thunderbolt85
Tuesday, December 17, 2019 9:52:05 AM
Originally Posted by: Jackpotter 

How about:

Golden Empire Shows
Mid-South Shows
Gold Medal Shows (Denton's not Guthrie's)




Huh, didn't know there was another Gold Medal, were they based in Ga or elsewhere?
thunderbolt85
Tuesday, December 17, 2019 9:57:27 AM
Another one I forgot to bring up was L.D. Wheeler's Larry's Amusements. From what I remember seeing here was the ride line up:

16 Seat Wheel
Rock O Plane
Scrambler (trailer mtn)
Rock n Roll
Cobra
Tempest
Sea Ray
Watkins Swinger
Super Loops (only saw once blue/white)
Open top Himalaya (home built unit that I think once belonged to Exum and was called Music Express)
MGR
Auto Bahn
other kiddies

Don't remember seeing any dark rides, or fun houses although he may have had some.

There at the end, or at least the last few times I saw him some units were really small. Once saw him at a still date with the Tempest, Swinger, some kiddies and joints. But I do believe even then he had another unit somewhere else.

Really liked that Auto Bahn and if I could find one now would buy it and just fix it up to book with a local friend of mine that has a large rental company.
Jackpotter
Tuesday, December 17, 2019 12:44:50 PM
Originally Posted by: thunderbolt85 

Huh, didn't know there was another Gold Medal, were they based in Ga or elsewhere?



Gold Medal Shows was based out of Knoxville TN and owned by Johnny Denton.
thunderbolt85
Tuesday, December 17, 2019 1:18:16 PM
What was the name of that company/show that had the Viking Pirate ship and Polyp in the 80s (if anyone knows/can remember)?

I believe it was a show or either independent maybe. It was the only portable Polyp that I know of here in U.S., but guess its long gone or either in a park. It had a big spider as the center piece and booked with Deggeller some.
swooper
Wednesday, December 18, 2019 12:16:21 PM
Belantoni Rides

They were from Newark NJ
MGR,Tilt, octopus, roloplane Eli wheel a few kiddies

no joints, no fun house
played only churches and fire dept.

I dont think they ever left New Jersey

and there was a week between spots for tear down and set up
TN JOHN
Friday, December 20, 2019 4:49:50 PM
Golden Empire shows - Richard and Margie Vinson They played my county fair in Alexandria Tn
IndianaTED
Friday, December 27, 2019 10:51:52 AM
I remember seeing a few Shows growing up that were smaller regional Shows here in Indiana...

Lowe's Amusements...I think they were an Indiana Show, but no nothing of their history.
B.D. Fuller Show...I can't remember if that was in fact the name, but B.D. was the owner. He was from Vincennes Indiana.
Hayward United Shows...think they were from outside Indiana, but don't know where?
Allen Amusements...they wintered at the fairgrounds in Terre Haute Indiana.

These were all Shows I saw in the 70s. Fuller's was the only one I saw that made it into the 80s. Though Allen was sold and survived a few more years as Alotek or something like that. It was someone's name spelled backwards I believe.
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.
johnroach100
Sunday, December 29, 2019 6:11:14 PM
We were with Golden Empire in the fall for a few years when Jack was there. I remember plywood bull plates on the tilt.

Kenny Hayward called the show Wabash Valley Shows. I think his son has it now but I’m not sure. We saw it at a fair near Muncie in 2006 but didn’t have time to stop.

B.D. Fuller was Fun Unlimited. He still has a Pronto Pup trailer he works around Vincinnes.

Pete Kotula bought Ernie Allen’s show.
indianacarnie
Saturday, January 11, 2020 2:18:48 PM
Damn...… how many do you want? lol

Drago Amusements out of Kokomo Indiana = Beautiful small show that's totally out of business now. Decent route too. The brothers just got tired of the road I suppose. I was there their last 2 seasons. 15/20 rides at a guess. As a jointee I never paid much attention to the rides.

Fiesta Rides out of Coryden Indiana. Great little show. 15/20 rides. So so route. After Red died it went downhill year by year. Technically I GUESS they might still be in business but suitcase all their remaining (very few) spots out. Had a Rock-N-Roll and a few other older rides that were the first I'd seen traveling in many years. Was there 5 of my last 8 years traveling full time.I played a few spots with them last year but fully expect them to be totally out of business as I write this. Good people. Just tired of the road. 3 generations of showmen and women gone.

Stine Shows out of ….. no idea. Played a lot of Ohio spots before hitting the Carolinas in the fall. Its been bought and re-named …. Smokey Mountain Amusements? Not real sure about the name tbh, but something like that. Hard luck show from the moment I first stepped on their midway. Good good people though. Standard ride line up for a smaller show. Jinney etc. Did have a Skywheel they put up every week. Last show The Brain was on if he's not came back out. He rode me to the Bus station after that last spot...… said he was done with the business. Great loss to us jointee's as he was one of if not THE best mic man I've ever heard. Amazing. Good friend too.

Crown Amusements..... while not a "small" show it was one of the smaller ones I'd traveled with at the time. No explanations needed here as everyone knows them lol. Stayed with them for many years.

Tip Top..... many others that slip my mind at the moment. I figured it up once and have been on.... 28 (?) shows that aren't going concerns anymore. Since my surgery my memory isn't what it used to be I'm afraid. I STLL can run a collection though lol.






An end, even with terror, is better than terror without end. F.Neitzsche
IndianaTED
Sunday, January 12, 2020 9:21:03 AM
Originally Posted by: johnroach100 

We were with Golden Empire in the fall for a few years when Jack was there. I remember plywood bull plates on the tilt.

Kenny Hayward called the show Wabash Valley Shows. I think his son has it now but I’m not sure. We saw it at a fair near Muncie in 2006 but didn’t have time to stop.

B.D. Fuller was Fun Unlimited. He still has a Pronto Pup trailer he works around Vincinnes.

Pete Kotula bought Ernie Allen’s show.



Thanks John for finishing my thought. Yeah, I forgot that Show was called Fun Unlimited, but when you posted that I knew that was right. I also remember that Pronto Pup trailer. And Again you are right about the former Allen Amusements renaming, it was Pete's name spelled backwards...Alutok Amusements. I forgot about Wabash valley Shows as my mind was thinking about only the smaller Shows that are no longer with us, but WVS is still going. It's a nice Show!

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.
johnroach100
Monday, January 13, 2020 6:12:45 PM
I dollar know how I forgot about Key City Shows. I vaguely remember when Pappy Thumberg died, I was a kid. We had a wrestling ape show and later an arcade with them.
indianacarnie
Tuesday, January 14, 2020 8:20:11 AM
Originally Posted by: johnroach100 

I dollar know how I forgot about Key City Shows. I vaguely remember when Pappy Thumberg died, I was a kid. We had a wrestling ape show and later an arcade with them.



Yeah, that's another one for sure. I didn't add it because I don't really consider it a small show. But ….. I was there towards the end I guess. Riley was ride supe(?) at that point in time. He was office anyway. Didn't stay for long, played a couple of parking lots with them...…. in Fair season!
An end, even with terror, is better than terror without end. F.Neitzsche
ridejocky
Sunday, January 19, 2020 9:57:46 AM
Does anyone know what happened to (Mickey) Billet's?

She used to book with Strates and I took something (the bobs?) of Strates and booked with her a few times.

She was a good old gal. Trying to look up the show I came across her obituary. She just dies about five years ago, made it to 96!

RIP


Ride the Zipper?
Carnivalbuff
Tuesday, January 21, 2020 8:04:38 AM
I know that Rosedale Attractions out of Baltimore MD bought what rides she still had.
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Tuesday, January 21, 2020 10:10:28 AM
She had the only GAS DRIVEN Roundup I've ever seen! Went up almost full verticle!