The Stimaxes

Another piece of the great big puzzle of American circus clowning comes to us from new contributor David Powell who sends us this photo of Walter (silver tailcoat) and Millie (black & white checks) Stimax taken March 6, 2000 on the LE Barnes Circus.

Photos taken about the same time appeared Monday on Bill Strong's blog, YESTERDAY'S TOWNS...

http://yesterdaystowns.blogspot.com/

The Stimaxes must have been hired at the beginning of the season, Walter then suffered a stroke some soon after. Dave Hoover told me over and over that he wanted classic three ring circus clowning for the show. I was flat out dumbfounded when the show made it here to New Jersey and the somewhat lackluster clowning was being done by a Russian couple in the contemporary European/Latin American style.

Thanks for helping clear that up David!