Sunday, September 26, 2010

Ringling Elephants.1 - May 18, 1971

From Henry Penndorf

Some more pictures from my collection of circus clippings. I thought you would enjoy these pictures in particular.

All the pictures are from either the New York Daily News or the New York Times.

In May of 1971, Ringling Brothers' Centennial Edition (Blue Unit) was making a special return appearance at Madison Square Garden. I believe that this was the first, and only time, at least that I can remember, that both units appeared at the Garden in the same year.

On its way to New York City, the circus train was stopped and stranded at a rail yard in South Kearney, New Jersey by a nationwide railroad signalman's strike.

Alternate means of transportin! g the circus' animal population to the Garden had to be found. The circus had great difficulty in locating enough trucks that were big enough, and could accommodate the number of elephants traveling with the show on such short notice.

It was determined that the elephants would have to walk to the Garden. Led by Captain Hugo Schmidt, nineteen elephants, one zebra, a llama, and a pony made their way thirteen miles from South Kearney, through the Lincoln Tunnel, into Manhattan and finally to Madison Square Garden.

The elephants were classified by the Port Authority as a "Class 2 Vehicle" and Ringling Brothers was charged fifty cents for each elephant for use of the Lincoln Tunnel. The total charges for this parade of pachyderms came to $9.50. (It was 1971) The zebra, the llama, and the pony did not fit into any classification, so they were not charged.

This lumbering caravan was escorted on their journey by element s of the Weehawken, Hudson County, Port Authority and New York City police.

The remaining menagerie, including two gorillas, fifteen tigers, nine lions, eight leopards and black panthers, were all shipped by vans across the George Washington Bridge, the Holland Tunnel, and the Lincoln Tunnel to the Garden.

The tigers belonged to Charly Baumann. The lions, leopards and panthers belonged to Dick Chipperfield, Jr.

15 comments:

Jack Ryan said...

Buckles,

I walked the entire distance with Hugo and company - Kearney NJ to the Garden. This was the first time the march went through the tunnel. The media coverage was enormous, including short pieces on the three network newscasts.

Handed Irvin Feld a ten dollar bill with which to pay the toll.

Not sure I ever got repaid.

Jack

Mike Naughton said...

As a 15 year old in New York City I can tell you that the elephants march through the tunnel was a big publicity score. It sure did get attention and the photo of Irvin paying the toll as if it were just another day at the toll booth is priceless.
A picture is worth a thousand words.
That's publicity.

Chic Silber said...

I recall a similar event when the

train went to the Sunnyside Yards

in Queens after the West Side Yard

became a construction site for the

Javits Convention Center the walk

from the train took the elephants

through the Midtown Tunnel

Dick Flint said...

An event like this defines a real showman! But I can't image that it was just an easy thing to do--Jack Ryan, can you tell us more? And if you were to divide the number of column inches into that ten dollar bill, what was the real cost?! How was it that the other four-footed creatures got through free? Four legs are like four tires and that seems a fair equation.
Dick Flint
Baltimore

Jack Ryan said...

Dick,

We had advance warning that a railroad strike was looming and getting the show to the Garden would be a problem.

After much discussion and many phone calls, the New York Transit Authority agreed to close one of the tunnel's tubes so the walk could proceed. This couldn't happen until after the rush hour so it was pitch dark when we arrived in Manhattan.

After leaving Kearney, we went through a number of New Jersey towns before reaching the tunnel. Police cars in each of them escorted us. (I had a pocketful of passes for the cops which were soon depleted.)

I really don't recall how they came up with the $9.50 toll. Maybe they just charged the elephants and gave the other animals a pass.

It would be difficult to estimate in dollars just how much coverage we got. But it was huge.

Jack

Frank Ferrante said...

One of the best publicity events EVER!

GREAT JOB, JACK! ~frank

Mike Naughton said...

I believe the date of May 18 is incorrect. Perhaps it was March 18 just in time for the show to be entrenched in the Garden for the Easter/Spring school recess.

In the early 90's there was a nor'easter blizzard that brought the metro New York area to a halt. RBBB red had to move from the Meadowlands to Long Island; the railroad was shut. The show made the first performance but it was missing lots of features.

Does anyone recall this?

Henry Penndorf said...

Hi Mike,

The May 18 date is correct. The Centennial Edition (the Blue Unit) followed the 101ST Edition (Gunther's Red Unit) into the Garden that year.

The Centennial Edition filled in the remaining two weeks of Ringling Brothers almost three month long stay at the Garden.

I don't know the reason for the return engagement of the Centennial Edition, maybe it was a scheduling conflict with the Red Unit, or maybe it was to showcase Dick Chipperfield, Jr. with his two cage acts, one with lions, the other with leopards and black panthers.

Dick Chipperfield Jr.'s leopards and black panthers cage act act preceded that Of Gunther.

I believe the 71 season was the only year that Dick Chipperfield, Jr. appeared with Ringling Brothers.

I did see both shows.

Regards,

Henry

FRANK CURRY said...

To Henry,

I said to Dickie Chipperfield,"Are you looking forward to coming back next year?".

He replied,"I am looking forward to feeling the sun on my back,as I lace canvas in England.".

Jack Ryan said...

Mike,

Henry is correct. This was an unprecedented two-week return to the Garden for the 100th Anniversary Edition which had played there the year before.

The 101st edition departed to continue its route. The 100th returned for an "encore" performance. I am not sure why. Maybe it had no other place to go? I do recall it did very good business in its repeat NYC appearance.

Jack

Buckles said...

I remember it was billed, "Back by Popular Demand!"

Chic Silber said...

Yup it must have won the popular

vote from the folks on 18th Street

Dick Flint said...

Jack,
Thanks but I guess i should have been more specific about wanting to know how the PR idea got hatched and a photo op created. I can understand the mundane challenge of walking elephants during a rail strike but how did the idea of making a photo op and of Irvin participating develop? And did you have any expectation of how widely the news would be broadcast? And what of the in-house assessment of the remarkable results?
Dick Flint
Baltimore

Anonymous said...

I was there. We had the horses, camels, etc. brought in by semi-trailers. No ramps, and had to jump them out on bales hay.

I believe Feld wanted to cash in on the publicf acclaim on the hundreth aniv. show for the remaining weeks in the Garden and we did big biz.johnny h.

Jack Ryan said...

Dick,

When arrangements were made to walk through the tunnel, everybody in Washington and in my office (Solters & Sabinson) in New York City agreed that this necessary chore should be pitched as a media event. Irvin immediately agreed to come to the tunnel and pay the toll. We knew that would be the key photo op.

The idea of elephants walking through the tunnel was new and had never been done before.

Since we didn't have much time, all hands hit the deck to make calls to the media. In some cases, telegrams (remember them?) were also sent.

A press agent knows you can never be sure of how much coverage you will get. You pray for a slow news day. Yes, we were quite stunned by the quality and quantity of media who covered.

I remember walking out of the tunnel into Manhattan with flashbulbs popping everywhere; television lights shining. Several media people, including a reporter for the AP, walked the whole distance with us.

Obviously, the powers that be (or were) couldn't have been happier with all the coverage. It helped greatly in selling tickets for the two week "by popular demand" return of the 100th Anniversary Edition.

Jack