THOSE AMAZING RINGLINGS AND THEIR CIRCUS - MINT 1967 ED 

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From the dust jacket:

The "Glory Days" of the circus really began in the 1880's when the Ringling Brothers put their first show on the road, with Yankee Robinson as a partner. The famous old showman died before the season ended - he was buried in Jefferson, Iowa, where he died - but the young Ringlings kept going and growing.

How they became the five kings of the circus world makes fascinating reading. This is Americana and this is history, tracing the growth from the struggling little "Carnival of Fun" and the mud show the Ringlings operated during their first few years to the climactic 1920's and 1930's when their circus' moved aboard one hundred double-length steel railroad cars.

Writing the complete, authentic history of the Ringling Brothers' Circus was a monumental task. To record the whole complex story required countless days, weeks, and months of research, plus a personal knowledge of the circus and a friendship with many of the men who made it successful.

And for those who wonder what happened to that great slice of entertainment after the big top went down and the circus vanished from vacant lots all over America, the book is up to date with the intriguing story of how it rose from the ashes of the Hartford fire to the present auditorium and sports arena presentations which can be witnessed in major cities across the land.

As a reporter Plowden had an unusual opportunity to cultivate friendships with circus people, eat in the cookhouse, ride on the trains, and prowl through winter quarters to learn of the whole complex operation. Besides, he had access to reams of circus material. And one of his best sources was the late Roland Butler, a longtime friend who was head of the Ringling press department for more than thirty years.

To see Gene Plowden's eyes sparkle and his voice assume a ring of authenticity that silences others, you have only to talk with him about the circus of the Ringling Brothers. Or, for that matter, about any of the great showmen. A modest man, Plowden rarely echoes the claim made by his friends that he is one of the foremost authorities on that scintillating family that produced the greatest showmen on earth - the Ringlings.

When the circus big top folded in Pittsburgh in July, 1956, the AP called Plowden in off vacation to cover the event and write a two-part series on the circus, articles which brought a flood of letters from all parts of the country, including a note of thanks signed by thirty pupils in a Tampa school.

INDEX

A
Abilene, Texas • George Ade • Adus Troupe • Judge Alexander Akerman • Akron, Ohio, Rubber Bowl • Fred Albee • Fred H. Albee • B.F. Alley • Alta, Iowa • The Alzanas • American Circus Corporation • John Murray Anderson • Anderson & Company's Great World Circus and Menagerie • Andress & Sells Circus • Anna Maria Key, Florida • Apalachicola, Florida • Ardmore, Oklahoma • Atlantic City, New Jersey • Augusta, Georgia • Aurelia, Iowa • Austin, Texas • Avon, New York • Leonard Aylesworth

B
Fred Bailey • Gus Bailey • James A. Bailey • Ed Ballard • Baltimore, Maryland • Bank of Baraboo • Baraboo, Wisconsin • Baraboo High School • Baraboo Republic • Al G. Barnes • P.T. Barnum • Barnum & Bailey Circus • P.T. Barnum's Greatest Show on Earth • Barnum's Asiatic Caravan, Museum & Menagerie • Howard V. Bary • Thomas Baskett • Batchellor • Dwight James Baum • Bayard, Iowa • Clyde Beatty • Clyde Beatty & Cole Bros. Circus • Rev. H.H. Beatty • Belmont Girls • Dan Bennett • Big 4 Show • Binghamton, New York • Leonard G. Bisco • Black Earth, Wisconsin • James Blainey • David Blanchfield • George J. Blood • Julius W. Boehler • Boginos • Bolivar, Missouri • Mrs. Robert D. Bon Siegneur • Fred Bonfils • F.A. Boudinot • Bert Bowers • James J. Braddock • Frank Braden • Bradenton, Florida • Ella Bradna • Fred Bradna • Diamond Jim Brady • Bill Brennan • Bridgeport, Connecticut • Bridgeton, New Jersey • Arthur Brisbane • Brodhead, Wisconsin • Brooklyn, New York • Justin and Bruce Brothers • J.J. Brown • John Brown • Vera Bruce • Francis Brunn • Art Buchwald • Buckley's • Buemrang Troupe • Buffalo Bill • Buffalo Bill's Wild West • Rudy Bundy • Joseph W. Burns • Owen Burns • Vernona Burns • William J. Burns • Estelle Mary Butler • Roland Butler

C
Ca d' Zan • James Caley • Camden, New Jersey • Campbell Funeral Home • Campbell, Minnesota • Canastrellis • Cape Girardeau, Missouri • Ralph C. Caples • Al Capone • Stella Card • Georges Carpentier • Amon G. Carter • Casey Hotel, Scranton, Pennsylvania • Richard Casper • Dan Castello • Centralia, Illinois • Centralia, Missouri • Chaludis • Charles Chaplin • Charleston, South Carolina • Chester, Pennsylvania • Chicago, Illinois • Chicago Opera Company • Cincinnati, Ohio • Circus World Museum • Cleveland, Ohio • Alfredo Codona • Col. William F. Cody (Buffalo Bill) • William Washington Cole • Con Colleano • Winnie Colleano • Columbus, Ohio • Comets • Antoinette Concello • Arthur Concello • Concordia, Kansas • Courtney Ryley Cooper • James E. Cooper • Cooper & Bailey • William C. Coup • Coup's Equescurriculum • Tide Cox • Willard Cox • James Randall Creel • Crestview, Florida • Cristianis • Walter Crumbley • A.E. Cummer

D
Dallas, Texas • Frank Dallem • Darious Dalton • Harry M. Daugherty • Elsie Davis • Harold Davis • Capt. Lawrence Davis • Richard Harding Davis • Leon de Rousseau • Fred de Wolf • James Deering • Pinito del Oro • Delavan, Wisconsin • Deming, New Mexico • Jack Dempsey • Denver, Colorado • Detroit, Michigan • Rich Dialo • Dode Fisk Circus • Daisy; Grace and Tiny Doll • Harry Doll • John B. Doris • Dothan, Alabama • Robert Dover • George Drew • Herr Driesbach • Bobby DuBrueil • Hugh Ducker • Duke of Westminster • Johnny Dundee • William P. Dunn Jr. • Finley Peter Dunne • Durant, Indian Territory • Herbert Duval

E
Jack Earl • John F. Easley • East Dubuque, Illinois • Thomas A. Edison • Arthur B. Edwards • Edwards Theater, Sarasota • Art Eldridge • El Paso, Texas • El Vernona Hotel • Millie Elizie • Englewood, New Jersey • Merle Evans • Evansville, Indiana • Eustis, Florida

F
Cilly Feindt • Dexter Fellows • William Fields • Fioretta Troupe • Five Melbournes • Henry M. Flagler • Duncan D. Fletcher • Florida Medical Center • Florida Supreme Court • Floridale, Florida • Otto Floto • Floto Dog & Pony Show • Flying Antonys • Flying Cancellos • Flying Comets • Henry Ford • Adam Forepaugh • Adam Forepaugh Jr. • Forepaugh-Sells • Theodore Forstall • Fort Dodge, Iowa • Fort Myers, Florida • Andre Fox • Frankfort, Illinois • Franklin & Astrid • Al Freeman • Richard Fuchs

G
Galena, Illinois • Gargantua II • Gargantua the Great • John W. Gates (Bet-You-a-Million) • Harold Gender • Gentry Bros. • Geraldos • Morrell Goddard • Bill Gold • Goliath • Gottleib Gollmar • Gollmar Bros. • Rubye Graham • Mickey Graves • Robert A. Gray • Great Inter-Ocean Circus • Col. E.H.R. Green • Hetty Green • Otto Griebling • Grotofents • Sam Gumpertz • Guti's

H
Hagenbeck-Wallace • Mayor Frank Hague • Haight & Chambers • James A. Haley • Half Moon Hotel • Fred Hall • Kay Haller • Clara Hamon • Jake Hamon • Warren G. Harding • Mabel Harlow • Harris' Nickel Plate • Fred Hart • Hartford, Connecticut • R.M. Harvey • Hasleys • Cuba Havana • Healdton, Oklahoma • Ernest Hemingway • Dr. J.Y. Henderson • Frank Hennessy • Dorothy Herbert • Hialeah Race Course • Historical Association of Southern Florida • Hollands • Harry Hormoyne • Lottie Hormoyne • William L. Horton • Harry Houdini • Seth B. Howes • Howes' Great London Circus • Mrs. Marie Hoyt • Gloria and Bonnie Hunt • Charles R. Hutchinson • James L. Hutchinson

I • J • K
Hype Igoe • Clyde Ingalls • Iowa City, Iowa • Jacksonville, Florida • Lou Jacobs • Janesville, Wisconsin • Mile Jennee • Jersey City, New Jersey • John Ringling Hotel, Sarasota • Eddie Johnson • Dan Gordon Judge • Helena Catherine Juliar • Mary Magdalene Juliar • Jumbo • June & Turner's Circus • Paul Jung • Charlie Kannelly • Joseph Keating • Bennie Keith • Clarence Budington Kelland • Albert Keller • John M. Kelley • Emmett Kelly • Francis W. Kelly • Jack Kernan • Ed Kimball • Ferdinand Kline • Koo Koo • Richard Kroener

L
Lake City, Iowa • Lakeland, Florida • Charles Ringling Lancaster • Stuart G. Lancaster • Willis E. Lawson • Lawton, Oklahoma • Lillian Leitzel • Lennon's Floating Show • Allen J. Lester • Levy & Arbuckle's • Libby Condor • Signor A. Liberati • Lido Beach, Florida • Gran Linona • Mrs. Gertrude Lintz • Linville, Iowa • Gina Lipowska • Cornelius Logan • Eliza Logan • Lombard & Hathaway Circus • Longboat Key, Florida • Karl Loos • Joseph H. Lord • Ericka Loyal • Loyal-Repenskis • Luciana and Freidel • Tom Lynch

M
E.F. & J. Mabie • Thomas N. McCarter • Frank McClosky • Tim McCoy • John J. McGraw • McGregor, Iowa • John McLaughlin • Dean McMurray • Don McNeill • Macon, Georgia • Madison, Wisconsin • Madison Square Garden, New Yurk • Walter L. Main • Maquoketa, Iowa • Marguery Apartments • Sally Marks • Thomas Reed Martin • Maryville, Missouri • Jim May • Mrs. Allie May Maynard • Mazomanie, Wisconsin • Kate Meadows • George F. Meighan • Lauritz Melchoir • Memphis, Tennessee • George Merton • Miami, Florida • Miami Beach, Florida • Mickey Miller • Zach Miller • Miller Bros. • Milton, Florida • Milwaukee, Wisconsin • Minneapolis, Minnesota • Miss Amerika • Tom Mix • Mlle. Gillette • Mlle. Toto • Mobile, Alabama • Corwin G. Moeller • Henry C. Moeller • Henry J. Moeller • Moeller Carriage and Wagon Works • Monroe, Iowa • Monte Carlo • Montgomery, Alabama • Moons, Ohio • Lloyd Morgan • Mount Vernon, New York • Pat Mullen • David Mulvane • Carpet Murphy

N • O
Mrs. Irving Nelson • Evelyn Nesbit • New Albany, Indiana • New Hampton, Iowa • New Haven, Connecticut • New Orleans, Louisiana • New York, New York • Newark, New Jersey • Sydney R. Newman • Newport, Rhode Island • Lucky Bill Newton • Henry Ringling North • Henry Whitestone North • Ida Lorraine Wilhelmina North • John Ringling North • Levi North Jr. • Salome North • Oak Ridge, New Jersey • John V. O'Brien's (Pogey) Circus Royale • Odell, Nebraska • P.A. Older • Frank Ward O'Malley • J.L. Oren • Miles Orton • Orton Bros. • Otari Troupe

P • Q
Palace Hotel, San Francisco • Palm Beach, Florida • Mrs. Potter Palmer • Paola, Kansas • Paris • Parson-Roy Circus • Jim Patterson • John Patterson • Westbrook Pegler • Pensacola, Florida • James C. Petrillo • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • John Hyde Phillips • Phillips & Babcock • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania • Pleasant Hill, Illinois • Plunkett & Mulholland • Willy Pogany • Ponca City, Indian Territory • Pontiac, Michigan • Poynette, Wisconsin • Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin • Quincy, Illinois

R
Racine, Wisconsin • Randol Hotel, Ardmore, Oklahoma • Randolph, Wisconsin • Walter Raridon • Realles Trio • Redfield, South Dakota • Rembrandt Corporation • R.J. Reynolds • Dan Rice • Rice Bros. • R.T. Richards "Supreme Show of the World" • James Richardson • Vic Richardson • Richland Center, Wisconsin • Richmond, Virginia • Rosa Richter • George L. (Tex) Rickard • Albrecht C. (Al) Ringling • Alfred Theodore (Alf T.) Ringling • Aubrey Black Ringling • August (Ringeling) Ringling • August G. (Gus) Ringling • Charles Edward (Karl) Ringling • Della Andrews (Mrs. Alf. T.) Ringling • Edith Conway (Mrs. Charles E.) Ringling • Emily Haag Buck (Mrs. John) Ringling • Henry Ringling • Henry Ringling Jr. • Ida Palmer (Mrs. Henry) Ringling • James Ringling • John (Johann) Ringling • Louise (Mrs. Al) Ringling • Mable Burton (Mrs. John) Ringling • Marie Salome (Mrs. August) Ringling • Otto Ringling • Richard T. Ringling • Robert E. Ringling • Oklahoma Ringling • Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Combined Circus • Ringling Bros. Circus • Ringling Bros. Classic & Comic Concert Co. • Ringling Bros. Grand Carnival of Fun • Ritz-Carlton Hotel, New York City • Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Sarasota, Florida • Albert Rix • Capt. Al Roan • Andrea della Robbia • Ned Roberts • Burr Robbins • Robinson, Fayette Lodawick (Yankee) • John Robinson • John Robinson Jr. • Rodolphos • Will Rogers • Harold Ronk • Edward and Jennie Rooney • George Rowan • Dr. Hugh Grant Rowell • Erna Rudynoff • Mrs. Harry Ryner

S
St. Armand's Key, Florida • St. Augustine, Florida • Augustus Saint-Gaudons • St. Louis, Missouri • St. Petersburg, Florida • Sanborn, Iowa • Ina Sanders • Sandoval Troupes • Hester Ringling Sanford • San Francisco, California • Sanger's Royal British Menagerie • Sarasota, Florida • Sarasota Herald • Sarasota Terrace Hotel • Sauk City, Wisconsin • Savannah, Georgia • Savoy Hotel, London • Baptiste Schreiber • William Sells • Sells Bros. (Allen, Ephraim, Lewis, Peter) • Sells Bros. Circus • Sells' Great European Seven Elephant Circus • Jack Sharkey • Sherman, Texas • Dr. William Shields • Billy Showles • Charles Siegrist • George W. Smith • Spalding & Rogers • Charles Sparks • Sparks Circus • Spring Green, Wisconsin • Springfield, Illinois • Barry Stanwood • Starbuck, Minnesota • George O. Starr • Curly Stewart • Charlie Still • Stillwater, Minnesota • Ezra Stone • Stone & Madigan • Young Stribling • Willy Suza • Syracuse, New York

T • U • V
Tallahassee, Florida • Tamiami Trail • H.H. Tammen • Tampa, Florida • Tattersall's • F. Taylor • Robert Lewis Taylor • Texas Terrell • Harry Kendall Thaw • Thomasville, Georgia • Charles H. Thompson • Robert Thrun • Capt. John W. Tiebor • Topeka, Kansas • Torrence and Victoria • Trenton, New Jersey • William Trinkhouse • Aaron Turner • Willie Turnour • Ubangis • Unus • Pat Valdo • Claude Valois • Isaac Van Amburgh • William L. Van Dame • Jake Van Orden • Edward R. Versteeg • Viroqua, Wisconsin

W
J.M. Wadsworth • Waldorf Astoria Hotel, New York • Mayor Jimmy Walker • Walkmir Trio • J. Edgar Wall • Wallace Bros. • Wallace Show • Wallendas • James Ward • Warren House • Washington, D.C. • Waterbury, Connecticut • Watertown, New York • Waunakee, Wisconsin • Waycross, Georgia • Fred S. Weatherby • Webster City, Iowa • Joe Welling • Fred White • Stanford White • George L. Whitney • John Williams • Williams & Ballou's Carriage Shop • Charlie Wilson • Gardner Wilson • Woodrow Wilson • Wilson, Oklahoma • Winston-Salem, North Carolina • Wisconsin, University of • Mat Wixom • Thomas W. Worcester • Worcester, Massachusetts • George D. Woods • Mrs. Amanda Wortman

Y • Z
Yale University • Yankee Robinson and Ringling Bros. Circus • William Yeske • Clara Kimball Young • M.A. Young • Zacchinis • Zalophus I • Mlle Zazel • Florenz Ziegfeld