Marie O'Day, an honest to goodness true short story  about her.
 
 During the 1960's Col. L.O. "Hoot" Black owned and  exhibited Marie.
 
I have known the Black's since I was a kid and have  been very good friends  with the family for as long as I can remember.  Hoot  was instrumental in  getting me interested in joining the circus and  sideshow.  It fact he was the one who helped me get into the industry.
 
Now lets get back to Marie. Hoot had several wood  sheds on his  property,  He stored all kinds of stuff in them. He  had one big problem  with storing anything in those sheds, let alone  Marie!  His problem was he had rats in the wood sheds.
 
Hoot was always afraid if he stored Marie in the  sheds that the rats might  start eating her.   So every winter he would roll  her up in a blanket and  store her under his & his wife's bed.  That give a  whole new meaning to finding shoes under the bed........

 Marie O'Day at Capt. Harvey Boswell Compound

Photograph Courtesy of Mark Frierson

Well when spring rolled around, Hoot would get us to  pull her out from  underneath the bed and clean hear up a bit, and get  her ready for up coming  season.
 
I know when Hoot had Marie, she was a real money-maker for him.
 
Col. Hoot Black, He was one hell of a showman in his day.
 

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 Marie O'Day Palace Car Ad 1962 Season

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