The Billboard 1924-03-22: Vol 36 Iss 12 (1924-03-22)

OA ATT eu MARCH 22, 1824 been driven to the wall by strong competition, and he made frequent use of a line reading: sup on his last legs.” He also printed several lenge” bills, which stated that “Money "1 s’ and that the “Sells Show has $300,000 in ering gold to wager that it is larger in every t than any show ever known in history and should it ever find a better it will gladly donate j innings to sweet charity!” Just for good n sure, at the foot of this bill appeared an add nal $100,000 challenge that no organization would dare accept the one above. Charles H, Day was a spectacular figure in the amusement world. Being of the old school, he, like most of the circus publicity men in those days, lacked nothing in hospitality and was always a congenial, convivial companion. In rather reduced circumstances he died several years ago at New Haven, Conn., his native city. HARLES STOW was generally considered the most resourceful and at the same time the most vituperative writer of bills in his lay. In cireus warfare a pen in his hand became a dangerous weapon and the very ink he wrote with seemed to have undergone a vitriolic transfusion. His opposition writings reeked with venomous alliteration, and by caustic inference and bitter satire caused many a trespasser to wince. For several years he was with the Sells Bros.’ Circus, leaving it in 1882 to join the Barnum Show as a director of publications. Stow did not believe in overcrowding type matter, a fault that bill writers have always had. He made words count and in a single terse phrase would explicate an idea in preference to using paracraphs to express it. The booklets and flyers that he published for distribution when his show had a clear field were most clean and wholesome and told their stories almirably. But opposition developed a different Stow. Of the proprictor of a rival circus who had become involved in a little personal scandal, he wrote the following characteristic bill, which was headed “An Important Question”, and asked: “Is it decent that this cowardly, calloused, corrupt, calumniating, cankered companion of a captivating, conscienceless concubine, himself the most mendacious monster of n menagerie, lower in moral instinct than ast and as devoid of brain, principle and most foul of the brut e creation, his ow the be honor is the another man, the record of whose family is a blot on the criminal calendar, which it pollutes s they do the earth? Upon the coming of these moral lepers and their show bar your doors, remain at home and put new padlocks on your hen coops.” Stow’s publications advertising the famous “Jumbo” with the Parnum Show, then the most heavily advertised feature with any circus, were considerced classics in their line. He later blew evclones of venom in hand bills at the Forepaush Show, which was featuring its notorious “White Elephant”. An elephant called “Tiny” had been artificially colored and renamed “The Light of a” by Foerenaugh and was being widely advertised as “The Only White Elephant on Earth.” Fred Law rence, of the Forepaugh Show, a most capable bill writer, and Frank Connelly, previously city editor of The Philedelphia Times, who had been recruited by Forepaugh to co-operate with Lawrence in writing the show's adverusng matter, performed imazing feats of imagination in deseribing RTINENT ee nee NUMBER 3: this attraction. amreeten Few nee arene They also in Veivled Prof. Leldy of the U Pp In 18 COUP ON mI LAST LEGS? THE DEMOCRAT OF ST JOSEPH. MO_ IN ITS ISSUE OF MAY 13. SAYS ~The huppedreans 2 Orupe Cores Ras denn ebaadened. « sumer ef last rare atta temne Qhamuneed gad Ue beet performers hawe Sern engaged Py rival compe noes Deere practice ste BLACEOCARD art tread Geen bis eqpectes ty wot Witersomren De. Chae pear be (sue bad Ghage te fefret Ramat Teea red a eet Pear « Ghew bes been weld te Bareem @ Ce ant Mothers @ Se. art the emmang ew bua) TERY MUCH MORE TEAR Tae Last TEARS TEST TO “As OPONON AS tS AB OPimon PERTINENT, QUESTION NUMBER 2 . of <ere tee ee niversity of en nsylvania © giving the east a professional ex. “mination. Letdy pros nounced it a evna-fide freak “TOU PAY TOUR BONET 2 TAKE YOUR CHOICE” Sells Brothers Six Shows Combined, One of Charles H. Day's bills circulated by the Sells Bros.’ Show atiacking the W.C. Coup Circus t t The Billboard and gave them an affidavit to that effect, which Was used to advantage. Bills headed, “Read what the eminent Prof. Leidy says about Forepaugh’s Genuine White Elephant”, and reproducing the affidavit, were distributed broadcast. Lawrence preferred to write in a direct, hardhitting style, rather than spatter a page with “adjectival eloquence”, The sixteen-page couriers he wrote for the Forepaugh Show are splendid BARNUM IMITATES {= &PAW FOREPAUGH HAS BEEN IMITATING BARNUM for years. For once BARNUM will imitate PFOREPAUGH. Barnum has had an elephant artificially colored, and will show in his parade ras 4 At READING Wednesday MAY 4 WHITE aie JUST LIKE FOREPAUGH’S WHITE-WASHED ONE. Wait for Barnum & Jumbo. Bill written by Charles Stow and distributed by the Barnum Show during the “white elephant” days licens Bhite ~ Hashing examples of this form of advertising. Frank Connelly wrote bills of striking originality and force and was considered a most valuable asset to the Forepaugh staff. He was robbed and murdered some years later while managing a theatrical attraction in Chicago. Charles A. Davis, who became associated with Fred Lawrence on the Forepaugh Show in 1884, developed into a highly valuable writer of advertising copy and was a most competent press agent. Davis was connected with Forepaugh for many years. H's various styles of publications advertising the Famous Original Wild West and Forepaugh Show Combined in 189@ were vividly written and were splendid specimens of the art of bill writing. One of these, a 48-page booklet, entitled the “Progress of Civilization’, was given wide distribution to children in many sections of the country, by public school authorities, who declared it to be a finely written and historically accurate account of early border life in the Wild West. I D and Forepaugh’s ‘“‘White Elephant” were being heralded so extensively, the John B. Doris Great Inter-Ocean Circus was s‘artling the natives with most amazing literature from the pen of Michael J. O'Neill. “Mike”, as he was known thrnout the tented world, was a brilliant descriptive writer and an imaginative genius. In a most convincing tone he would delineate attractions that never had and never will appear under canvas, and satisfy the reader that they might all be seen for fifty cents. “Mike” fed the public with hot stuff until there was’ nothing left in circus heralds to titillate its reading palate. He had a keen sense of humor and found much enjoyment in writing bills of this type. In a courier of newspaper size which he wrote for the Doris Show in 1883 appears evdence of the fact that “Mike” would have his little jokes. In a foreword to “friends and patrons” of the show he declared that for once a circus publication was to be written in plain language and kept within the bounds of common sense. He stated that in preparing this bill not a particle of exaggeration had Deen employed to influence a prospective patron, but TRING the period when Barnum’s “Jumbo” ll that on the contrary the merits of every feature and attraction advertised had been purposely 2 underestimated to a great extent in order to gain the .good graces and well wishes of the public. ““Mike’s” description of a group of bats which were exhibited in a little cross cage in the menag. erie followed this promise of truthful advertis: ing, and read: “Voracious Blood-Sucking Vampires—The Most Insiduous and Destructive Enemy of Mankind. Stealing upon their sleeping victims and luring them to still deeper slumbers by gently fanning them with their unresting wings, they : draw out the precious life blood! Whole villages } in South Africa have been depopulated in a single j night by these bloodthirsty monsters,” ete. A large wood cut accompanied this modest text, picturing a group of the monsters, each about the i size of an airplane, doing their dirty work by , | moonlight. Featured on this bill were William § Stowles, the famous rider; Zazel, the human cannon ball; Millie Christine, the two-headed lady; Johnny Patterson, the “Rambler From Clare”, and many others. Needless to say, all hands | were given colorful cons‘:deration. It is interesting to note that the late B. F. Keith and E. F. Albee were operating in connection with the Doris Show at this time. “Mike” O’Neill was prominent as a story man and poet as well as a bill writer. He was also connected with the Sells Circus, and in the early "90s was a member of the Ringling Bros.’ press department. In later years he wrote considerable Xv copy for the Sam T. Jacks theatrical attractions which is still the talk of oldtimers in the burlesque world, over as “Tody’” Hamilton, undoubtedly wrote as many if not more circus bills than any man who ever lived. Hamilton was a newspaper man by instinct and training and began his career In a New York newspaper office at the early age of twelve. He was prolific in ideas and a hard worker. He first attracted attention in the amusement world in 1876, the centennial year, while handling publicity for the old New York Aquarium, which was then under the management of W. Cc. Coup. Later when Coup organized his ' circus “Tody” continued as his press agent and traveled with the show until it was forced to disband on account of strong opposition some years later. James A. Bailey, who bought the larger { part of the Coup outfit, engaged “Tody” as one of the press staff of the Barnum, Bailey & Hutchinson Circus. Hamilton remained with this organization until Bailey’s death in 1906. “Tody” Hamilton was considered a greater press agent than bill writer, despite the immense volume of advertising copy he produced. He had a faculty for crowding more type composition into : a given space than even his printers themselves 4 believed possible, and he considered marginal space an utter waste rather than a restful relief (Continued on page 208) ABullle Bills RR cver F. HAMILTON, known the world ee Lep BY THE FAMED SCOUT AND GUIDE " BUFFALO BILL | M110N WF. Copy. Capt. A. H. BOGARDUS, 'HABPION Wits SHOT OF THE WORLD Major FRA NORTH, THE writer => Tet weitere. “OERLAHOMA” PAYNE, Ut, PROM EE rlotres “BUCK” TAWILOR, mate OF THE (Oo Bole “CON” GRONER, Tee Cow-aet eueairyy OF THE FLATTE. ———— Tem ARTISTICALLY BLENDING, LIPR-LIGE, VITED, AND THRILLING Pictures of ee aA getern Life. ww. F. CODY, KATH @4Leuunry, iM. i QARDU a, hcean 7OMN M. BUrUCtey he Ande Mas.ager ~ [iad Hand bill of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show in 1883, the first season it toured the country