Bill with Remo Cristiani on L.R.'s World of Mirth Shows. I beleive this was around 1976.
Remo spent quite a few years in the show and was just before everyone had elephant rides. He
also took pictures on the elephants. I might add He did quite well. The two little ones had just arrived from overseas. I can't remember the country but they were acquired through an abandoned elephant sanctuary. Remo's assistant Irene was a ventarian student who had a connection over there. Remo's elephants wound up in zoos across the country.

Times Getting Close

Well it's only a couple weeks away. My Boss, Little Richard puts up about 7 or 8 Food Stands down there. I'll try to get some pics to post during the fair.

This one was snapped in 1993 I beleive on Roberts Bros. Circus at Hurlock, MD. That's brother Bill on the Left, Lisa and Ken "Turtle" Benson in the middle and me on the right. This was 2 years before we had the souviniers over there. Turtle was a dedicated "Bull Man".

The Headless Woman

Here's another one of our sideshows. The Headless Girl Illusion. We purchased this show at the Farmville, Va fair. I beleive it was about September 1974. This little show did very well on our route but was hard to repeat with at smaller fairs.

Harry and Friend

In the last post Harry was in on the Jackpoting. For those of you,and there aren't many, who didn't know this gentlemen he was the last of the big time Monkey Speedway Operators. He lived right next door to the club in Gibtown. He also happens to be one of the early presidents of the club. One thing about Harry if he didn't like you or had a beef with you YOU KNEW IT!

What a Jackpot Session!

Here's yours truly holding forth at the class house ticket box. I'm having an important meeting with show electrician Joey Borillie (hope I spelled his him right) and our old friend Mr Harry Fee of mokey speedway fame. Not sure of where we were showing but it is 1976. Boy I'm showing my age!

Gass House and Fun House 1977

This picture was taken in 1977 at Daytona Beach, FL shopping center.
It shows three of our pieces, Glasshouse, Fun House and Bill's Foot Long Hot Dog Trailer. Note the old fashioned electric junction box in the forground. This is what all of the shows used for many years until the times caught up with them. You plugged your electric lead in wire in using candy apple sticks!

My Partner

This is my "Partner". My Brother Bill who we lost in 1995 while on tour with Roberts Bros. Circus. To be honest with you he's responsible for most of the pictures that will be posted on this Blog. He was probably more of a fan than anyone I know. In fact this Blog is didicated to him.

Balloon Man

View my page on CircuSpace

My Last Joint

This was framed and used in 1997 on Taylor's Amusements. This Picture was taken in Salisbury, MD at the Salisbury Festival. The Joint was built for me by T.T. Reddick in Gibtown.

Sherwood Amusements

Sherwood Amusements at Laurel, DE 4th of July celebration. Show is out of Baltimore.

Johnny Canole once told my brother and I "I don't beleive it! 6 Pet Shop Tarantulas and look at the people lined up to see them!", that was at the Ebensburg, PA fair just a few years before he passed.

Here's a picture of me doing what I do best, A BALLOON PITCH. My that was back in 1985 when we were concession managers for Allen C Hill's Great American Circus.

That's Me in the Phillies Hat. Showing Mr. Doug Ford around the set up I manage for Little Richard in Dover, DE. Had to manage a business before I rated a golf cart! Doug had the Floss Trailer with S & S Amusements for over thirty years! He now resides in retirement in Beautiful Gibsonton, FL.

John"Eggroll" Cane. This picture was last year at the Circus World Museum, in Baraboo, Wi.
Since the name of this blog is BalloonMan I thought I'd get it off to a start with this photo.

Well this is my first post. Thank you for stopping by I look forward to hearing from a lot of old friends. If you have a picture or pictures you'd like for me to post please send them to me.
Just bear with Me as I learn about a blog. Thanks Dick