orphaned
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Thursday, July 21, 2005 11:24:02 AM
Great article on Larry Davis, former Carnival Time Shows in the July 2005 issue of Carnival Magazine. One real intelligent man, and one of the few that I've seen quoted that really seems to have an understanding of all aspects of things. I'd like to sit and talk with him at length. Anyone else seen it?
bn7309
Thursday, July 21, 2005 5:03:21 PM
how can i get a subscription to carnival magizine?
cny_chris
Thursday, July 21, 2005 5:19:41 PM
Subscription info here:

http://www.carnivalmag.com/subscription.htm 
"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." - Lao-Tsu

"Faith is taking the first step, even when you don't see the whole staircase." - Martin Luther King Jr.

"Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly." - Robert F. Kennedy
bigdaves
Thursday, July 21, 2005 5:36:51 PM
Isnt Larry Davis married to Steve Vandervorste sister?
DL
MikeH
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Thursday, July 21, 2005 6:14:35 PM
His son Tommy is married to Steve's sister I think.

Two words for Larry Davis.
Class act.
mikecroaro
Monday, July 25, 2005 7:56:08 PM
Greetings:

What an excellent interview/article with Larry Davis. Larry discusses with the Carnival Magazine interviewer all aspects of the carnival industry. He touches on a subject I have long complained about: carnivals are outpricing themselves. Davis said it's better to offer the rides for less and make up the difference by boosting attendance. It's in the July issue of "Carnival" magazine.
chukaluk
Tuesday, July 26, 2005 9:23:43 AM
I was on Larrys Carnival Time Shows in 1956 When he was a Small show.Jack Kemp was his Concession Manager and patch.They had one pin store.Don Johnson had the glass pitch.and i had my balloon and Ray Lief had his Derby.they played Redding I left and went back to C-21 shows
charles keeler
Patrick McGuire
Thursday, July 28, 2005 11:04:15 AM
Wow, that's interesting. I had no idea he was around back then. It seems like his son's show, Davis Enterprises, is getting extremely large like his father's show was, but he doesn't seem to have the same ability to get the really big fairs for some reason. Mostly just does small events and carnivals with a few exceptions.
Patrick McGuire
Stockton, CA
pmcguire16@comcast.net
MikeH
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Thursday, July 28, 2005 6:49:15 PM
We always wondered why CTS was always so nice and Tommy's show always looked so ratty.
mikecroaro
Thursday, July 28, 2005 8:09:56 PM
Greetings:

I suspect I may know why. Larry had contracts for MAJOR county fairs in california including the State Fair. As such one would need an excellent looking carnival to keep the exiting contracts and stay competitive in bidding for new contracts. Larry's biggest competitor was likely Butler Amusements and his midway has always looked sharp.

My understanding of Davis Enterprises is that their mainstay is church fairs and small community fairs. As far as I know they only have one or two agriculture/county fairs on their route. Mint condition equipment is not an essential of church and community fairs therefore he likely tailors his equipment to this. Perhaps some of the folks on the inside will add to this theory or provide their own.

Having said all this, I wouldn't call Tom's eqipment ratty. Most of his equipment is in what I would call "good condition.
Mike
Tornado
Friday, July 29, 2005 3:41:39 AM
The article stated that CTS had 60 show owned rides on the road as a single unit and another 30 in WQ/barn at all times.
Give you plenty of time to maintain them.
Never realized this show was that BIG – 90 rides is a LOT.
That is my theory anyway.
orphaned
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Friday, July 29, 2005 4:27:45 AM
Best I remember when he put Carnival Time up for sale a few years back (what's it been, 10 years?) he couldn't find anyone to buy it all intact so he pieced it out. From what I understand, he still has pieces in the barn....
MikeH
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Friday, July 29, 2005 7:02:04 AM
Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by mikecroaro

Greetings:

I suspect I may know why. Larry had contracts for MAJOR county fairs in california including the State Fair. As such one would need an excellent looking carnival to keep the exiting contracts and stay competitive in bidding for new contracts. Larry's biggest competitor was likely Butler Amusements and his midway has always looked sharp.

My understanding of Davis Enterprises is that their mainstay is church fairs and small community fairs. As far as I know they only have one or two agriculture/county fairs on their route. Mint condition equipment is not an essential of church and community fairs therefore he likely tailors his equipment to this. Perhaps some of the folks on the inside will add to this theory or provide their own.

Having said all this, I wouldn't call Tom's eqipment ratty. Most of his equipment is in what I would call "good condition.
Mike



I was on CTS for a couple of years and observed Tommys show on many occasions.Compared to the quality of stuff on his Dads show all of Tommy's stuff looked bad.Don't know about now,but thats the way it was.