Sunday, August 30, 2015

Pit Shows #7


Back in the 50's the Kelly-Miller Show would invite the public to visit the lot in the morning to witness the erection of the circus tents and see the animals.
It was said that with the concessions, pit shows, pony ride, etc. they some times made the day's nut before the first ticket was sold.
Joe Lewis seen above would explain the events of the day to the morning visitors then go into the saga regarding the death of Mrs. Carter, killed by a caress from the Gorilla she had raised from infancy not realizing his own strength, a tale that would bring a tear drop to the eye of a Sphinx.
Smokey and I would often go out and listen to his pitch, sometimes the Chimp would make a commotion and Joe would yell!......"Don't worry! There must be a lady up there who resembles the late Mrs. Carter!"
He once handed a handkerchief up to the viewers saying, "Toss this to him so he can wipe his eyes!.....then asked, "Did he wipe his eyes? and a voice replied, "No he wiped his ___! and without missing a beat he shot back, "That's what they all say, the greatest attraction ever to visit your fair city!..... We almost collapsed from laughing!

4 comments:

Bob Karczewski said...

I have spent more than one quarter seeing what the pit show had to offer. A good sideshow or pit show talker can really reel in the customers, especially when the subject of the pit show is something like Hoxie Tucker's Cardiff Giant.

Chic Silber said...


I've mentioned before that there was

a badass older male chimp named Congo

in a pit show on the Beatty Show that

was billed as a "Killer Ape" & if he

had the chance he would have been

Harry Kingston said...

One day on Carson and Barnes circus Shorty Sherer had the gorilla show and he had a real live gooorilla, an old tarzan ape and many other in his trailer.
He said Harry you want to watch me feed them well I was a young dumb kid and I said yes.
Well he opened the other door and we went in a closed and locked the barred door.
The smell would knock you out and all those animals making all kinds if noises and shaking the bars. What the hell was in for.
Those apes could spit a mile and throw you know what.
Well I made it though it and never will do it again for damn sure.
Oh the days when we all were young and full of it.
Some where in my stuff I shot a pic of the ape on Vargas up close.
Harry in Texas

Doc said...

Great jackpot...the stuff legends are made of