Hagenbeck Wallace At The Circus in Black and White #31 The World's Lowest Type Human

Caption on reverse "September 2, 1938 L.A Calif. Afternoon crowd now leaving the circus. Sideshow Band was playing in the midway."

Look close and you will see one of the acts was "The World's Lowest Type Human" and I hate to speculate on that one. Suzie born with the Skin of an Elephant.

If the date on the reverse of this photo is correct, you are seeing the sun go down in the afternoon and the lights go out in the evening. Hagenbeck-Wallace ceased operation the same year.

For those of you animal rights folks out there, in 1913 the circus lost 8 elephants, 21 lions and 8 performing horses in a flood in 1913. That pales in comparison to the train wreck they had five years later, in which an engineer further down the track fell asleep at the throttle and crashed his train into the rear of the Hagenbeck's. Kerosene lamps on the circus train spread fire immediately to the wooden cars, and 86 circus members died, another 127 were injured.

AT THE CIRCUS IN BLACK AND WHITE is a occasional feature on Dull Tool Dim Bulb. This is number 31 in the series.

Original Snapshot 1938 Collection Jim Linderman

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Robert D. Good At the Circus in Black and White

Circus Photographer Robert D. Good advertised his services, among other places, in the circus section of Billboard Magazine during the 1940's saying "If you raised the circus, see it in pictures" offering real photo size images. 20 cents would bring you a sample and lists of photographs he had taken in the past. He called his studio "Circus Snaps" and frequently typed captions on the reverse of work along with his stamp.

I love this photograph, and you'll have to enlarge it to see why. A simple enough shot of the Sparks Circus Sleeper becomes a group of boys admiring the Circus Strong Man.

Robert was not only a photographer, he was a well-informed fan of the circus. His letter to Life Magazine on July 19, 1954 tells readers the "last living driver of the 40 horse team pulling the famous Two Hemispheres Band Wagon" was celebrating his 91st birthday. Good passed away in May 1974. A splendid photograph of the photographer appears on the Circus Historical Society "Bandwagon" pages for the May 1964 issue

"Sparks Circus at Lehighton PA. in 1946 Bus Converted into Sleeper for Performers" Robert D. Good Photographer Collection Jim Linderman

Mexican Circus Performers At the Circus in Black and White # 29

Entry number 29 in the Dull Tool Dim Bulb AT THE CIRCUS IN BLACK AND WHITE Series is a trio of original circa 1950 snapshots of a most handsome traveling circus troupe from Mexico. México circo ambulante!

Original Photographs Collection Jim Linderman

AT THE CIRCUS in BLACK and WHITE is a continuing series on Dull Tool Dim Bulb This is Entry number 29.

Miniature Sausage Grinder and the Urban Word of the Year At the Circus in Black and White #24

Click to enlarge, and you will see this handmade tiny circus even has a sausage grinder. (?) Now as the term has come to mean "a very aggressive and active female sex partner" according to the Urban Dictionary (One of my favorite sites, and a reminder now is the time to vote for your Urban Word of the Year ("Vatican Roulette" another name for the rhythm method or "Hit the Slide" to leave a job in a particularly dramatic manner are my favorites) I am wondering what the carver had in mind here...

MONKEY grinders, or ORGAN grinders were common at circus and carnival gatherings, but they were hand-turned musical instruments with a simian dancer, not meat makers. You have to cook sausage first, and this little guy doesn't appear to have sterno. Maybe he was selling dogs in buns.

Pair of original snapshots of a handmade miniature circus, date unknown Collection Jim Linderman

#24 in Series "At the Circus in Black and White" on Dull Tool Dim Bulb the Blog

At the Circus in Black and White Ray's in La Crosse and Helen Mae Hoeft, Early Woman Photographer

A circus photo (of a sideshow banner for a "midnight ramble" show) taken by, or developed by, Ray's Studio in La Crosse Wisconsin. One Edwin Hill recounts the tale of La Crosse early photographers in his Master thesis in 1978. Ray's photo was in fact Helen Mae Hoeft, who used the shop name as a pseudonym to avoid sex-discrimination in the photo field. She feared customers would not buy photographic services from a woman when she started up in 1924. The name of the business has changed since, but as of 1978 was still in operation. I do not know if Ms. Hoeft took this photo or merely developed it at the studio for another, but the stamp is here. (Click "At the circus in Black and White" to see other posts in the series)

Untitled circus photo c. 1930 La Crosse, WI collection Jim Linderman

Spectacular Circus Banners Hanging in 1963 At the Circus in Black and White (and Color) #34 collection Jim Linderman

A group of exceptional circus banners in a pair of 1963 snapshots of the Ringling Brothers Barnum Bailey Circus.  Folks often think the glory days of the circus banner was long gone by then, but these look pretty good.  A real phantasmagoria!  Note matronly visitors standing near the entrance.  

Pair of original snapshot photographs dated 1963  Collection Jim Linderman


AT THE CIRCUS IN BLACK AND WHITE is a occasional feature on Dull Tool Dim Bulb. This is number 34 in the series.

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Some of the Free Acts at the Iowa Fairs 1925 At the Circus in Black and White series #32

At the Circus entry number 32 is "Some of the Free Acts Season 1925 Iowa Fairs.  A snapshot and a beauty.

Collection Jim Linderman

AT THE CIRCUS IN BLACK AND WHITE is a occasional feature on Dull Tool Dim Bulb. This is number 32 in the series.

Original Snapshot 192 Collection Jim Linderman

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Bike Tricks in the Dark Bicycle At the Circus in Black and White #25

#25 in the Dull Tool Dim Bulb Series "At the Circus in Black and White" isn't really at the circus, but certainly this pair of balancing artists did their share of work at them. Floating!

Set of Four Snapshots circa 1930 Collection Jim Linderman

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Gay Aquatic Review and Mike Duffy Miniature Sideshow Carnival At the Circus in Black and White

I've done thirty or more "at the circus in black and white" posts here over the years, but this one is most curious.  The snapshot appears to show a MINIATURE circus.  Small period signs announce the performers.  A tiny "Cotton Club" stage and show.  The snapshot reverse reads "Mike Duffy and nephew on horse.  Carnival Midway front and background".  No date, but 1930 to 1950 I presume.  I have no idea what the "Gay Aquatic Revue" is.  

Original snapshot photograph of miniature Duffy Circus Collection Dull Tool Dim Bulb 

At the Circus in Black and White (Japan style) #18

Number 18 of "At the Circus in Black and White" provides proof the circus knows no borders.

Group of early Japanese Circus Postcards, date unknown.

At the Circus in Black and White #17

An unusual addition to the "At the Circus in Black and White" series as this is actually a unique photograph of a silent film being made at Universal Studios in 1915. Remarkable that even as early as this circus sideshow banners were familiar enough in the public consciousness to satirize them in a movie. Also remarkable that even back in the silent era, motion picture studios would go to the trouble to commission such elaborate (if primitive) backdrops for what would have been used only in a brief scene or short film. Add a scary clown, a fellow in drag and a miniature pony...it all adds up to a great photo!

Photo of Film Set Universal Studios 1915 Collection Jim Linderman

Three Nights Only One Big Show! At the Circus in Black and White series #33

ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPH COLLECTION JIM LINDERMAN

Frederico Fellini meets Tod Browning in this crazy period photograph of a wandering troupe.  Since Blockhead and friend take up two seats on the truck, they get the middle of the picture.  A trick-shooter,  a cootch girl, a band (of sorts) and you've got four shows a day.  They were there a while, electric lights line the tent.  One of a hundred such touring shows during the 1930s and I wish I could identify the players.  I see ten good stories here, and one more on the dummy.  

AT THE CIRCUS IN BLACK AND WHITE is a occasional feature on Dull Tool Dim Bulb. This is number 33 in the series.

Original 8 x 10 photograph, circa 1930 Collection Jim Linderman

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The Cookhouse by Robert D. Good At the Circus in Black and White

Chuck Wagon! "Cook House of Stevensons Brothers Circus in 1946" by Robert D. Good. For an additional photograph and biographical information on the photographer, see earlier entries in the "At the Circus in Black and White" posts.

Original Photo 5" x 7" by Robert D. Good title typed on reverse Collection Jim Linderman

Ventriloquist Dummy Vent on a Box At the Circus in Black and White Jim Linderman collection of Circus Photographs #26

Number 26 in the series AT THE CIRCUS IN BLACK AND WHITE

Ventriloquist Dummy Head (at rest). Original Snapshot circa 1930-1940 collection Jim Linderman


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Fanny Rice (You All Know Her) At the Circus in Black and White #27

Well, maybe you don't know Fanny Rice having confused her for the much more famous Fanny Brice, but a Fanny is a Fanny. (And Fanny Rice had a big hit with the song "You All Know Her" even if you don't)


Original Vaudeville/Circus/Burlesque Photograph circa 1890 with players Identified Collection Jim Linderman


AT THE CIRCUS in BLACK and WHITE is a continuing series on Dull Tool Dim Bulb This is Entry number 27.

Jolly Ollie of the 101 Circus At the Circus in Black and White #30

Jolly Ollie 538 Pounds Real Photo Postcard Collection Jim Linderman

AT THE CIRCUS in BLACK and WHITE is a continuing series on Dull Tool Dim Bulb This is Entry number 30.

Carny in a Pork Pie Hat At the Circus in Black and White (in color)

What is cooler than a slim strutting carny in a pork pie hat? One in COLOR! An exceptional exception to my "at the circus in black and white" posts. This a snapshot pasted on a page of circus scrapbook. Circa 1950? A tall drink of water, our slim striding sideshow side hand!
As a further aside, if you like sideshow folk, my Wondrous World of Frank Wendt site has some splendid examples, as does the Fringepop site.

Carnival sideshow Photograph, anonymous. Circa 1950. Collection Jim Linderman

Bump and Grind WAY too Early (At the Circus in Black and White #22)

Child labor laws seem not to have applied to carnival sideshow grinds during the 1930s as this photograph attests. The young dancer can not be much more than 16, but I guess it is hard to tell. She certainly doesn't quite match up to the painted silhouette on the barker's stand...for one thing her hands are hardly thrown up in joy. It is quite rare to see a photo of a dancing girl (literally) taken during the daytime at even the sleaziest carnival...but one "H. H." has done just that. Girl shows of this nature are as old as the carnival itself, but they frequently took place at night after most patrons (and the law, who was frequently paid off) went home. Hence the name "Midnight Ramble. In this case, they should have been checking ID around lunchtime. A young hoofer to be sure, but to me, a bit too young. Show business of any kind is hard despite the facade of glamour...this photo shows an underside not often (or easy) to see.

(Also posted on Vintage Sleaze the Blog)

Original Untitled Snapshot circa 1930 Collection Jim Linderman

Animal Trainers At the Circus in Black and White #34 on Dull Tool Dim Bulb collection Jim Linderman

 

It has been a while, but here is At the Circus in Black and White number 34, the latest installment of the series here on DTDB.  Animal Trainers!  Top is Buckles Woodcock, Elephant trainer extreme.  Second is an unknown Dog Trainer.  

Others in the series are found HERE

Snapshots circa 1959 collection Jim Linderman

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At the Circus in Black and White

In the tradition of F. W. Glasier, Dull Tool Dim Bulb incorporates a new mini-series, "At the Circus in Black and White" I will post an amateur vernacular photograph of the sideshow weekly.

Untitled snapshot "Woman, Monkey, Man, Dog" anonymous c. 1950 Collection Jim Linderman