I know that Bob Bolin owned Bolin's Amusements, Mid-South Shows and Heart of Dixie Shows...anyone got any history on him?

I knew Bob, Saw his widow, Yvonne this summer. She has a popper & rides on Reithoffer's Orange unit. Her two daughters, Teresa & Beverley are on the show, and Beverley is married to Pat III.

PS: He & Yvonne also had a son, Bobby. He was on various shows including Ken Detty's Funtastic Shows. Last year, Bobby's son was (pardon my spelling) electrocuted. One of my best friends was his ride super & electrician for years.

bob bolen &ralph hunt started golden empire shows 1957 as my memory serves me ! irember seeing them in parkersburg wv. 1957

---

So at what point did Richard Vinson buy Golden Empire...and did he buy it from Bolin or had it been sold by the time he bought it?

Richard Vinson bought Golden Empire from Ralph Hunt. Name was later changed to Vinson Amusements. A himalalya accident in Lebanon Tn pretty much did him in. He holds on to contracts in Lucedale & Pascagoula Miss. He books mostly with Gold Star, (12-15 joints) then they play the two spots with him..He is doing better $$$ wise with joints than he did with the show..

Yeah. I remember Vinson's Golden Empire..didn't Frank Raby(sp) own it with him for a while or at least work for him as GM? Didnt they have a Zipper accident in Mississippi too?

I remember Frank, but didnt know him personally. Dont believe Richard ever had a zipper, but next time I talk to him, Ill ask him.

I dont remember Richard ever having a Zipper.
There was one booked with the show in the early
80s. I knew Frank Raby my brother dated his
daughter for about a year. Im not sure what his
position was. Also he operated a grab joint
during His years there.

---

OK. I know he did have a Zipper in the 80's....around 1980 or so either he had one, or booked one on for a couple/three seasons....it was brand new...rode it at my county fair when Golden Empire had the contract during that time...and the ride op let us go for A LONG time..I forget how many times we flipped, but we could not walk when we got off the thing...

Guy Sears had the Zipper booked in..He also ( I think) owned a Chance Twister

For those of you who know Yvonne she has been in the hostpital for some time now. She is a very nice lady and I hope that anyone who reads this will put her in their prayers. As for Bobbys son, his name was Brandon, I knew him. It was a tragic accident. Bobby was traveling with J&J during the fall route this year. He has his mothers rides with him, Yvonne had poppers only on the Orange Unit of Reithoffer Shows.

Jimmy D

---

I was proud to have Bob Boling Sr. as a friend and teacher. I was on the "Mid South Shows" when Jimmy Ackley was the patch, Frank Raby was advance man, and I had the Back end. Bob flew a Cherokee Six and flying with him was always an adventure. Once after laying out a lot, I offered to walk back.
Saw Teresa and Bobby in Tallahassee at the fair.
The tragedy with Brandon was that he was a born Showman. Years ago, Bob sr. would ride around the lot with Brandon in the golf cart telling everyone that if he had known how great grandkids were, he would never have fooled with having kids, just gone straight to having grandkids.

---

So after Mid-South folded, did Frank Raby leave and go to Golden Empire?