EDDIE BILLETTI
aka Edward Hebeler, Reds Billetti

- From Florida
- Did a high-wire act for the shrine circus
- Had a seal and elephant act
Billetti comes from a partner named Bill combined with Eddie

1920's - Poler for Sells - Floto

Prop man on corporation shows

6-1932
The Democrat's Big Circus
Billetti Troupe

1933 - Hagenbeck - Wallace Circus
Joe, Ange, Otto, Eddie

5-1933
Hagenbeck Wallace Circus
Billetti Troupe

8-1934
Hanover New Deal Fair
Veterans of Foreign Wars
Billetti Troupe - High Wire

?
Charlie, Angle, Otto, Eddie

7-1936
Sacred Heart Carnival
The Great Billetti Troupe - High Wire Act
(Massachusetts | Fitchburg | Fitchburg Sentinel | 1936-07-14)

Enna Jettick Park
Syracuse NY
Billetti Troupe
Tight Wire Thrillers
(Syracuse Herald, NY 8-2-1936)

7-1937
Elks Circus
Billetti Troupe - High Wire

The Great Billetti Troupe
Bicycle High Wire Act
Eddie and Helen Billetti, Fred Bergen, John Yancher
Polack Bros Circus  -  (...1938...)  for 2 years

5-1940
Shrine Circus - Polack Bros
Billetti Troupe

WWII  -  (1939-1945)

Eddie in the Navy

Reno Lions Club Circus
Polack Bros

Plenty of thrills were supplied by the Billetti troupe of high wire performers when Helen Billetti, who rose from millinery sales girl to circus star in the short period of nine years, stood on a pole balanced on the shoulders of her two partners who were seated on bikes high above the audience. A hush that fell over the audience followed as the troupe traveled across the wire to their perch, followed by a great ovation at the completion of the hazardous feat.
(Reno Evening Gazette, 5-29-1943)

Eddie was on Don Robinson and Fay Bros Shows

1-1946
Orak Shrine - Polack Bros.
The Great Billetti Troupe - High Wire

9-1947
Barrington Fair
Billetti Troupe - High Wire

1951 - Eddie was assistant property  boss on Ringling Barnum

Eddie was president of Circus Supply and Hardware Co. (Ringling)
in Sarasota

Charlie Smaltz was Eddie's foreman, Mark Pratt did machine and draft work

John Cuneo of Cuneo Press family requested Cage Wagons to be built
He owned a private menagerie and circus farm outside Chicago at Libertyville

Pat Anthony requested Cage Wagons

Eddie built aluminum big top poles and arena cage sections

1953 Eva the elephant was added to Ringling

1957 - Eddie built the ring curbs, the cat cages, the flatbed semi, etc  for Ringling

Animaland USA - Sarasota Florida  (1959-1964, 1965?)
Eddie Billetti - (Eddie Hebeler) in Sarasota Florida managed circus show at different malls
(Animal Land USA)

1-8-1959 - Animaland's first tour begins in Sarasota

Everything was 15 cents

Animaland USA - America's Largest Traveling Zoo

Art was designed by Forrest Freeland

All the animals came from Ringling:

Sweetheart the Leopard - pet of Martha and J. Y. "Doc" Henderson

Big Ruth aka Barnes Ruth the Elephant

Eva the Elephant (around 72 years old)

John L. Sullivan was Eddie's Agent
John had been curator at the Ringling Museum and head of the Circus Hall of Fame

Eddie's wife was Thais, she worked the ticket wagon

1-6-1960 - Animaland's second tour begins in Sarasota at the South Gate Mall

Everything was 25 cents

1-5-1961 - opens in Sarasota

1961 - photo of Eva pulling a train ride

Ben Davenport, former owner of Dailey Bros. starts a traveling zoo

Jack Joyce starts a traveling zoo

George Kirby joins Animaland, becomes Eddie's right-hand man

Nick H. was responsible for the elephants

Jan M. Dorfay 1 ring circus joins Animaland

Whitey Bowen joins Animaland

Eva often grabbed food from people

The Animaland equipment was stored at Bobby Snowden's place

(Harry Haag Jr., Pat, Ruby, and Naomi)
(Harry Haag Jr. and Pat Haag 1964...)
Harry Haag Jr. work Eva the elephant
Cheryl Haag - Assistant with Ruby's Dog and Pony Show (1964)

Harry Haag Jr. marries Patricia Eagon (4-16-1964)

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Harry Haag Jr. (1963 or 1964)
Eddie Billetti - Eva the Elephant pulled cart

Pat pregnant, quit show (1964)

Harry Haag driving truck Peru Indiana

Eddie Billetti died in 1967 of lung cancer in Sarasota Florida

Thais moved to California and became a Physical Therapist

Helen Billetti Warburton  -  1997 lives in Kenmore Washington

(Article on Eddie Billetti in Bandwagon March-April 1991)

Miscellaneous

RUTH
1910 Barnes first elephant
1910-38 Al G. Barnes Cicus
1939-56 Ringling Bros.-Barnum & Bailey Circus
1957 Ringling Qtrs. Sarasota
1958-65 Eddie Billetti Shopping Center Show
1966 Sold to Puerto Rico (final disposition unknown)

Doc Henderson's description as being the "herd leader" is deceptive. She never led the herd anywhere but more accurately would be considered "the most reliable". She was the elephant that could be sent out alone to do things and you knew there would be no problems. As an example, on the Ringling Show she would dig furrows around the lot with a farm plow to bury light cables. Though not real big, most of the other elephants were afraid of her for some reason which came in handy in case one should decide to act up and could also be a steadying influence on young elephants in training.
She was very clever, I was fascinated when I saw one of the men throw his bull hook on the ground in front of her which she promptly picked up and manipulated until she had a grip on the handle and proceeded to scratch herself with the hook. First behind the ears then between her front legs and finally lifted her head high so she could scratch under her chin during which time she screwed up her face like a dog does when being scratched.
This is a picture of her on the Barnes Show and I might add that she was prominent in the Tarzan Movies the Barnes elephants appeared in. I recall one scene she is carrying a man to safety (supposedly Tarzan) by the leg in this fashion.

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