Sells-Floto Circus in United States

Subnavigation of selected Tab
Select by clicking the tabs above; 1. location info 2. present elephants 3. list of births 4. dead elephants 5. relocated elephants


Sells-Floto Circus


Local name 1902: Otto Floto Dog & Pony Show
Typecircus
Founded1902
First elephant arrived1902
Closed down1932
Country United States
Related persons
Owner 1902-1919: Harry Heye Tammen
1902-1919: Frederick Bonfils
1920-1929: Jerry Mugivan
1920-1929: Bert Bowers
1929-1932: John Ringling
Directors: Fred B. Hutchinson
: Zack Terrell
Manager: Henry B. Gentry
Performers & Artists
: Adele Nelson
Key People
Zoological department
Directors 1922-1932: Emory Stiles
(menagerie superintendent)
Apprentice keeper-1926: Arky Scott
Elephant department
Head keepers
of elephants
1929-1932: Clyde Baudendistle
(elephant superintendent)
1930-1932: Bill Woodcock
(elephant trainer)
1927-1929: Joe Metcalf
(elephant superintendent)
1929-1929: Bill Emery
(elephant superintendent)
1923-1923: Christian Zeitz
(elephant superintendent)
1921-1922: Emory Stiles
(elephant superintendent)
1909-1917: Fred Alispaw
(elephant superintendent)
1906-1909: Christian Zeitz
(elephant superintendent)
-: J. Smith
(assistant superintendent)
-: Jimmy Dooley
(elephant superintendent)
-: William Gibson
(assistant superintendent)
1924?: Louis Reed
(elephant superintendent)
Record history
History of updates2025-03-31: text 2025-04-06:
Latest document update2025-04-06 21:45:23
Description

Sells-Floto Circus, United States , was founded in 1902 and the first elephant arrived in 1902. Sells-Floto Circus closed down in 1932.


Comments / pictures1902: Founded by Harry Heye Tammen (born Mar. 6, 1856 in Baltimore Maryland) and Frederick Bonfils (born Dec. 21, 1860 Troy, Missouri) as Otto Floto Dog & Pony Show in 1902, already with leased Lockhart elephants and Samuel Lockhart.
1906: this show became a regular circus and was enlarged, using for the first time the name Sells-Floto Circus.
1906-1909: Christian Zeitz elephant superintendent.

Sells-Floto Circus in United States United+States
Sells-Floto elephants Snyder and Alice, with trainer Christian Zeitz.

1909-1917: Fred Alispaw was in charge of the Sells-Floto elephants.

Records about Sells-Floto Circus from William "Buckles" Woodcocks Blog at http://www.bucklesw.blogspot.com/
Sells-Floto Circus in United States United+States

As near as I can determine Fred Alispaw spent his entire career with Sells-Floto starting out as a menagerie hand with the Otto Floto Dog & Pony Show.

He took over the elephant Herd from the original trainer Christian Zeitz in 1909 and remained in charge thru 1917. This is the first time I have shown this full set of the elephant act while being photographed in the back yard in 1912. Elephants are "Mary", "Snyder", "Trilby", "Alice", "Frieda" and "Floto".

William "Buckles" Woodcock


Records about Sells-Floto Circus from William "Buckles" Woodcocks Blog at http://www.bucklesw.blogspot.com/
Sells-Floto Circus in United States United+States
BABY HUTCH
1912 Sells-Floto Circus
First calf born of Alice and Snyder
Born April 27 at Salinas, California
Died June 6 at Pendleton, Oregon.

William "Buckles" Woodcock

1910: 1910: H. H. Tammen writes from Denver, May 9: "My dear Patrick. The big event was the birth of a baby elephant, which we have named "Little Hutch." It occurred April 26, at San Francisco, Cal. Our San Francisco engagement was the largest ever played, I believe, by any circus that ever visited there, all of which was due, of course, to the exploitation of the baby elephant. And what made the business larger than it ever was before was that after playing to six turnaways out of eight performances, with immense crowds in front of the canvas, we sold tickets admitting the people to the menagerie, which included the baby elephant, and to the side show for twenty-five cents. On one occasion ther were so many people in the side show and menagerie, which is 110 round top with three forties, that we had to stop selling. I don't think that is has ever been recorded where a circus tent of 160, with three fifties, eighteen tiers high and reserves fourteen, with 700 extra chairs in front of the reserves, and then on the hippodrome track, was filled this way.
The famous baby elephant born with Sells-Floto Shows at Salinas, Cal., April 25, died at Pendleton, Oregon, June 6. The loss is a severe one to the management. The birth of this elephant startled the scientific world. Everything was done to keep it alive. With the birth of the elephant the Sells-Floto business took on enormous proportions.
New York clippings 1910
1920: In December, 1920, the Sells-Floto Circus was sold to Mugivan and Bowers.
1922: The coming of the eight baby elephants to Salem, Mass., from the Hagenback zoo,
Hamburg, Germany, marked the New England tour.
1924: The elephant Herd of fourteen was trained by Louis Reed and worked in three rings by Kathryn Thompson, Irene Ledgett, and Madge Fuller (Bandwagon)
1926: 14 elephants. During this year was several stampades; at Edmonton, Calgary and finally at Cranbrook the elephants bolted and run into the forest. Cicero, Bessie and Virginia was caught with the help of an indian Kootenay woman called Mary Janet, who appearently hobbled Cicero. Mrs Janet who was rewarded with 300$. The next to be captured was Frieda and Chalie-Ed. Even later Tillie and Myrtle was located, but Myrtle died because of pneumonia in the mountains.
1929: Passed into the hands of John Ringling in September, 1929 when he bought out the American Circus Corporation.
1929: (Elephant boss: G. Baudendistle) 11 asian elephant, among them 2 bulls Charlie Ed and Snyder II.
1932: Closed down.


References for records about Sells-Floto Circus

Recommended Citation

Koehl, Dan (2025). Sells-Floto Circus, Elephant Encyclopedia. Available online at https://www.elephant.se/location2.php?location_id=466. (archived at the Wayback machine)

Sources used for this article is among others:



Search more with Google for Sells-Floto CircusThe link will automatically include Sells-Floto Circus and open a new browser window.


Search more on the Internet Web for Sells-Floto CircusThe link will automatically include Sells-Floto Circus and open a new browser window

Categories circus in United States | United States Portal | northamerica Portal




About this documentWebsite online since 1995. This document was created: . Latest update: 2025-04-06 21:45:23 included 5940 characters with valid HTML5 Valid CSS



Disclaimer & Privacy
Elephant Consultant Dan Koehl
Sweden: Kårbodavägen 39, S-184 97 Ljusterö
Cambodia: c/o Lindas, Sok San Road, Siem Reap
Thailand: c/o Maetaman Homestay, Chiang Mai
Email: webmaster@elephant.se

Your ip: 13.58.163.18

Visitors to Website
For Live update, click!

Webdesign by AumPage Network Aumpage Network