An unidentified clown (I can't imagine who this would be), two elephants, the smaller of which was named Baby John and a really strikingly beautiful showgirl take a dip in a Motel pool in this publicity photo from the Ringling 100th edition Blue show.
Yeh, but who's the clown?
ReplyDeleteSorry I can't remember the names of the showgirl and clown. I should, I guess, since I staged the photo. It's at the pool of the old Astroworld Hotel in Houston during the first season of the Blue Unit.
ReplyDeleteNice job, Mr. Ryan!
ReplyDeleteThis is the type of photo op that just doesn't happen that much anymore.
OK, now we know that it's the Astroworld Hotel in Houston. I have a message into Wayne Scott and hopefully he'll be able to shed a little more light on this one.
~P
Upon some reflection, I think the showgirl is Alice Cutty, wife of clown Ray Cutty. Th year was 1969. The circus edition in Houston was NOT the 100th but rather what we called "The 1970 Edition." The Red Show that year was the 99th; the Blue Show (its first season) played a nearly entire summer run at the Astrohall (adjacent to the Dome) in Houston. The new Blue, the following year, became the 100th Anniversary Edition.
ReplyDeleteA lot of things on the "1970 Edition" were borrowed from the previous year's 98th Edition, including the manage number, "Carnaby Street." That's the reason the big elephant (Targa) has flowers painted on her back.
Jack,
ReplyDeleteThe reason I dated it as 1970 and the 100th edition is the blurb that was included at the bottom (I usually cut off the blurb part) stated it as such. 1969 photos promoting the 1970 show sounds completely in line for the Ringling show which used pictures of clowns from the 30s to promote the show well into the 60s.
It actually smacks of progress!
~P