Saturday, September 6, 2008

THANK YOU!

Well we just surpassed 4,000 hits!
I want to Thank All of You for supporting my blog.
And a special thanks to those of you who have commented and sent me items to post.
As you look at the blog and feel as id you'd like to comment on any of my posts please feel free to do so. That's one of the ways that I know if your enjoying this blog.
Dick

WALKER BROS CIRCUS


here's a promotional tool of most circuses today

WALKER BROS CIRCUS


I must admit I stole this photo off of their Web Site.
But I couldn't resist the show looks so nice!
Good Luck Johnny and Alice!
This show's been around for a few years and always gives the folks a nice show for their money!

FAMOUS BARTOK CIRCUS-1969 (Fred Hoffman)

This is the old Hunt Circus Office.
As you recall in earlier Hunt Post Doc Bartok purchased a good part of the Hunt Show.
All the sign work on the trucks were done by Popcorn, the artist

FAMOUS BARTOK CIRCUS (Fred Hoffman)

Electric Plant
Canvas SpoolDoc must have aquired this from someone else as I don't recall the old Hunt Show ever having a spool. If I'm not correct I'd appreciate someone correcting Me.

JUST IN FROM THE YORK DISPATCH

Fair workers enjoy calm before the storm
PETER MERGENTHALER -- The York Dispatch



The York Fair isn't for introverts.
Navigating the crowded buildings and the most popular attractions, fairgoers are sure to bump into each other and maybe trade a few elbows.
But on Thursday night, the York Expo Center was a colorful, brightly lighted ghost town.
Empty rides towered over a barren midway, and unmanned games promised dozens of plush Spider-Men and Sonic the Hedgehogs to no one in particular.
Fair workers greeted and joked with each other, enjoying a final low-key night before the 10-day onslaught to come.
Food available: Most food stands were shuttered, but a few already were open for business Thursday night.
A stand called Here's the Beef & More, which offers hot dogs, sandwiches and refreshments near the Banquet Center, was up and running. Carolyn Smith and her husband, Don, have operated the shop at the fair for more than 30 years.
The Smiths opened the stand early to make sure they're prepared for opening day and to help feed fair workers, who were putting the finishing touches on several attractions Thursday.
The workers were in various states of undress after toiling outside on a sweltering September afternoon, with high humidity and temperatures that climbed into the 90s.
But rain forecast for the weekend could offer a reprieve.
"It'll put a damper on things," Carolyn Smith said, "but anything to break this heat."
A few feet away, Marty Ness was serving burgers at Mary's Famous Steaks on Thursday. Ness family has
operated the stand for 25 years.
"This is a good time to come to the fair," Ness said. "It's nice and quiet."
With the exception of a few low murmurs and occasional clangs from pipes and hammers, the evening was almost silent. Locals and otherwise: The Smiths will return nightly to their home in York Township. Ness lives in Red Lion.
But Brett Crouse of Kings Food Service traveled to the fair from Herrin, Ill., a trip of almost 800 miles. Crouse and other Kings workers will be operating stands selling taffy, funnel cakes and fried ears of corn behind the Grandstand.
They considered bringing tents and campers, Crouse said, but because of the distance, they're spending their nights at the Holiday Inn in West Manchester Township.
Kings treks to about 10 fairs per year, most of them in the Midwest, Crouse said. This is the company's first year at the York Fair, and making the decision to drive so far was a challenge, he said.
But after researching the fair and its history, "we found out what a wonderful fair it was," Crouse said. "Nostalgia we live for it."
Reach Peter Mergenthaler at 505-5439 or pmergenthaler@yorkdispatch.com.

Thursday, September 4, 2008

CARSON AND BARNES-2008



These shots were taken in the spring in Florida.
The show opened in Hugo, OK and now is in Oregon on the West Coast.
It's the last Real 3 ring circus left and the word is that next year they are going to cut down to one or two rings. Expenses are eating them up!
It will be interesting to see how they fair in San Francisco later this month.

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

From Mike Naughton


Now this is FLASH! Nathan started out working at FELTMAN'S up the street, then opened his own stand.

Floss Stand-Cole All-Star Circus 80's


Here's Bill and Fernando Bautista working an intermission on Billy Martin's Cole All Star Circus in the Late 1980's . I all most missed it but there's little Jason Bautista helping his Dad!
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ROGER BOYD FAMILY

Not to be left out Roger Jr, above
As I state in the next picture it was always a treat to play the Valdosta Legion Fair in Valdosta Georgia so we could visit with the Roger Boyd Family.

In this shot we have Mr & Mrs Boyd and their grandson Marcilus (I hope I spelled that correctly)


Roger Boyd and Family

Roger Boyd, Sr
Roger was not only an announcer and ringmaster but he was, I think, one of the greatest show painters of all times!
In later years When We played the fair in Valdosta, GA Bill and I looked forward to visiting with the Boyd family and their son Roger, Jr.
Also living in Valdosta during that time were Ozzie and Lila Schleentz who had owned the Royal Ranch Wild West Circus. Ozzie also was a quite talented painter, who at one time owned a sign company in Colts Neck, NJ.
Roger painted all of the Beatty Show Rolling stock for years including Sells and Gray and the King Show. You could always tell Rogers work by his unique style with the scroll work!

SELLS & GRAY CIRCUS-1972 (Fred Hoffman pics)

Here's some pictures from Fred Hoffman of the Sells & Gray Circus in southeastern PA back in 1972.
Sells & Gray was a sister show, along with King Bros, of the Beatty-Cole Show when it was owned by the Acme Circus Operating Company.
I beleive in this period of time the show was managed by Bill English.
He previously was the Side Show Manager on Beatty-Cole for many years.
And could he turn a tip! What a Bally He used to do on the Side Show.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

IOWA STATE FAIR CORN DOG CHOMP




Don't ask Me why but I'm on a corn dog binge! (Not really) hahaha!
Below is a tape that might explain this better!
By the way these pictures are from the Iowa State Fair web site.

MORE BLOOMSBURG PICTURES


These pictures were from last year's opening day.
Folks come from all over the East Coast for the fair!
The amount of tour buses that come every day is unbleivable.
Reithoffer Shows has the Midway on a tiny portion of the fairgroundfs with a kiddleland on the opposite end.
If you've never been it's sure worth the trip!
A very conservative estimate is at least 200 food stand are there, both local and pros!
I just put a link on the sidebar take a look at their web site.
Bill and I played the fair with novelties for quite a few years.

SEPTEMBER"S HERE!


And that means it's York and Bloomsburg Fair time.

Bloomsburg is probably the largest fair in PA.

And probably York is a close second.

Here's a few pictures from last year's Bloomsburg Fair.
The pictures of this fair were taken by a lady named Harriet who does a daily report of the midway every day during the fair.

CIRCUS ROUTE CARD-from Fred Hoffman

Click on the image and it will enlarge it so that you may read the copy!
This one and the following were submitted by Fred Hoffman.

CIRCUS ROUTE CARDS from Fred Hoffman


Notice the bottom view is the reversed side of the above route card.
Addressed to Terrill Jacobs, famous wild animal trainer.

GEORGE MATTHEWS GREAT LONDON CIRCUS-1975

George Matthews Great London Circus was a show framed by West Coast Showman Sid Kellner.
I really can't say much about these pictures or the show since I never had a chance to visit.
And I don't think I knew anyone that was on it.
These were taken in 1975 by Fred Hoffman in Southeastern PA.

GEORGE MATTHEWS GREAT LONDON CIRCUS-1975

I would guess this was probably the generator and electric dept.

GEORGE MATTHEWS GREAT LONDON CIRCUS-1975

Notice the Bannerline frame was carnival style, not the old fashioned chain style circus bannerline.

Monday, September 1, 2008

I'd like to call your attention to the following posts of pictures submitted by Mr Bob Cox.
Bob was on many shows over the years and took these pictures or was there when these were taken. I sure would appreciate any concession pictures or any other, for that matter, if you would be so kind as to submit them by snail mail or e-mail and I'll sure post them. Thanks, Dick

BEATTY-COLE PHOTOS (Bob Cox)

Jimmy Divine's Floss Joint-1963
That had to be "Big" Jimmy.
His son "Little" Jimmy worked for Bill and Me on the Floss Joint on
Allan Hill's Great American Circus, 1985.
Thanks Bob Cox for sending this set of prints!

BEATTY-COLE PHOTOS (Bob Cox)

Snow Joint-1967
Bugsy Brooks
Notice the guy in the left background checking the tanks?
I beleive that's Johnny Walker, Sr. It sure looks like him!

BEATT-COLE PHOTOS (Bob Cox)

Garbage Joint-1967
Jak the Ripper getting ready for the come-in.