Jump to content

Today In History - July 6, 1944 - Hartford, CT, Circus Fire Kills 167


azdr0710

Recommended Posts

(yes, I realize my occasional "Today In History" posts are skewed toward disastrous fires.....)

100 were children....tent canvas coated with paraffin and gasoline for waterproofing.......arsonist confessed six years later.....

for those familiar with Hartford, the site is now a small field behind Wish Elementary School on Barbour St in the North End.....a monument was installed on the site in 2005......

http://www.circusfire1944.com/

https://connecticuthistory.org/the-hartford-circus-fire/

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/hartford-circus-fire

HardfordCircusFireClown-e1316189200191-3

HCHartfordCircusFire.jpg

LmpwZw.jpg

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, BnaC said:

One of my favorites!

Charles Nelson Reilly and Paul Lynde were both favorites of Bozo, as well as personal heros.

Growing up as a young clown, I knew I was a little different, and I saw the same in Reilly and Lynde. Although I was too young to identify exactly what it was. Now as an adult, watching the reruns of Match Game and Hollywood Squares, their gay personas seem so obvious. How could I or anyone else have missed it back then.

What a shame that they had to remain closeted to the public throughout their lives.

How times have changed!

BOZO

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, BOZO T CLOWN said:

Growing up as a young clown, I knew I was a little different, and I saw the same in Reilly and Lynde. Although I was too young to identify exactly what it was. Now as an adult, watching the reruns of Match Game and Hollywood Squares, their gay personas seem so obvious. How could I or anyone else have missed it back then.

What a shame that they had to remain closeted to the public throughout their lives.

Paul Lynde wasn't exactly butch when my mother, sister, aunt, & I saw him at the Westbury Music Fair (where my niece - my sister's daughter -  graduated from high school in 2017!) with Waylon Flowers and Madame as the opening act.  Madame wore her 'Penwah' outfit... she'd gotten it at JC Penwah.

I don't recall seeing too many Hell's Angels in the crowd.

Edited by samhexum
just for the hell of it
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, BOZO T CLOWN said:

Charles Nelson Reilly and Paul Lynde were both favorites of Bozo, as well as personal heros.

Growing up as a young clown, I knew I was a little different, and I saw the same in Reilly and Lynde. Although I was too young to identify exactly what it was. Now as an adult, watching the reruns of Match Game and Hollywood Squares, their gay personas seem so obvious. How could I or anyone else have missed it back then.

What a shame that they had to remain closeted to the public throughout their lives.

How times have changed!

BOZO

I didn't miss it when I encountered Lynde in the Meatrack on Fire Island one night in the late 1960s.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/7/2022 at 11:54 AM, WilliamM said:

And Liberace

Hardly a gay icon

Liberace sued someone who called him a homosexual

I seem to remember that after he died, Liberace's estate was sued and the complainant won damages (I think it was a British tabloid). 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, samhexum said:

Let me guess:  Merman played Dorothy, Perkins was the Scarecrow and Liberace was Glinda the Good Witch.

Who else was in the cast?

Perkins was the star of musical Damn Yankees,  the part Tab Hunter played in the film. Unfortunately  Ethel Merman did her night club act for a week. Ella Fitzgerald  was smart, only a Sunday performance

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...