Sunday, January 22, 2006

More painted elephants #1/"Jupiter's Darling" on the back lot

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Did the painted elephants used in "Jupiter's Darling" come from Floyd Kings - King Brothers Circus?

Anonymous said...

Did the painted elephants used in "Jupiter's Darling" come from Floyd Kings - King Brothers Circus?

Anonymous said...

Was this the MGM "Jupiter's Daughter' filmed in 1955 starring Esther Williams?

Buckles said...

No it was released in 1955. I believe John Herriott said they did the elephant filming during the winter of 1953-54

Buckles said...

The 10 elephants used in this movie were formerly with Cole Bros. Circus.
After filming was completed they were sold to Floyd King and were in Macon in time for the opening of the King Bros. Circus in 1954.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Buckles for the clarification on the elephants used in Jupiters' Darling Move -And then sent to Macon for King Bros.for the 1954 opening.

Buckles said...

Something that probably few people remember is that when these elephants were sold to King it was with the understanding that they were contracted to make the Texas dates in the Fall.
So when the time came my dad took our act on the show to finish out the last month along with Freddy Logan who brought 3 from Kelly-Miller The only elephants left behind were "Alice" and "Mona" that did the harness work.
One day when we were showing the Houston area John Herriott returned to the show to pick up Mary Ruth for their prearranged wedding and I met John for the first time.

Buckles said...

I stand corrected, in a chat with John Herriott this morning he told me that early in 1994 Floyd King and Ira Watts came up to Peru and made a deal to buy the elephants and horses from Arthur Wirtz with the stipulation that contracts regaring "Jupiter's Darling" and the Texas Shrine dates be honored.
John said they left the show for 12 weeks in mid-season, traveling to Hollywood and back by baggage car. In the mean time King had bought "Shirley Temple", "Mary" and "Judy" from Si Rubens (Rogers Bros. Circus)so with the afore mentioned "Alice" and "Mona" they had 5 elephants on the lot while the movie was being shot.