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Doug Higley 1942 - 2022 7152 Posts |
Pulling into the area in a day or so. Will attend on Sunday....fight my way through the fould mouthed PETA trash probably.
Guess they are still using the massive top (Football field size). Offering Free tickets to both kids and Adults these days. Two for one when you buy a Gen. Adm. for $18. Ofcourse you can upgrade to reserved or a Box...that just means you'll be able to actually see the show instead of being stuck at either end in Gen. Adm. haha. Not sure if they are still doing the 5 rings but I don't think so. Hoping to shoot the set up, prepping for early Thursday morning if that's the day. They slough on either the 23rd (says the ticket) or the 26th (says the poster) would love to shoot that too. We'll see. Doug
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The Curator of the Unusual Inner circle Tampa FL 1399 Posts |
Doug, 1-Ring, European Style Top (4-King poles), 3-Bulls this year...
Click here to view attached image.
You come to a point in your life when you really don't care what people think about you, you just care what you think about yourself.
Evel Knievel contact: curatoroftheunusual@hotmail.com |
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Doug Higley 1942 - 2022 7152 Posts |
Thanks Jim. Nothin' like the 43 square mile city sized 5 ring Top I remember. What a monster that was.
One year we went to the show and right after the mid break, as the 2nd 'half' got underway they were moving people out of the cheap seats toward the center...as they DISMANTLED the bleachers. They must have had a big jump ahead. haha Them days they would do one nighters...mind blowing. It was/is exausting just thinking about it.
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The Curator of the Unusual Inner circle Tampa FL 1399 Posts |
Yea, I was on that show in 1984...27 Bulls..Rhino, Hippo, 3 trucks of Horses, Giaffes, big Cats ECT...5 trucks just on the Mechanics Dept....and yes nothin moved like Carson and Barnes when D.R. was alive...
Click here to view attached image.
You come to a point in your life when you really don't care what people think about you, you just care what you think about yourself.
Evel Knievel contact: curatoroftheunusual@hotmail.com |
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Doug Higley 1942 - 2022 7152 Posts |
Amazing. It was about '84' when we bumped into the show.
Did anybody ever write a book about the logistics of moving that giant city for one nighters? Would love to read more OR HEAR more if you ever have the time to share some jackpots. Truely I can't even imagine how it was done year after year.
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The Curator of the Unusual Inner circle Tampa FL 1399 Posts |
In all Reality Doug, in my Career, The easist I ever had it, was on Tenters that moved every day...As strange as this might seem, if one understands how a Circus moves..it would make perfect sense....In the Carson and Barnes programs of old (and many other shows programs) they made a attempt to explain it...I remember as a Kid seeing a show move "was truly a remarkable thing"...Yet when I joined a Circus...Only then did I come to learn "How"...The U.S. Military studied the Ole Railroad Shows to learn how to move our Forces...Also "Piggy-Back" train techniques were improved if not entirely invented by the Circus (little known fact)Perhaps, when/if I have more time I will write a thread on my expirences on a show that moved everyday..A sort of a Day in the Life of The Curator to explain how quite easy it was...Uh, most days.....
You come to a point in your life when you really don't care what people think about you, you just care what you think about yourself.
Evel Knievel contact: curatoroftheunusual@hotmail.com |
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Doug Higley 1942 - 2022 7152 Posts |
I helped Dave Twomy slough his Happy Time Circus top on occasion...that was a little one and enough of a job for me. HaHa.
Yeah, I like to hear that stuff Jim. Not just the mechanics of the move but the whole kaboodle of being with a show that big.
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Utah_Showman Veteran user Heart of Utah 350 Posts |
Here's some images I took of Carson and Barnes in 2005.
http://www.sideshowworld.com/atsC&B.html Enjoy John Sideshow World |
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The Curator of the Unusual Inner circle Tampa FL 1399 Posts |
Quote:
On 2009-04-14 22:11, Doug Higley wrote: Then perhaps I should tell how Dick Gardens Sterling & Reid moved...lot more Chaotic...I liked "Happy" He was a Great Guy!, Hey did you ever meet Andy Swann and his Brother Hightops, they have had Swann Bros."almost Famous" Circus on the West Coast Fair circuit for years (over 30)....
You come to a point in your life when you really don't care what people think about you, you just care what you think about yourself.
Evel Knievel contact: curatoroftheunusual@hotmail.com |
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The Curator of the Unusual Inner circle Tampa FL 1399 Posts |
One of the Best things I liked on Carson was the "Live" Band directed by the "Col. Charlie Stephonson...The Col. played the Baritone, which was slightly battered and duct taped up since it had been run over by the water truck...anyhow the Col. could be seen on the lot early in the morning staggering around lookin for the "Pie-Car" (they sold Beer there)...Anyhow, C&B almost every year back then opened the show with a arial fantasy consisting of Single traps, head balancing Traps ect,ect. Then the Cat act, when the Cat act was over, they had to tear down the arena and hence this was when the Concession Mgr. would do the "Peanut Pitch"...Since no music was needed most of the Band would slip outside for a Beer and/or a cigarette, Everyday, afew of them could be seen slammin a Beer thru the performers entrance as the show restarted as the Music would start up after the the "Pitch' they would hustle to their seats, grab their instruments and join in...Ya just don't get that kinda Drama outta "Canned Music" they use today....
You come to a point in your life when you really don't care what people think about you, you just care what you think about yourself.
Evel Knievel contact: curatoroftheunusual@hotmail.com |
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The Curator of the Unusual Inner circle Tampa FL 1399 Posts |
Hey Doug, When you go on the Lot at Carson & Barnes wear a University of Oklahoma hat, hope you run into Geary Byrd (Owner), Tell him your a BIG fan of the Circus, and a BIGGER Fan of the Sooners...and 9 outta ten times you will end up in the Front row with comped tickets!!!
You come to a point in your life when you really don't care what people think about you, you just care what you think about yourself.
Evel Knievel contact: curatoroftheunusual@hotmail.com |
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Doug Higley 1942 - 2022 7152 Posts |
Haha. I'll look for Geary. (No hat though). I'd like to be able to photograph some behind the scenes stuff...so I'll be looking for some 'with it' permision.
Said Hi to Andy Swan once and saw his show a couple of times. Hard workers for sure. 'Happy' was a superior human being in most every way. As sick as he got toward the end...I always recieved cards and letters from him on special days. One time we (my Daughter and I) visited him on the lot at Placerville. We were in poor shape for $ at the time and some how he got that info out of me in conversation. Anyway heading back to the parkinglot, I put my hand in my pocket for the truck keys and came upon a Hundred. We walked back and as I approached him he put his hands up "Whoa son. I'm fat your not, it'll come around." and he went back to work. Loved the man. Plus he was a GREAT Clown and 100% Circus man. Good band story. Occasionally on Ringling you can catch the band members (what there is of them) sneakin' out the back...haha. Keep it comin'!
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adam christopher Veteran user 316 Posts |
I guess that makes the Cole show truly the biggest and not to mention oldest show travelling on the road today......check out it's schedule at http://www.gotothecircus.com and to be fair to the western crowd http://www.carsonbarnescircus.com
AC |
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Rod Pringle Special user 543 Posts |
Hello Doug and Jim:
I am enjoying this thread very much on Carson & Barnes Circus and especially the band story. I also knew Col. Charlie, as a show fan and musician. I first met him on Circus Genoa years ago, He always set out in front of the band on that show with a Big Texas sized Cowboy Hat , red checkered shirt, blue jeans and cowboy boots, and always had his long legs crossed , as he sat on a stool, leading the band with one hand and playing Baritone with the other. He didn't wear the western wear on Carson & Barnes, but sat the same way crossed legged on a stool , leading with one hand and playing with the other. I had some old band music I no longer needed, so I took a box of it down to him, and gave it to him, when they played my town. He invited me into the pie car for some refreshment, then he invited me to set with the band,during the afternoon performance, a real honor for me. That was 1985 I beleive.In St. Louis, Michigan. One funny note on the drinking and beer. When I saw Col. Charlie that year in '85, he had these little tiny cans of COCKTAIL IN A CAN, they were so small he could take it right on the band stand, he had a small glass with ice in it and no one could see them from a distance, and the way he sat on the stool , the little can and glass could set right beside him, hidden out of sight by one leg. hahahaha Doug, I have several Carson & Barnes route books from different years, that give a day by day journal of the show moving from town to town, could be some info on how they moved that huge show so smoothly. I will look them over one of these days. By the way, I missed a chance to travel with the show band in 1971, I was offered a job to play organ in the show band by Ted Bowman himself, had to pass, as I had just landed a job with a piano factory and my wife and I were expecting our first child, and couldn't travel. I sure miss that huge show of the 80's, truly amazing in every way! Oh by the way Doug, Another tent show has just entered California, at Palm Desert, the Culpepper/Merriweather Circus. They were in Deming NM a few days ago, that's the old winter quarters of Clyde Beatty Circus. Hope you get a chance to see them too. I would like to see some of that video you are shooting at Carson & Barnes too. Jim, keep these great stories coming. Later....... Rod Pringle |
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Rod Pringle Special user 543 Posts |
Just found a typo in my last entry. Culpper/Merriweather Circus WILL enter California at Blyth,on Saturday, then onto Desert Hot Springs on Sunday, and are then heading North. They are in Globe , Arizona now.
ROD |
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The Curator of the Unusual Inner circle Tampa FL 1399 Posts |
Rod, Remember Bobby Greene the Drummer on Carson and Barnes?..One time My Freind and I drove down to Southern Illinois to see C & B's...The lot was in front of a "New" True-Value Hardware store, apparently The Owner thought the Show was the size of Franzen Bros. and had agreed with the Sponsor to let them use the lot and parking area for the Circus..pretty soon the Trucks started arriving and kept on arriving...The Owner called the Police...But D.R., being the screwd operator he was, squared it. They could only put up a 3-ring Big-top due to the space restictions...The Show parked the Show Girls "Sweat-Boxes" right in front of the poor Guys store! and The show broads were hangin thier laundry off his stores awning!...They drove stakes thru his "New" asphalt parking lot! the smell from the Elephants (27) most likely "Hung" over his lot till winter! Ect.Ect...The Big Joke on the show for awhile was whenever the Hardware store Owners wife pointed out a specific date in time to her husband, it would go like this.."Oh, You remember that Honey, that was before the Circus came!" or "You remember that Honey, that was after the Circus came!".....
You come to a point in your life when you really don't care what people think about you, you just care what you think about yourself.
Evel Knievel contact: curatoroftheunusual@hotmail.com |
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The Curator of the Unusual Inner circle Tampa FL 1399 Posts |
You come to a point in your life when you really don't care what people think about you, you just care what you think about yourself.
Evel Knievel contact: curatoroftheunusual@hotmail.com |
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The Curator of the Unusual Inner circle Tampa FL 1399 Posts |
Quote:
On 2009-04-15 06:22, adam christopher wrote: Maybe so, IF and a BIG IF..if you go by the size of the Top...However, Guess where Cole Bros Elephants are contracted from....BINGO!...Carson & Barnes!!!!
You come to a point in your life when you really don't care what people think about you, you just care what you think about yourself.
Evel Knievel contact: curatoroftheunusual@hotmail.com |
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Doug Higley 1942 - 2022 7152 Posts |
Rod: Not shooting Video. Nikon.
Always wanted to see Culpepper! Been a real goal to catch that show some day. Running...will catch up with thread later. D
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The Curator of the Unusual Inner circle Tampa FL 1399 Posts |
Louis DelMoral and a group of Carson & Barnes Bulls on Cole Bros. 2009....
Click here to view attached image.
You come to a point in your life when you really don't care what people think about you, you just care what you think about yourself.
Evel Knievel contact: curatoroftheunusual@hotmail.com |
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