Astro85
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Monday, October 15, 2018 11:14:36 PM
What do you guys know about Century 21 Shows? I recently found a picture of Astro’s Amor Express from the 70’s. I always thought Astro bought the ride new but looks like Century 21 had it first. Did they own rides or book them in? I can’t really find much on them except for some pics off of Flickr.
thunderbolt85
Tuesday, October 16, 2018 7:23:25 AM
Al Kunz, a great showman in our history, had one of the biggest and best shows in the United States.

Now, I have to be honest, I didn't ever get to see the show or work for him, but I have heard a lot of great things about the show, and seen a lot of pictures that show a really classic and great midway.

I am sure others on here can provide more details but from what I know his show was mostly in the Midwest, he was an innovator and always thinking ahead. He purchased the original Seattle Wheel and Space Wheels (including the blueprints to the Space wheels which were sold to AH). He booked them on Royal American Shows until they made him sell both pieces to them.

Sadly, the TV show 60 minutes put him and his show in a bad light back in the 70s with a story on American Carnivals, he thought he could actually help the image of the business, but they turned it around and made the carnival business look bad.

He finally later on merged (and sold) his show with the Murphy brothers as they formed World Wide Amusements along with Murphy Brothers Shows, Mighty Blue Grass, and Olympic Shows. Later on the other titles were dropped and all that was left was MBG shows and Murphy Brothers with the best rides and spots.

His son still works for NAME I believe as well. Some others on here can provide more, or maybe correct anything I am wrong on.
Astro85
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Tuesday, October 16, 2018 10:10:52 AM
Yeah the show looked huge. I’m surprised there’s not more out there.....kinda like Royal American. They had some cool stuff. Looked like the original Super Loops.
swooper
Tuesday, October 16, 2018 10:18:22 AM
Originally Posted by: Astro85 

What do you guys know about Century 21 Shows? I recently found a picture of Astro’s Amor Express from the 70’s. I always thought Astro bought the ride new but looks like Century 21 had it first. Did they own rides or book them in? I can’t really find much on them except for some pics off of Flickr.



i put these up in 2012

http://flic.kr/s/aHsjDpbkXQ 
olediggerguy
Tuesday, October 16, 2018 2:20:30 PM
Sadly, the TV show 60 minutes put him and his show in a bad light back in the 70s with a story on American Carnivals, he thought he could actually help the image of the business, but they turned it around and made the carnival business look bad.[/color]




What is referred to in the 60 minutes piece is something people in the business would just rather forget...or make believe just didn't exist.Namely.....FLAT STORES....(lets not go into alibis right now)In those days...almost ALL the big shows were what was called.... RACKET SHOWS....meaning they allowed almost all joints to work...and work strong.They had been a basic part of the outdoor carnival since its inception. The owner almost always had a piece of the joints,and were partners through the concession mgr.

Mike Wallace of 60 minutes fame had a former agent named GENE SORROWS spill the beans on these joints and they had a story. What the MGMT of C/21 thought was going to be a feel good story on the carnival business, turned out to be a GOTCHA MOMENT when they had a hidden camera taping an agent working over a mark at the RAZZLE. WAllACE played it in the show office to KUNZ and the concession MGR after they played IGGY and said they had no idea what he was talking about.

It was the beginning of the end of C/21..and RACKET as a concern on the American midway.
Astro85
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Tuesday, October 16, 2018 3:11:54 PM
Thanks for the info / stories. It’s a shame that story broke like that and put the business in a bad light.
ridejocky
Tuesday, October 16, 2018 7:33:48 PM
Originally Posted by: swooper 

i put these up in 2012

http://flic.kr/s/aHsjDpbkXQ 



Is that a Matterhorn? Looks nice.

Ride the Zipper?
thunderbolt85
Wednesday, October 17, 2018 6:56:40 AM
Originally Posted by: olediggerguy 

Sadly, the TV show 60 minutes put him and his show in a bad light back in the 70s with a story on American Carnivals, he thought he could actually help the image of the business, but they turned it around and made the carnival business look bad.[/color]




What is referred to in the 60 minutes piece is something people in the business would just rather forget...or make believe just didn't exist.Namely.....FLAT STORES....(lets not go into alibis right now)In those days...almost ALL the big shows were what was called.... RACKET SHOWS....meaning they allowed almost all joints to work...and work strong.They had been a basic part of the outdoor carnival since its inception. The owner almost always had a piece of the joints,and were partners through the concession mgr.

Mike Wallace of 60 minutes fame had a former agent named GENE SORROWS spill the beans on these joints and they had a story. What the MGMT of C/21 thought was going to be a feel good story on the carnival business, turned out to be a GOTCHA MOMENT when they had a hidden camera taping an agent working over a mark at the RAZZLE. WAllACE played it in the show office to KUNZ and the concession MGR after they played IGGY and said they had no idea what he was talking about.

It was the beginning of the end of C/21..and RACKET as a concern on the American midway.




Yeah, I remember even as a kid getting mad about what they were doing, and I wasn't even "in" the business yet. They picked on the rides as well, that guy (or another) walked around with him saying certain rides were not safe, they showed a Zipper that was supposed to be missing some parts (doubt it), and a Sky Diver that didn't happen to have brakes (ride guy was stopping by hand). Anyway that guy came out again in the 90s with "hard copy" or some show and did it all over again, guess he was broke again.
thunderbolt85
Wednesday, October 17, 2018 6:57:55 AM
Originally Posted by: swooper 

i put these up in 2012

http://flic.kr/s/aHsjDpbkXQ 




All of those are yours, well thanks for putting them up, I have really enjoyed looking at them.
swooper
Wednesday, October 17, 2018 10:07:18 AM
Originally Posted by: thunderbolt85 

All of those are yours, well thanks for putting them up, I have really enjoyed looking at them.



Yes they are mine.
that was one of the two units they had at the time.
I have another set from Mobile Alabama with both units
thunderbolt85
Wednesday, October 17, 2018 3:43:58 PM
Originally Posted by: swooper 

Yes they are mine.
that was one of the two units they had at the time.
I have another set from Mobile Alabama with both units




Wow, was looking at those Murphy and Bluegrass pictures and there were some great duplicates. Pretty sure all those pictures were taken at the same spot and they had:

2 SkyWheels
3 Zippers
2 Tip Tops
1 Spider 1 Monster

Just neat to see that.
bigjlh
Wednesday, October 17, 2018 3:57:43 PM
looks like a midwest spot for murphy/blue grass shows.skywheel was looked to be cabled off to those single axle gmc,s midwest usually equals tornado country,nice photo,s.that mack discotek really sharp piece on big a.iirc did they have jet star on the route at one time.ok then thanks bigjlh
swooper
Wednesday, October 17, 2018 3:59:29 PM
Originally Posted by: thunderbolt85 

Wow, was looking at those Murphy and Bluegrass pictures and there were some great duplicates. Pretty sure all those pictures were taken at the same spot and they had:

2 SkyWheels
3 Zippers
2 Tip Tops
1 Spider 1 Monster

Just neat to see that.



They were from Jacksonville Florida
Tornado
Wednesday, October 17, 2018 6:01:48 PM
Originally Posted by: thunderbolt85 

Al Kunz, a great showman in our history, had one of the biggest and best shows in the United States.

Now, I have to be honest, I didn't ever get to see the show or work for him, but I have heard a lot of great things about the show, and seen a lot of pictures that show a really classic and great midway.

I am sure others on here can provide more details but from what I know his show was mostly in the Midwest, he was an innovator and always thinking ahead. He purchased the original Seattle Wheel and Space Wheels (including the blueprints to the Space wheels which were sold to AH). He booked them on Royal American Shows until they made him sell both pieces to them.

Sadly, the TV show 60 minutes put him and his show in a bad light back in the 70s with a story on American Carnivals, he thought he could actually help the image of the business, but they turned it around and made the carnival business look bad.

He finally later on merged (and sold) his show with the Murphy brothers as they formed World Wide Amusements along with Murphy Brothers Shows, Mighty Blue Grass, and Olympic Shows. Later on the other titles were dropped and all that was left was MBG shows and Murphy Brothers with the best rides and spots.

His son still works for NAME I believe as well. Some others on here can provide more, or maybe correct anything I am wrong on.




So just how BIG was C-21 Shows back then? 80, 90, 100 plus rides and how many units. Says "World's Largest Motorized Midway", of course it is show business....

Now a days, not including NAME as that is built from 5 shows, Butler Amusements would probably have the largest inventory of rides (say 125 to 135) but lots and lots of duplicates....
And of course Reithoffer (115 to 120) and Wade (115 to 120) would be number 2 and 3 (not sure who exactly is bigger) as both have over 100 rides in their inventories...

And of course Big-A is no where near the show it once was (5 Units 125 ish rides)...
IndianaTED
Thursday, October 18, 2018 12:32:41 AM
Thanks Swooper for re-posting the link to these great pics. I remember these, especially because in one of the black and white photos is a classic Derby race game with 14 stations where these were actually mini pinball machines (no flippers), where depending what slot your pinball traveled down advanced your horse accordingly. I really miss this classic midway game. The newer "derby games" just don't do justice to the original. Though this particular game in the photo is a straight joint, I remember seeing them where the stations were in a squared U-shape. I also remember it being one of the more popular games of the late 60s early 70s.
I've never been "with it", just been an interested observer of carnivals for more than 50 years.
Johnny's United Shows..."A Family Tradition" and "All for Fun, Fun for All".
The carnival of my youth, which had roots that originated in my hometown.