Haag Family Circus History
The Mighty Haag Shows
(1894-1938)(1891-1938?)
Ruby Fisher Haag (1928- 1935...)
Harry Haag Sr. (1900-1935...)
Josephine Silverlake
United Amusement Co.
(...1934...)
"We can furnish anything in show business
from a one man vaudeville to a three ring circus"
Royal Center Indiana
Dr. Fisher and Family
Harry and Ruby Haag
Brownie and Josephine Silverlake
Walter L Main Circus (1885-1937)
Walter Main and William "Honest Bill" Newton Jr. owners (1930, 1935-1937)
Ruby and Harry Haag (...6-1-1935...)
Harry Haag Circus, Harry Haag's All Star Circus Revue (1936)
Schwarz Bros owners
(...4-1936...)
Bud Hawkins Circus (March 1936 - Aug 1936)
(Al Sigsbee - General Manager)
(Ruby, Josephine, Arthur - Fisher Troupe of Acrobats)
(Harry Haag Jr. - Equestrian Director) (7-11-1936)
(Ruby Haag - Trained Dogs)
Olympia Circus (1931-1943)
Chicago Stadium, Chicago Illinois
Ruby Haag - dogs (...1938...)
Chicago Stadium with a big circus
(...?...)
Alice the elephant drops Ruby Haag in Chicago Stadium where Sonya Henne ice
skated (?)
back hits tub, fractured ribs on x-ray
Polack Bros (1931-1976)(1932-1976?)
Irving Polack and Sam Stern - owners
_____?___
Ruby Haag - aerial ballet (5-3-1941)
_____?___
Ruby Haag - aerial swing ballet (5-2-1942)
King Bros
Circus (1942. 1946-1956)
Allen King - owner
Harry Haag - assistant director (4-18-1942, 5-23-1942)
Olympia Circus (1931-1943)
Chicago Stadium
Ruby Haag - animals (...5-2-1942...)
Ruby Haag - (5-8-1943)
Chicago Daily News
5-8-1943
Chicago Stadium
Doc Haag and elephants, Alice and Judy
(Alice's daughter Judy was 8 years old)
Snow the Spitz
Ruby Haag carried in Alice the elephant's mouth
Grotto Circus (2-1944) in Cleveland Ohio
(Ruby Haag fell with the web and broke her pelvis,hip and back)
(Harry Haag Jr. was with Grandma in Brownstown, Indiana)
(Her Dr. was the coroner (Cuyahoga county) for Sam Sheppard's wife (1954)
Barnes Bros
(1930,1944-1948)
Barnes Bros - Olympia Combined Circus (1944)
Chicago Stadium Corp - owner (1944-1948)
James Norris and Arthur M. Wirtz - officers (1944-1948)
Ruby Haag - aerial ballet (1944)
Ruby Haag - aerial ballet (5-6-1944)
Fairs (various)
Orrin Davenport from Chicago - booking agent for Shrine Shows
1937 stops riding act
(late 1940's - a leader in the indoor shows)
(He used Ringling acts, Independent acts to Grand Rapids, Detroit, other cities
as annual Shrine Circus)
(1950's grew in stature)
Ruby and Harry Haag on Shrine Shows (...1944-1957...)
Harry Haag Sr. (1940-1957)
performer and transportation superintendent
Shrine Circuses Harry Haag Sr. and Ruby
Haag:
(confirmed by Circus World Museum)
1944 - Zuhrah Shrine Circus
Minneapolis, MN
1944, 1947 -
Al Sirat Grotto Circus
Cleveland, Ohio
1945 - Frank Wirth's Circus
1945 - Damascus Shrine Circus
Rochester New York
1945 - Bud E Anderson
1946 - Midian Shrine Circus
Wichita, Kansas
1947, 1949 - Osman Shrine Circus
St Paul MN
1948 - Ward Bros Circus
1949, 1950, 1951 - Moslem Shrine Circus
Detroit Michigan
1951 - Aladdin Shrine Circus
Columbus Ohio
1952 - Ararat Shrine Circus
Kansas City Missouri
1952 -
Al Sirat Grotto Circus
Cleveland, Ohio
1952 - Damascus Shrine Circus
Rochester New York
1954, 1956 - Osman Shrine Circus St Paul MN
1954, 1955 - Aladdin Shrine Circus
Columbus Ohio
1955 - Moslem Shrine Circus
Detroit Michigan
1956 - Midian Shrine Circus
Wichita, Kansas
1956 - Ararat Shrine Circus
Kansas City Missouri
1957 - Anr? Ansar Shrine Circus Springfield Illinois
Zuhrah Shrine Circus
Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis Auditorium
Ruby Haag - aerial (March 13-18, 1944) 26th annual
Ruby Haag - dogs
Al Sirat Grotto Circus
Cleveland, Ohio
Ruby Haag - animals (1944)
Ruby Haag - dog (1947)
Harry Haag - (1952)
Frank Wirth's Circus
Ruby Haag - dogs (5-5-1945)
Harry Haag - elephants (5-5-1945)
Damascus Shrine Circus
Rochester New York
Ruby Haag - dogs (1945, 1952)
Bud E Anderson
Ruby Haag - aerial (1945)
Ruby Haag - (5-26-1945)
Midian Shrine Circus
Wichita, Kansas
Ruby Haag - dogs (1946, 1956)
Harry Haag - (1956)
Osman Shrine Circus
St Paul MN
Ruby and Harry Haag - dogs (1947, 1949)
Harry Haag - dogs (1950, 1951)
Ruby Haag - dogs, ponies (1954, 1956)
Ward Bros Circus (1948-1950)
Archie Gayer - manager
Harry Haag - dogs (1948)
Moslem Shrine Circus
Detroit Michigan
Ruby Haag - dogs (1949, 1950, 1951, 1955)
Aladdin Shrine Circus
Columbus Ohio
Harry Haag - (1951, 1952, 1954, 1955)
Ararat Shrine Circus
Kansas City Missouri
Harry Haag - (1952, 1956)
(Anr?) Ansar Temple Shrine Circus
Springfield Illinois
Harry Haag - (1957)
Shrine Circuses Ruby
Haag Remembers Performing
for not listed above:
(circus names verified by Ruby Haag)
St. Louis Police Circus
Tangier Shrine, Omaha NE
Osiris Shrine, Wheeling W. Vir
Hadi Shrine, Evansville, IN
Al Shamal Shrine Circus Edmonton
Canada
Arabia Shrine, Houston Texas
Super Circus, Chicago
Antioch Shine, Dayton OH
*** book, A history of the Shrine Circus
by John H. McConnell
Haag's Dogs mentioned
Cole Bros Circus (1906-9, 1912-13, 1916-17, 1918-24,
1929-30, 1935-36, 1937-48, 1949)
Eugene "Arky" Scott was in charge of the Elephant bulls (1942-1949)
(Charles "Doc" Haag worked for Arky Scott) (...1949...)
Helen Haag's Chimpanzees (...1950-1966...)
Indoor Shows and Ed Sullivan
Shrine Circus shows (...1950-1966...)
1950 - Yaarab Shrine Circus (Atlanta Georgia)
1950, 1951 - Hamid Morton Circus
1951, 1952 - Tripoli Shrine Circus (Milwaukee Wisconsin)
1952 - Ararat Shrine Circus (Kansas City Missouri)
1952 - Kar? Karnak Shrine Circus (Quebec Canada)
1952 - Hamid Morton Circus
1953 - Aladdin Shrine Circus (Columbus Ohio)
1953 - Khartum Shrine Circus (Winnipeg Manitoba Canada)
1953 - Midian Shrine Circus (Wichita Kansas)
6-5-1954 - Tom Packs Circus
1954 - Osman Shrine Circus (St. Paul Minnesota)
1954, 1955 - Aladdin Shrine Circus (Columbus Ohio)
1955 - Moslem Shrine Circus (Detroit Michigan)
1956 - Antioch Shrine Circus (Dayton Ohio)
1956 - Ziyara Shrine Circus (Utica New York)
1956 - Midian Shrine Circus (Wichita Kansas)
1956 - Ararat Shrine Circus (Kansas City Missouri)
1956, 1957 - Al Sirat Shrine Circus (Cleveland, Ohio)
1957 - Osman Shrine Circus (St. Paul Minnesota)
1957 - Arabia Shrine Circus (Houston Texas)
1957 - Khartum Shrine Circus (Winnipeg Manitoba Canada)
1957 - Edmonton Shrine Circus Club (Edmonton Canada)
1957 - Elf Khurafeh Shrine Circus (Saginaw Michigan)
1958 - Antioch Shrine Circus (Dayton Ohio)
1958 - Al Shamal Shrine Circus (Edmonton Canada)
1958 - Rudy Bros
1958 - Damascus Shrine Circus (Webster New York)
1960 - Ararat Shrine Circus (Kansas City Missouri)
1961 - Moslem Shrine Circus (Detroit Michigan)
1961 - Al Shamal Shrine Circus (Edmonton Canada)
1961 - Osman Shrine Circus (St. Paul Minnesota)
1961 - Antioch Shrine Circus (Dayton Ohio)
1961 - Kora Shrine Circus - (Lewiston Maine)
1963 - Al Shamal Shrine Circus (Edmonton Canada)
1966 - Tripoli Shrine Circus (Milwaukee Wisconsin)
Polack Bros (1931-1976)(1932-1976?)
Irving Polack and Sam Stern - owners
Harry Haag Jr. (prop man) (1956?...1957...)
Harry Haag Jr. Toledo Ohio (10-26-1957)
Rudy Bros Circus
(1950-1976, 1988-1993)
owned by Rudy Jacobi
Harry Haag (?) California, Nevada (outdoor ballparks)
Helen Haag - chimps (1958)
Tom Packs
(1937-1958...)
Thomas N. Packs - owner
Naomi wrecked truck going to Tom Packs
Harry Haag (summer circus, ballparks, St Louis) (?)
(Bellview Ill, winter quarters)
Ruby Haag - dogs and ponies (6-17-1957)
Ruby and Harry
(5-26-58)
dogs and ponies
Tom Packs (12-1957
- 1-1958)
Cuba dates
Harry Haag - Cuba?
Hamid Morton Shrine Circus (1935-1956) (1961-1969...)
Harry Haag (indoor circus, NJ fairgrounds) (?)
Jack Joyce - for
various Shriner's Circus
(1951-1960)
Shrine Circuses Harry
Haag Jr. Remembers Performing for:
(circus names verified, dates from Jack Joyce's schedule)
1951,54 - Al Sirat Grotto, Cleveland OH
1951 - Kosair Shrine, Louisville KY
1951-54 - Polack Bros
1952 - Medinah Shrine, Chicago
1953 - Mohammed Shrine, Peoria IL
1954 - Tom Packs Circus
1954, 55 - Aladdin Shrine, Columbus OH
1954 - St. Louis Police Circus
1954 - Tangier Shrine, Omaha NE
1954 - Osiris Shrine, Wheeling W. Vir
1954 - Hadi Shrine, Evansville, IN
1954 - Ararat Shrine, Kansas City Missouri
1955 - Moslem Shrine, Detroit
1955 - Edmonton Shrine
1955 - Houston Shrine
1955 - Ft. Worth Shrine
1955 - Super Circus, Chicago
1956 - Minneapolis Shrine Circus
Zuhrah Shrine Show
1956 - Camels, llamas, zebra, pony
Tom Packs Circus, St. Louis Police Circus
1957 - Tripoli Shrine Circus, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Karnak Shrine, Montreal Albert Vidbel
Topeka Shrine Circus
Kansas City Shrine Circus
1958 - Tripoli Shrine Circus, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1959 - Antioch Shine, Dayton OH
1959 - Zuhrah Shrine, Minneapolis
1960 - Ararat Shrine, Kansas City Missouri
1960 - St. Louis Police Circus
1960 - Moslem Shrine, Detroit
1960 - Damascus Shrine, Rochester NY
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Harry Haag Jr.
Ringling Bros. Circus
Ruby Haag, Harry Haag Jr., Naomi
The Greatest Show on Earth (Movie)
(Charles "Doc" Haag worked
for Arky in with the elephants 1952)
Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus
Arky Scott was on the show (1950-1954)
(Charles "Doc" Haag worked for Arky Scott) (?)
Royal Dunbar Circus (1 ring circus - mud show) (?1950's,1955)
(flew to Caracas Venezuela, Ruby)
(animals by boat)
Ruby Haag, Harry Haag Sr., Charles Haag (Doc), Naomi, Stanley Childers
(neighbor)
Judy Elephant, Ponies, Dogs
Columbia South America
Wallenda's troupe (1955)
Jack Joyce's Dancing Camels
Toast of the Town
(8-29-1954 - Toast of the Town-Ed Sullivan, guest host Eddie Fisher)
(episode 323)
JungleLand (1956-1968)
in Thousand Oaks California
Mabel Stark worked there (1938-1968)
Harry Haag trained the big cats
(1950's)
worked with Mable Stark
worked with Arky Scott's wife, Toni
Sheena, Queen of the Jungle
(1955-56) TV series
Harry Haag trains lions and tigers
Several Tarzan like movies - starring Victor Mature
(1956 - Safari)
Harry Haag trains lions and tigers
Tom Packs (12-20-1957
- 1-12-1958)
Havana Cuba
Harry Haag
Merry Andrew
(Movie)
(Harry Haag Jr. a Double in Lion Cage 1958)
Palomino Liberty Horse Act in California (late
50's or early 60's)
Originally owned by Roy Rogers
Gene Randal worked the horses
(Harry Haag Jr. - worked the horses)
Ringling Bros. Circus (2-15-1961 -
5-28-1961)
Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus International
(animals and workers by boat to Rio, Ruby)
(most people flew to Rio)
Ruby Haag, Naomi - Ponies, Dogs
Oscar Cristiani's lead elephant, Christy, died and was
buried at sea
Command Performance for the
Kennedy's (1962)
Jacqueline, Caroline, John ...
Harry Haag Jr. (Jack Joyce Liberty
Act)
Al G. Kelly
Miller Bros Circus (1937-1968)(1984-1986)
(winter 1962-1963)
Harry Haag Jr., Jack Joyce, Dory "D.R." Miller
Caribbean, Jamaica Tour
Kingston Jamaica (1-1963)
The Circus Hall of Fame
(Sarasota Florida)
(Harry Haag Jr., Horse Ballet -
Prancing Horses-8 horse Liberty Act;
Naomi - Rolling Globe; Ruby Haag - Canine Review 1963)
Pat Eagon works as Puppeteer and on refreshments
(1962,1963...)
Jack Joyce's Liberty Horse Act
(...Harry Haag Jr. 1963 Ringling Bros.
in Madison Square Gardens NY....)
Gooding Carnivals - Columbus Ohio(?)
Fred Brown
Animaland USA - Sarasota Florida
(1959-1961...1964?)
Eddie Billetti
(Eddie Hebeler) in Sarasota Florida managed circus show at different malls
(Animal Land USA)
(Harry Haag Jr., Pat, Ruby, and Naomi)
(Harry Haag Jr. and Pat Haag 1964...)
Harry Haag Jr. work Eva the elephant
Haag's Marionettes and Capt.
Penny-Pincher
(Harry and Pat Haag)
(1235 Weiser Ave
Akron Ohio)
(1966?... 7-1968...5-5-1969...)
West Coast Shows - Carnival (Colorado) (1968)
Bobby Cohn (Cowin?) - Owner
Fred Brown - Mechanic
Ruby Haag Brown - Fun House
Blue Grass Shows Carnival (1970's)
Owned by Ernie Ferrell
Naomi came from Texas to join
Helen Haag - concession games
Clark and
Walters Circus (1964-1972)
Herb and Helen Walters - owners (1964-1966)
Mel Silverlake - owner (1966-1967)
6-26-1967 - Brownie and Josephine Silverlake buy
4-1969
Melvin Silverlake - Manager, Pony drill, Elephants
James Silverlake - Assistant Manager
Myrna and Ron Ratcliff - Rodent show
Myrna and Marlin - Web and Ladders
Myrna - Acrobatic Contortion and Dogs
Joe - Single traps and military goats
Brownie and Franklin - Clown alley
Ralph and Naomi Carpenter - Snow and cool drinks
Fred and Ruby Brown - Concessions
Josephine Silverlake - designed coloring book
1970
Josephine Silverlake
Ruby Haag - Cook
Harry Haag Jr. - Elephant(?)
Elephants: Jess, Norma, Dixie
Carson & Barnes Circus
(1957-1963,1965- )
D.R. Miller and Associates - owners (1971-1984)
Ruby Haag Brown - Jewelry (1971-72?)
Fred Brown - Mechanic
Fisher Bros.
Circus (1923, 1934-1935,1971-1974, 1975,
1978, 1989)
Mel Silverlake - owner (1971-1974)
Mel Silverlake and B.K. Silverlake - owners (1989)
Opens 5-1971
10-1971
Melvin Silverlake - Owner and Manager
Kathy Silverlake - Single Trapeze and High diving dog
Cheryl Haag - Spanish Web and Swinging Ladder
Harry Haag and Volunteers - Bareback Riding Academy
Ruby Haag - Miss Ruby's Dog Act
Mel -
Elephant Dixie
7-13-1972 - Traverse City Michigan
Kim 11- high flying act, trapeze and loop walk, stand on bareback horse
Dixie the elephant (young) - sit, bow, walk plank
Diane - seal, 2 monkeys on trampoline
Patsie's Poodle - dance
Kathy - dog and goats
Garcia - juggle, clown with orange wig
drummer
peanuts - 25 cents
world's smallest horse
5 legged calf
(Traverse Bay News 7-13-1972)
2-1974
Melvin and B K Silverlake - owners
Brownie Silverlake - Snake Show
(3 generations of Silverlakes)
Brownie and Josephine Silverlake
sons: Melvin and Joe
Melvin's son Melvin Ray
Raymond and Emma Duke
daughter: B K Silverlake
B K's son Melvin Ray
(date? 1974)
Gloria Null - Web, Trampoline
Peggy Null - Organist
Antonette "Toni" - Drummer
Toni married in cookhouse (1974?)
1975
Janice Ruth "JR" Ratcliff - Trapeze
Raymond Duke - Agent
Myrna Ratcliff
3-1975
Joe Silverlake and Gloria Null - jugglers
Mary Diane - swinging ladder, dogs
Brownie Silverlake - trained monkey
Joe Silverlake - swinging anchor
Gloria Null - spanish web
educated llama
elephant
hippo
cloud swing
clowns
closing words "Good luck, God bless and may the
Good Lord take a linking to you"
Lewis Bros. Circus (1931-1942, 1945, 1973-1976)
Jimmy Silverlake - owner (1973)
Hoxie Tucker and John Lewis - owners (1974-1975)
1-1973
White Tops Article
Jim Silverlake and John Lewis - owners
Marilyn Silverlake - office manager
Myrna Ratciff and John Lewis - contacting agent
snake show - boa, pythons, anacondas
Jim and Sandi Windland - ape show
tickets $1 for child or adult in advance
$1.50, $1.75 at gate
monkeys, zebra, llamas, midget pony, baboons, african porcupine
exotic sheep
Haag Family - aerial loop walk, mechanic riding act,
risley and a high diving dog through ring of fire
Diane Wilson - 5 performing seals, 4 baboons, performing macaws
Babe the elephant (25 years old)
Barney the zebra
David Terrill - clown
Bobby Green - announcer, calliope
3-1973
Jimmy Silverlake owns show
Myrna Ratcliff - General Agent at Norman Indiana
4-1973
Jimmy and Marlyn Silverlake
Cheryl Haag - Loop Walk and Trapeze
Pat Haag - Super Dog
Alice Haag - Horse Riding
Kim Haag - Standing on Horse Riding
Marlyn Silverlake - Web and Swinging Ladder
6-1973
Ruby Ann Haag (8 yrs old)
Ruby Haag Brown - Cook
Fred Brown - Maintenance
Barnes and Daily
Circus (1974)
(Photos by Hartland
Smith)
Jimmy Silverlake - owner (1974)
Former Fisher Bros Drummer
Clowns
Jugglers
Aerialists
Rolling Globe
Calliope and Ring Master
West Coast Shows - Carnival (Colorado)
Bobby Cohen - Owner
Pacific Coast Shows
(6-1974 Arapahoe county fairgrounds, Littleton
Colorado)
Sutton family - owners
Haag Family Mini-Circus
high diving dog - fella
Ruby 9 - dog act
wire walking dog - fluffy jasbo
Dancing dog - fifi
barrel rolling dog - fella, smokey
Harry Haag - ponies and llama
Cheryl 16 and Kim 13 Aerial Acts, web, ladder, trapeze
Paul & Dorthy
Kelly's Circus Quarters
Harry, Pat and kids lived on Kelly's land (1975?)
Deer Park - Illinois
petting zoo, rides
Luv Mugs (Christian Puppets)
Harry Haag directs
all the kids help
(1977-1979)
Elmo and Daisy (Clowns)
Darren and Ruby
(1992- )
Miscellaneous Information
Harry Haag Jr. dated Carla Wallenda
Harry Haag Sr. twice had his own winter shows after 1938