Jackpotter
  •  Jackpotter
  • 62.54% (Friendly)
  • Ride Supervisor Topic Starter
Tuesday, July 17, 2007 4:28:03 PM
Anyone got any history on these two shows that folded in the 80's?
jb
  •  jb
  • 51.84% (Neutral)
  • Foreman
Wednesday, July 18, 2007 8:18:10 PM
Knew both Richard Vinson & Bob Boling.. I booke a few spots for Richard..and Bob played our fair for several years..800/955-6167
rockin ron
Friday, July 20, 2007 1:24:34 PM
Don't know much about either show never played on either one.I had a couple of friends that worked for Golden Empire in the late 80s.George was over there as an electrician then,his wife was in a bad wreck pulling their 5th wheel house trailer on a jump down south.Louie the Brush was over there painting for awhile then also.
midway1962
Sunday, July 22, 2007 12:51:09 PM
I remeber both shows as a kid, my Father had games on Mid South Shows The Boling's Bob was a good man, played alot of fairs in Tenn, and Ky he was working with Bill Myers, Myers amus, use to book in rides with each other, Bob also use to Book Richard Vinson in the spring in Mobile,Al, his wife and kid's are all on the big R now, his daughter Beverly married Pat R, the 2nd, her sister also there with games and her brother bob,jr also there,
FOOD AND FUN
Pinetar
  •  Pinetar
  • 87.34% (Honored)
  • Operations Foreman
Friday, July 27, 2007 5:01:22 AM
Bob and Ruby Boling had joints with my dad in the early 50's in cleveland. We had a new Crossman pellet rifle shooting gallery with scoring targets at the time.

For some reason Bob ran it.

Lost track of him after a few years. But ran into him and Ruby at West Palm in 87 on United where I believe he had some rides booked in. At the time, he was scaling back his show.
UserPostedImage
midway1962
Wednesday, August 1, 2007 8:15:38 PM
the Bob Boling that had Mid South Shows was married to Yvone i remember Jimmy and Peggy Ackley had the flat stores, also Lou Weaver had kiddie rides and a popper, before he started his show, also booked in at fair time was the Mofields with a couple rides, alot of spots that Myers has now was played by that show, also Aldean Hall had the girl show'''' oh the good ole days
FOOD AND FUN
Pinetar
  •  Pinetar
  • 87.34% (Honored)
  • Operations Foreman
Thursday, August 2, 2007 11:24:34 AM
Same Bob, I just confused his wifes name.
UserPostedImage
Jackpotter
  •  Jackpotter
  • 62.54% (Friendly)
  • Ride Supervisor Topic Starter
Friday, August 3, 2007 8:16:33 AM
Thanks for the continuing info. These two shows, along with Gold Medal Shows, are among the first I can remember visiting. I recall Mid-South had at one time a Hurricane, Round Up, Rock O Plane, Zipper, Scrambler, Paratrooper, Roll O Plane and I can remember at times Myers would book in their "bobs" type ride Polar Express, Trabant, Watkins Rampage with them. I also recall they changed their name to Heart of Dixie Shows before they went out of business a couple of years later.

rockin ron
Friday, August 3, 2007 8:19:26 PM
My memories of Gold Medal Shows as a rideman were of about 9A.M. hearing that crappy voice of PeeWee Johnson screaming as he knocked on the side of the door,"I know you're tired and don't want to get up and I don't want you to either but Johnny Denton does.Lets go boys."Years later I was with Larrys Amusements and had to go to his old winter quarters and pick up his tilt and scrambler when L.D. bought them.
Hambone
  •  Hambone
  • 55.16% (Neutral)
  • Maintenance Supervisor
Sunday, August 26, 2007 8:07:43 AM
I spent many seasons with Golden Empire Shows in the 80s.
The Vinsons owned the show at the time but were not the original owners. The route was not very good at the time, mostly still dates not many fairs.

Ronnie Brannon was the concession manager though his joints couldn't work in Pascagoula the show's biggest fair.

Rides they carried at that time were, Merry Go Round, Wheel, Scrambler, Tilt, Saturn Six, Himalaya, Tempest, Tip Top, Slide, Roll-O-Plane, Moon bounce and other kiddie rides. Guy Sears also booked a Zipper and Twister with the show.


Alabama 18 time National Champions Roll Tide
Jackpotter
  •  Jackpotter
  • 62.54% (Friendly)
  • Ride Supervisor Topic Starter
Wednesday, August 29, 2007 4:42:51 PM
I remember in the mid-80's they had a brand new Zipper booked on for a couple of years....man that thing would FLY....

So who did the Vinson's buy the show from"?
Hambone
  •  Hambone
  • 55.16% (Neutral)
  • Maintenance Supervisor
Thursday, August 30, 2007 1:05:23 PM
Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by Jackpotter

I remember in the mid-80's they had a brand new Zipper booked on for a couple of years....man that thing would FLY....

So who did the Vinson's buy the show from"?


I'm trying to get more info, I believe the Vinsons bought in the late 60s.
Alabama 18 time National Champions Roll Tide
jb
  •  jb
  • 51.84% (Neutral)
  • Foreman
Thursday, August 30, 2007 1:44:35 PM
The Vinsons bought Golden Empire Shows from Ralph Hunt
johnroach100
Thursday, August 30, 2007 5:04:23 PM
We were there when I was a kid and Jack came down the midway smiling. My dad asked him what he was so happy about and he said he just mailed off the last payment on the show. I think it may have been Bolivar Tenn, but I wouldn't swear to it.
ringmaster
Tuesday, December 15, 2020 9:04:41 PM
Originally Posted by: midway1962 

the Bob Boling that had Mid South Shows was married to Yvone i remember Jimmy and Peggy Ackley had the flat stores, also Lou Weaver had kiddie rides and a popper, before he started his show, also booked in at fair time was the Mofields with a couple rides, alot of spots that Myers has now was played by that show, also Aldean Hall had the girl show'''' oh the good ole days


Bob had his winter Quarters in Panama City near the air base. Most of Florida was Air Force Bases then. Short Range Don, not Donnie, Anderson had the punk rides, King pony carts, race cars, and a striped down airplane rid and a homemade duck swing. He also had a cork gallery and a short range lead gallery.
Bob had a nice set of middle size rides, but oddly no Tilt. I ran the lead gallery and blew just before Mid South got lots network under cover TV coverage of Ackley's flat stores. I understand Miss Vickey got a lot of coverage.