Russell Middlebrook Home Movies 1

Russell Middlebrook is Byko the Clown and Mademoiselle Fifi. He passed away a few years ago but was a great performer and carried on into his 80s working at Robinsons Family Circus.
He was also a great plasterer and bragged about working on the fancy designs in the Civic Theatre in Auckland. He was awarded the VAC Benny Trophy in 1983 and a Scroll of Honour in 1973.

These are 8mm films that he took during his early years travelling with Sole Brothers Circus in Australia. Maybe in the 1950s. Russell is commenting on the scenes.

They include historical scenes of....
Bullens Circus
A Sole brothers wedding in Sydney of Bobby and Noel West.
Charlie Ridgeway.
Sole Brothers elephants
Goldwyns Brothers Circus. Their Zoo, lions, elephants, monkeys and dogs.
Trapese Act, Artists and Contortionist.
Putting up posters in Sydney
Bullens circus set up at Prince Albert Park in Sydney
Sole Brothers Circus at the beach
Clowns
Christmas at the circus
Shirley Toms Australian country singer who was married to a Sole
Joey Perrys daughter
Jack Gills Brothers Rodeo
A circus toilet
Sole Brothers at Gympie in Queensland and also at North Brisbane
Loading the elephants
Pulling up the tent in Brisbane Valley

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• female clowns
• Circus
• Australia
• acrobat
• juggling

[walnuttheclown]

Fantastic. Look forward to watching them.

Tony 'Whirling' Ratcliff has a DVD out. He started with Wirth's.

[SilverhammerNZ]

Never forgotten seeing Bullen's Circus in Thames in the 1950's, possibly Sole Bros too but I was very young so not sure. I have some brief super8 film of Sole Bros in NZ..possibly Cambridge..will post soon.

[petersj16]

wonderful than you so much and bless russel

[pyrofella]

Wonderful - I loved going to the circus when I was a kid.....

I remember Wirth's circus arriving at Wauchope on it's own train in the late fifties...

Great memories - thanks for sharing