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Pages from History
A
collection of historic Images - Sam Houston's Show |
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The images on this page came from
the collection of Miss Adonna Houston, the daughter of J. Sam
Houston.
Mr. Houston was originally
involved with the Gentry Dog and Pony Show. He then was involved
with Otto Floto around 1905 and helped in the merger of the Sells
Flotos Circus. He was close friends of the Bonfils family of the
Denver Post . He eventually became known for his independent show
which traveled the US and Mexico. He owned Balto the Dog who Saved
Nome, Cheetah, the Pancho Villa death car and many other exotic
items.
Miss Houston worked at a children's
park in Oakland CA that my husband worked at as a child.
(Fairyland) She was the Old Woman in the Shoe but when Count Popo
De Bathe (resident clown) went on UNICEF trips, she filled in for
him as Lolo the clown.
I met them both in 1981 but Popo
passed away that year. We stayed in touch with Lolo as we called
her and helped her out when we could. Her father passed away in
1957 but she kept many of the things he had. Some ended up at
Bridgeport in the Barnum Museum. Popo had a display there for
many years along with a wax figure. A two headed calf and an emu
are still there. She removed Popo's things and some ended up here
or in Baraboo. He started out with Mr. Morris's Monks but was in
several circuses including Christy Bros. and the Madrid circus (I
think). She had known Popo thru her father.
Sam Houston worked in the silent
picture industry, circus and as an independent showman.
Adonna was as much a
partner as a daughter. She showed with him from 1926, when she
ran away from a grandmother until his death in 1957. She was a
stand in for Dorothy Lamour at one time, worked on Rose Parade
floats, worked at Fairyland in Oakland, played the Palace as a
child.
They had several railroad cars that
they used and they took them to Mexico and back. Sam provided the
Hilton Sisters with music lessons and helped them out after they
ran away from their manager.
There is a great deal more about Sam
and Adonna but we never were able to get her to write it down or
put it on tape. She never thought anyone would be interested.
Lynne Bell
We'd like to thank Lynne Bell for
sharing these images with Sideshow World. All photographs are the
property of Lynne Bell and are posted here with her permission.
Sam Houston San
Francisco 1947
Post Script: Mr. Houston was born
Feb. 14, 1869 in Anderson, IN and died Mar 1, 1957 in Los Angeles.
Joseph H. Huston aka Sam J. Houston - His real last
name was Huston! Sam, ever the showman, took the Houston spelling
because of the historical recognition.
His parent's owned the Huston Hotel
in Winchester, WI. His father was in the Civil War and his mother
died in a run away buggy accident.
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Click Below to Read
Article |
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Click on the Photos
Below to View Full Size. |
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Sam Houston's Show
Front Mexico City show of 1947 |
Sam Houston's Show
Front Mexico City show of 1947 |
According to Adonna, her
father had permission
to
use the Barnum name
172
W. Pike
Long
Beach CA |
Jose
DeLeon the armless boy and Betty Broadbent the Tattooed Lady
1118
Market St in San Francisco |
Railroad Car
El
Paso Texas |
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Railroad Cars
El
Paso Texas |
Adonna
with one of their G-man
dogs |
Special Invitation
to the Floto Circus |
Unknown Woman with 4
Legs
Glass Negative |
Poncho Villa's Death Car |
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Good Tooth Jimmy |
Pig-Tail |
Dutch lecturer Mink De Ronda |
Sam Houston Displays
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Popo with
emu
and stuffed python, two headed calf
Sam's Displays |
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Popo
by Ansal Adams
San
Mateo fair 1955
Original
Children's Hospital Oakland California |
Popo at Rodeo
El
Paso 1947 |
Popo and Popo
Bridgeport Barnum Museum
Wax Figure Display |
Popo and Bones
Hartgett Ringling Show |
Popo and Mrs Morris
Monkey Act |
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Adonna, Popo and Barney
Adonna's dog who went every where with her. |
Adonna in Hilo Hawaii
1927
after she left her
grandmother and join Sam.
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PoPo & the Basket Horse
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Maybe
Gilbert Reichert |
Popo |
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The Count |
Popo, Ernest Borgnine,
Lou
Jacobs
Circus World - Circus
Parade 1970 |
JAPANESE STATUE
OF
"ITO YAMASHI" |
Ito
on display
Maui 1927 |
Jodonna Houston
Maui 1927 |
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Hilton Sisters
Not Sam's Name on Card |
Monster Reptile
Exhibition in Mexico |
Tarzan
Exhibition in Mexico |
PoPo And Michu |
Maybe Daisy Doll
with Camera Man |
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One of Houston's Show's |
Guicel William "Willie"
Camper |
Tiny Lavonda
World Smallest Lady
Glass Negative |
Grace McDaniels
Glass Negative |
Kiko & Sulu
Glass Negative
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Pigmy's from
Abbyssinnia
Glass Negative |
Pip & Flip
Glass Negative |
Mary Ann Bevans
Glass Negative |
Jeanie Tomaini
Glass Negative |
Martha Morris
Glass Negative
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Tom Thumb
Glass Negative |
Myrtle Corbin
Glass Negative |
Anna - John
Glass Negative |
Armless Legless
Glass Negative |
Medusa
Glass Negative |
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Mummy Case
Toured on Houston's
Shows |
Mummy Case
Toured on Houston's
Shows |
Mummy Case
Toured on Houston's Shows |
Mummy Case
Toured on Houston's
Shows |
Head of Christ
Shadowgraph
Pitch Item |
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Letter from Glen A
Slack Co
To Sam Houston about
Shadowgraph Pitch
Items |
Arthur Bros Circus
Poster
Owned by Adonna Houston
Note Mis-print |
Puunene Theatre, Maui,
they played in 1927. Photos
of Adonna in the Indian
costume were taken |
Haiku Theatre, Broadside
where, they played in 1927. Photos of Adonna in the Indian
costume were taken |
Makawao Theatre,
Broadside where they played in 1927. Photos of Adonna in the
Indian costume were taken |
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Olaa Theatre, Broadside
where, they played in 1927. Photos of Adonna in the Indian
costume were taken |
Adonna and Her Wild Cats |
Strange Cargo Truck |
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Photographs courtesy of
Lynne Bell
©copyright
2009 all rights reserved
If you have information or
images you would like include in this section please contact us by
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No Images may be reproduced,
reposted or used in any manner except that of viewing without the
express written permission of Sideshow WorldTM or the
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please
drop us a line
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