Friday, November 16, 2007

OTTO GRIEBLING & POODLES HANNEFORD: Boxing Gag



Correct me if I'm wrong here but, if I'm not mistaken, this is a photo of Poodles Hanneford (in his prime) and a young Otto Griebling performing the Boxing Gag!?!

Otto learned the Boxing Gag from Poodles?

Anyone have more information on this?

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Freddie Freemen also worked with Poodles, not sure of years.

Anonymous said...

I do know Otto worked the riding act for Poodles when Poodles got hurt. Once Poodles saw "how funny the Dutchman" was, he got better fast.

The Ref in that photo is a young Earl Shipley.

-Greg

Pat Cashin said...

OK, so Otto Griebling, a former equestrian comedian who once worked with Poodles Hanneford and Freddie Freeman, another former equestrian comedian who worked with Poodles Hanneford both performed a very popular version of the Boxing Gag together for many years on both the Cole Bros. and Ringling shows.

Chesty Mortimer performed it on Ringling in the late 20s. Any idea when the earliest photos of Poodles performing it date from?

If Poodles didn't develop the contemporary version of the gag he certainly seems to be the person who taught it to Otto and Freddie.

~P

Anonymous said...

Justino Loyal taught us the Otto/freddie version of the boxing gag in Clown College. Lou Jacobs had his own version that he taught also, some of the same bits, but basically a different pace to the gag.
Justino also filled in for Freddie from time to time (using his make-up and wardrobe).
I imagine the gag was a standard even back then, but Otto & Freddie developed it into a signature piece.
-Greg

Anonymous said...

I believe that Earl Shipley in years to come was Emmett Kelly's mail carrier in the Cherokee Park section of Sarasota..Emmett and Evi were living in the Cherokee Park section at the of his passing. I'm almost sure of Earl because on one of my many visits to Emmett and Evi's home Earl came by with the mail and Emmett intorduced to Earl...I'm sure someone out there will correct me on Earl Shipley's mail carrier days.

Gary said...

I have a sequence of photos of my uncle Hank Peare, Bobby Clark, and Paul McCullough doing a boxing routine on Ringling, which would date theirs at around 1912 give or take a season.

Hank and Poodles were close. Maybe Hank taught it to Poodles, or vice versa...

Pat Cashin said...

Scan 'em!

Let's get a look at those!

This is getting interesting!

~P

Aaron Neathery said...

Yeah! No kidding, Gary! I haven't seen those!