Pages from History

A collection of historic Images - Sam Houston's Show


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.
 


Click On The Photos Below To View Full Size.


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


 

 

 

 

Railroad Cars

El Paso Texas

Adonna

 with one of their G-man dogs

Special Invitation

 to the Floto Circus

Mummy Case

Toured on Houston's Shows

Poncho Villa's Death Car

Good Tooth Jimmy

Pig-Tail

Dutch lecturer Mink De Ronda

Sam Houston Displays

 

Popo with emu and stuffed python, two headed calf

 Sam's Displays


 

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


 

 

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.

Tiny Lavonda

World Smallest Lady

 
Maybe Henry Hite Popo 

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


 

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


 

 

   

One of Houston's Show's

Guicel William "Willie" Camper

PoPo & the Basket Horse

 
   

  Photographs courtesy of Lynne Bell ©copyright 2007 all rights reserved


 

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