Albert White

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



Former diesel truck mechanic, three time Golden Gloves Middleweight champion and WW2 Navy Seal...Mr. Albert "Flo" White.


And while we're at it, anyone want to buy a bridge? Anyone? ; )

Emmett in Spec

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



Emmett Kelly and Ann ( I don't know if Ann is the woman on the left or the right. All we know is that one of them is named Ann) riding a float during the 1951 spec.

_____________________________________________________________

Bill Hall and Dom Yodice were kind enough to identify Anne Mace as the woman on the right. Dom also notes that they are not on a 1951 float. This is the "Payoff" float from the 1954 spec "Dreamland".

Snappy Looking Coco

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



From left to right: Albert "Flo" White (back to camera), Gene Lewis, Harold Ronk, Prince Paul Albert (face obscured) and Michael "Coco" Polakovs without his trademark baggy suit and sailor's cap, looking pretty sharp in his straw boater.

Otto in Spec

Photo courtesy of Ribin Estes, from the Estate of Harold Ronk



Whoever said that circus performers never sit on the ring curb facing out must have forgotten to tell Otto as he sits down to read the L. Frank Baum classic and kick off the Wizard of Oz spec in the late 60s.

The photo is personally autographed from Mr. Griebling to Mr. Ronk.

Otto in the Seats

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



Otto meets the new bosses; Judge Roy Hofheinz seems to be reasonably amused by Otto Griebling, one the greatest circus clowns of the 20th century. Irvin Feld looks slightly uncomfortable. Maybe the Judge was laughing so hard he spilled some of his Dr. Pepper on him.

Well dressed crowd though, all the dads in slick looking 60s narrow-lapelled suits and skinny ties. From everyone's thick black eyeglass frames I would have to guess that this picture was taken on "NASA Night" and the show was playing at Cape Canaveral to celebrate the impending moon landing.

Or maybe it was "Buddy Holly Look-A-Like Night" at the Garden?

Mark Anthony 78?

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




Although dated 1978 I believe this photo of Mark Anthony is more likely from 1968 from both the way the colors have faded as well as the fact that Frankie Saluto is visible in the background.

Two Views of the Prince

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



Looks like Prince Paul must have had his late 60's headshots done at the Sarasota Sears Portrait Studio : )

Johnny Day

Photo courtesy of Bill Strong

Bill Strong answered a longtime question of mine when he sent this photo of Johnny Day. I'd seen a picture of Johnny a few years ago and wondered if it was Harry Dann or one of his numerous imitators but no one seemed to know anything about a clown with a Harry Dann-like makeup with a question mark in the center of his forehead.

Seems Mr. Day combined the makeup of Harry Dann with the sparkled nose and center-of-the-forehead insignia of Ernie Burch's "Blinko" makeup with Albert White's eyebrows thrown in for good measure. Eddie Dullam also used puncuation in his makeup: an exclamation mark in the center of his forehead. Eddie's makeup was an exaggerated adaption, but not an outright duplication, of Harry Dann's classic face.

So much for all that malarky you read about clown's never duplicating one another's makeup...

Table Rock the Hard Way

Photo courtesy of Bill Strong


Bill Strong tells us more about this photo of Dime Wilson...

"I feel this must be early in Dime's Table Rock career, he's only using 3 tables, and doing the fall forward is a lot more dangerous.

At one time Dime spent months with his jaws wired shut when his tables buckled and he came down on top of them. He was doing the normal rock backwards at that time."

From Soapy With Love

Photo courtesy of Robin Estes


From the estate of Harold Ronk (now in the collection of Robin Estes) comes this 60s-era autographed photo of Duane "Uncle Soapy" Thorpe.

Harold and Coco

Photo courtesy of Robin Estes


Also from the personal estate of legendary Ringling ringmaster Harold Ronk comes this publicity photo of Mr. Ronk and Michael "Coco" Polakovs.

Huel Speight

After a remarkable run of, I believe 16 years on the Ringling show, Mr. Huel Speight has enjoyed an almost equally long run at Circus Circus Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

Buster Keaton Article

Article courtesy of Gene Wolande



A New York Times article on Buster Keaton from about 1945-46 when he was a gagman at MGM for folks like Red Skelton. Of particular interest is the 2nd to last paragraph where he is asked who he thought were the outstanding stage comedians of all time. He lists Marceline Orbes, Slivers Oakley and Fred Stone.

In his autobiography he singles out Poodles Hanneford as the absolute best comedy acrobat he ever saw.

Remember, Buster grew up in show business and worked with and watched EVERYBODY!

High praise for the clowns and their craft from the undisputed master of physical and visual comedy.

Grock's Entree

30 minutes with Adrien Wettach...the legendary M. Grock.

Like Father, Like Son

Photo courtesy of Bill Strong




Carl and Irv (Ricky the Clown) Romig

Vist Bill's circus blog to see some great classic Firehouse Gag photos:

http://yesterdaystowns.blogspot.com/

Sunday Night at the Movies: Buster Keaton in SPITE MARRIAGE

Buster Keaton in a scene from his final silent feature, SPITE MARRIAGE (1929).

Here Buster's wife (Dorothy Sebastian) has passed out drunk and he attempts to move her unwieldy, uncooperative body and put her to bed.

This scene was later reworked and performed by Buster and his wife Elenor when Buster clowned in the ring of the Cirque Medrano.

Sunday Morning Art Gallery w/ Mike Keever

This elephant would not have looked out of place on Irvin's big Bicentennial tour. I can only imagine how the Mehron or Krylon people would have responded to the makeup order though.

For more of Mike's artwork please visit:

http://www.cel-ebration.com

Sunday Morning Art Gallery w/ Jim Howle

Bobby Kay Smiley as seen through the eye, tools and talent of Mr. Jim Howle.

More Sunday Morning Art Gallery w/ Jim Howle

Early Clown College graduate and former Ringling clown Jim Howle's portraits od Lou Jacobs in full makeup and Lou outside the ring playing with Knucklehead.

Even More Sunday Morning Art Gallery w/ Jim Howle

Jim Howle's depiction of Master Clown, Otto Griebling.