Clocking in at just under two full hours, this magnificent collection of all things pachyderm contains 28 different elephant acts (some partial and many complete), in addition to several additional accompanying vignettes filmed on various shows around the world. Among those featured in performance are trainers DANIEL SUSKOV working the Tarzan Zerbini elephants (1990); OSCAR and MARIAN CRISTIANI, filmed in 1969 on Rudy Bros. Circus in Honolulu; CHICO WILLIAMS and DELILAH WOODCOCK captured on New York’s famous Big Apple Circus (1984); JUDY KAYE presenting Kaye's Hollywood Elephants, also shot in Hawaii with the E.K. Fernandez Circus; BOBBY and ROSA GIBBS at Baraboo’s Circus World Museum in the mid-1970's; JEAN SCHMITT with the Ringling Barnum Circus World herd (Orlando, FL); PHIL and FRANCINE SCHACHT with “Dondi” from a Chicagoland TV special (1986); REX and AVA WILLIAMS with the Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros. elephants on the 1967 TV show Coliseum ; BUCKLES and BARBARA WOODCOCK working the RBBB herd in 1978; JENDE SMAHA with “Bertha” and “Tina” from a rare Hollywood Palace kinescope, and several others.
A number of global offerings are included, as well, such as KENNY BENNEWEIS and Denmark’s renowned Circus Benneweis elephants (1992); the CAESAR TOGNI elephants, from a 1960's episode of Don Ameche's International Showtime; MARY CHIPPERFIELD working a single elephant with a canine sidekick; BOBBY ROBERTS and the Robert Bros. Circus elephants from England, and so on.
An extreme rarity, also featured in this already top-heavy program, is a wonderful piece of vintage 16mm film showing MACK and PEGGY MacDONALD training the legendary Polack Bros. Circus “Beasalou Elephants” at their home in San Antonio, Texas, in 1963. No spangles or make-up here: just fascinating, intimate footage never before seen, shot nearly fifty years ago. There is even a short clip of Mack and Peggy working with TOMMY HANNEFORD and baby “Ina,” also in Texas.
ELEPHANTASTIC! is a compilation of privately shot 8mm, Super 8mm, and 16mm films, some of which date way back (i.e: a 1908 film of "Jumbo" the elephant, working on a vaudeville stage in Chicago), videotapes, and vintage television appearances from the U.S., Mexico, and Europe. Never before has there been such a comprehensive collection of outstanding, one-of-a-kind elephant footage offered! Break out the peanuts, sit back, and wrap yourself up in trunk-loads of tantalizing tricks! Approx. 118 minutes, color and B&W.