Thursday, June 30, 2016

#6 Clowns


4 comments:

Bob Momyer said...

Jimmy James who later became ringmaster on Beatty Cole show

Chic Silber said...


James Plott Jr

Mike Naughton said...

Jimmy started in wardrobe on Ringling then went to Beatty-Cole because Kenny Dodd was looking for a tall and sizeable clown for the reducing machine planned for the following season. Kenny told me this.

Jimmy James told me this. during the winter in Columbus, Georgia, E. Douglas
Holwadel called Jimmy and invited him to lunch. Mr. Holwadel was associated with CBCB. After lunch Mr.Holwadel spotted a shopping center. He gathered promotional material from his car, took Jimmy, marched to the manager's office without an appointment and in less 20 minutes made a deal to bring CBCB to the mall. Jimmy was awe-struck and told me that story at least 6 times over the years

Roger Smith said...

Jimmy idolized Harold Ronk as Ringmaster/Announcer. When he attained that role on Beatty-Cole, he did not imitate Ronk, but emulated him, and made that station his own.

Another slant on Doug Holwadel has him selling most on the DeLand Winterquarters property out from under his partner, Johnny Pugh, who was at the time on the road, managing the show. Johnny hied himself back and tried to buy back the unauthorized loss. Some new purchasers agreed to sell back, but some refused. Johnny later told me what we had known as Winterquarters was so reduced, "We have to move something to move something." That for Beatty show veterans is the legacy of Doug Holwadel.