Friday, December 01, 2006

Slaton, Saluto and Ronk

Photo courtesy of Robin Estes, from the Estate of Mr. Harold Ronk




Dick Slaton, Frankie Saluto and Harold Ronk.

I was sorry to hear from someone who was there at the time that Frankie was picked on mercilessly in the Ringling Alley in the late 60s/early 70s because people found his hot temper very funny and enjoyed getting him all wound up just to sit back and watch the fireworks.

I don't know if that's true or if the way that Frankie was treated throughout his Ringling career or not, but I wish he'd have been afforded at little more respect at the end of it.

5 comments:

24-HOUR-MAN said...

Sometimes things aren't always what they seem, it was the same for Joe Short on Orrin Davenport's Detroit date, but if you watched closely you could see Joe loved it, even instigated it. All of those guys that picked on him, thought the world of Joe.

lemvtzil to you too!!!!
who you callin a guykrsfx
oh! so now I'm a eoqjfrge huh?

24-HOUR-MAN said...

Sometimes when the guys would get in an argument, Joe would walk by and say, in his typical midget voice, "aww don't fight fellows, you'll never make Broadway"

Anonymous said...

Unfortunately what Greg says is true. I was witness to many indignities inflicted on Prince Paul in his final days on the blue show. It was promoted by the amusement of the alley but it was perpetrated by a particular clown's in need of attention and approval.
Prince did extract some measure of revenge one day when he took the wooden stick he used for his makeup and shoved it up the annoying guy's....
Now that was amusing!

tom d.

Anonymous said...

Wow! Dick Slayton! When I first joined the Red show back in "81," Dick was one of my bosses. Long story. Throughout my career with Ringling and "Disney on Ice," Dick was always around. At one time during his tenure with the "Big Show," Dick was the "Side Show" manager. He was very much a Father figure toward me after I joined, and his daughter Evy was like a sister to me. What I wouldn't give to be able to go back in time.

Anonymous said...

Wow! Dick Slayton! When I first joined the Red show back in "81," Dick was one of my bosses. Long story. Throughout my career with Ringling and "Disney on Ice," Dick was always around. At one time during his tenure with the "Big Show," Dick was the "Side Show" manager. He was very much a Father figure toward me after I joined, and his daughter Evy was like a sister to me. What I wouldn't give to be able to go back in time.