Bandwagon, Christmas 1955

Bandwagon, Christmas, 1955. Note: Only some articles are included in this online edition. Illustrations are not included. The Circus Historical Society does not guarantee the accuracy of information contained in the information in these online articles. Information should always be checked with additional sources.

Robinson's Three-Ring Circus of 1910

A show using catchy figures in their advertising was known as Robinson's Three Ring Circus and Big German Menagerie when it exhibited at Rolla, Missouri, Wednesday, September 14, 1910.

Claim was made that the daily expense was $2,000; investment $200,000. On the circus program would be the best trained wild animal acts on earth, in a 40 foot steel cage in the circus arena. The management advertised 14 educated lions, including a horse riding lion, 14 trained leaping tigers with a tight rope walking tiger, a troupe of six trained horses and two troupes of trained dogs.

As an incentive to draw patronage they promised to bring three big circuses in three great rings, 10 male and female equestrians, 50 male and female acrobats, 20 specialty acts and 10 feature acts. There were advertised the Walton Brothers acrobatic act, 9 in number, Sweeney family, six male and female riders, the De Costa family of 10 mid-air artists, Haden troupe of eight high wire performers.

In the German menagerie there were to be exhibited a great gathering of lions, tigers, leopards, hyenas, pumas, hay animals, bears, monkeys and birds, besides the educated animals.

Like all other shows of that time they advertised a street parade with two brass bands, a steam calliope, steam organ, open dens, elephants, camels and mounted people.

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A Real Old Time Circus Man

The other day I had the pleasure of listening to a man who spent thirty-nine years of his life with the White Tops. He recounts the dates and shows he has been with, off hand, without notes, in a way that would do justice to a much younger man, for he is seventy-eight years old, or should I say young? He gets around as fast as a man of sixty.

This man is Harry L. Kelly, known to show folks as "Cookhouse" Kelly. He first saw the light of day at Tipton, Iowa, October 21, 1873, on a farm eight and one-half miles from town. Like many show folks, he seems to have been born with the lure of the Circus in his blood, for at the age of 14 years, in 1887, he misdirected the King and Franklin Wagon Circus, through the main streets of town, so he could ride at the head of its caravan to the show grounds. "I stayed at the show grounds until late at nite, caught thunder from my mother, and the next week got two boys to help me organize a show of our own" said Cookhouse.

Three years later he boarded a train for Philadelphia, to take a job at $2.50 a week and meals with The Adam Forepaugh Circus. "I started waiting on tables in the dining tent, but I also, knew how to play the piano fairly well. When the calliope man left, I got my chance, it took three struggling days to get started at it, but I became a calliope player," said Kelly, who loves to talk circuses with anyone who is interested, and there are many who come to chat with him during the show season.

He worked for Jud and Ollie Webb, on The Great Forepaugh Show, who had the Cookhouse on contract. From there he went to the Walter L. Main Circus in 1894. Then had the Cookhouse on the Gentry Bros. Dog and Pony Show, No. 2, for 5 years. He then went to Campbell Bros. Circus, out in Fairbury, Nebraska. From there to the Howes Great London Circus for 5 years, and on to the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus, He toured Europe with the Barnum and Bailey Circus. His circus career was closed on the Robbins Bros. Circus in 1929.

Mr. Kelly says, "I am the only living Old Circus Steward that is left, of the Old Circus School."

"Circus people are a rough bunch, to all appearances," he says, "with seldom a kind word for anyone among them. Yet they are the truest, most loyal persons to one another, I've ever met, They're usually broke - but they'll dig down into whatever they have to help the other fellow in need. Most of the rough talk is more bark than bite. Circuses are ruled for the most part with an iron hand. Perhaps it's not the same today, but in the old days no worker, not a rough neck among them, would quit his job in bad weather. He'd always wait until the show is 'out of the mud.' “

An Education

"No sir, no college could get me the education I got from the Circus," said Cookhouse. Kelly is not uninformed on college either. His circus earnings sent a son and a daughter through college. Many readers will remember the son, Capt, Bill Kelly of the State University of Iowa football team in the '20's. He is an Insurance man in Minneapolis now. "I learned to do just about everything there was to do on a circus ground," Kelly told me. "I could sell tickets in 'the Wagon,' could get a big top up, drive six-in-hand, or put up seats. Through it all my main job work was running the commissary and playing the Calliope."

An incident showing the reverence Mr. Kelly held for his parents, took place when a Circus was playing his home town. He was playing the Calliope in the parade, and as it proceeded by his home, where his Mother was sitting on the front porch with a number of friends, watching the event, he stopped in front of the house and “Memories of My Boyhood Days" was played. Then he played "An Old Sweetheart of Mine" and "Dixie" before continuing on his way. For one season, Mr. Kelly, in partnership with F. M. Shortridge, a Des Moines showman, took out Lockery Bros. Uncle Tom's Cabin, a wagon show, which did good business through Iowa and Illinois.

In the building at Maytag Park, in Newton, Iowa, where Mr. Kelly lives, is a Circus Wagon Wheel from a Leopard cage on the old John Robinson Show. This wheel is in fine condition, painted in Sun Burst style, and will stand as a memory to this Grand Old Man of the Circus. It was given to Kelly by Captain Bill Curtis, who was at the time General Superintendent of the Cole Bros. Circus.

Mr. Kelly now operates a filling station at the north edge of Newton, on Highway 14. He got the name of "Cookhouse,” on the Yankee Robinson Show. There were five Kelly's on the show, none of whom were relatives. When Robinson would call for a certain Kelly, he was almost sure to get the wrong one. So, he named them all to fit their jobs. There was "Big Top" Kelly, "Animal" Kelly, "Property" Kelly, "Porter" Kelly, and "Cookhouse" Kelly. The name stuck after that.

Kelly visits all the circuses that come around, and speaks highly of the treatment accorded him on all shows. Aside from his duties at the Trading Post and Filling Station, he finds time to play his Calliope on holidays, and on Sunday occasions around the State.

NOTE: Since this story was written, "Cookhouse" Kelly has died, as the result of an automobile accident in 1947. He is buried in Newton, Iowa.

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1938 Route of Robbins Bros. Circus

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