 "Little Babe", "Big Jennie" and "Tessie" were with the Cole Show the entire time (1935-50). Seen here with John Herriott on the back lot of MGM Studios in 1954 while filming "Jupiter's Darling".  |
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Cole Bros. Circus Elephants 1954
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14 comments:
Buckles: Wasn't Big Jennie the last survivor of the old Cole herd at her death? I think she was either with Gopher or the Silverlakes when she died in the 70s.
You are right. I have her listed with the Silverlakes as late as 1976 but no further so she must have died that year.
This was the end ring act my dad worked on the Cole Show. The other end was "Nellie", "Little Jenny" and "Wilma".
Arky worked the Ranch herd in the center "Big Babe", "Louie", "Carrie" and "Jean".
And for some reason "Blanche", "Trilby" and "Katie" didn't perform, only worked in harness.
The Silverlakes called their show Fisher Bros. in those days.
Buckles I hope I get this right.the three elephants that Brownie and Josephine got when they bought the show from Herb Walters I believe were Jennie, Norma Jean, and Dixie. Jennie died sometime on the Clark and Walters show as did also Norma Jean but I don't know the dates . Mel had Dixie on Fischer Bros.
JC: I was thinking Jess came from Herb Walters and that they got Big Jennie from Paul Kelly.
Norma Jean in the one who was struck by lightning in 1972.
I'm not sure when the Silverlakes bought the show either but from 1964 thru 1967 Clark & Walters had "Jess", "Norma" and "Dixie".
In 68-70 only "Norma" and "Dixie".
In 1971-72 two units "Norma" with Clark & Walters and "Dixie " with Fisher Bros.
In 1973, "Big Jennie" with Clark & Walters and "Dixie" with Fisher Bros.
In 1974-76 Fisher Bros. had "B. Jennie" and "Starlight".
1977 is rather murky, "B. Jennie" is still with the Silverlakes but Fisher Bros. has "Ellie", "Shirley" and "Tela" possibly due to a sale of the show.
That's all I have.
Oh- I just remembered something about the Fisher Bros title. When the show was still called Clark and Walters, Mrs Silverlake told me that she had grown up on her father's wagon show which I believe she said was named Fisher Bros. A year or two after this they started using the title and I recalled this earlier conversation.
Well,
Not sure if my comments ever make it for folks to reply to,...I am a monthaway from my deadline on my project. and wondering if John Herriott had a female assistant (in 1949) who would have done the act with him?
Also is it possible that the were in Culver city, CA. in the winter quarters in 1949?
I understand that the elephant act I am looing for had animals named Babe and Willey-(?). But only babe does the rutine. Leg lifting walk, Dancing, and the person doing the act with Bab mounts Babe as she is laying down. Again this was in Culver City, CA. in the winter I was told with Jim Wood and the All American Circus,...
Can any one help with info?
Please do A.S.A.P.-- Thank you,
Tom Holbrook Email; bozo_history@yahoo.com
The elephants you are talking about are "Gentry Babe" and "Wilhelmina".
During the winter of 1949-50 they were owned by Bud E. Anderson but on occasion leased out to other shows.
Mr. Anderson was killed in a truck wreck in 1950 but his son Luke retained them in the Southern Calif. area.
When the Maley-King operation finally folded and the Cole elephants and horses were repossesed by the CHICAGO sTADIUM cORP. Returned to Bunker Hill, now Paul Kellys place with mortgage to Stadium Corp. , so were tickled to death to put them somewhere and Paul was the benefactor and we know a number of elephants died there. But also I recall that some of the elephants went to those two brothers in Piegeon Forge, Tenn. I think Carrie and maybe Louie or Jeannie were among them. What say Buckles?
Carrie
1957-66 Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
1967-68 Mathis Shopping Center Unit
1969-72 Hoxie Bros. Circus
Louie
1957 Houstin Zoo (no final record)
Jean
1957 Atlanta Zoo (no final record)
There's a twist to this story that we need to include here. Either R A or M A Miller got Louie thinking he had Jean and sent her to Houston. Jean was supposed to go to Houston and Louis to Atlanta but this got done in reverse.
Jean died Atlanta/Grant Park Sept 2, 1968; Carrie died Hoxie WQ Dec 18, 1972. I can't remember who it was who interviewed Paul Kelly in about 1980 and Louie was also dead by that time.
These were all old Walter L Main/Ranch show elephants.
Can anyone tell me what happened to Mary the elephant? I purchased her harness years ago at a auction and it hangs in our hallway for all to see!The date on the tag says 1940 and it's maked Mary inside the cheek strap.
I'm sure thankful for everyone who share their knowledge and experience here. These puzzles would be impossible without so many contributions.
Buckles, was the C&W Norma from the Norma Cristiani group, or was this the animal your dad trained from the Polack show. Can you tell us anymore about Tela ?
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