JungleLand
 (1956-1968)

in Thousand Oaks California

Goebel's Lion Farm (bought 1926, opened to public 1929)

1946 - sold to James Ruman and Sid Rogel, World Jungle Compound

1956 - sold to 20th Century Fox, Jungleland

1961 - back to Goebel, Jungleland

Heinz and Ruhe operate Jungleland
Mr. Ed the talking horse and the MGM lion lived there
Bimbo the elephant, Bobo the chimpanzee, Sultan the tiger, Nuba the lion
giraffes, lions, elephants, zebras, water buffalo

Mabel Stark - world's only lady tiger trainer (worked there 1938 - 1968)

Films there: Birth of a Nation, Tarzan, the Adventures of Robin Hood

Harry Haag trained the big cats (worked with Mabel Stark) - 1950's
Harry Haag worked with Arky Scott's wife, Toni

11-1966  - lion mauls Jayne Mansfield's 6 year old son, Zoltan

 

Mabel Stark
 

Mabel Stark established herself at Louis Goebel's Lion Farm in Thousand Oaks, California, in 1938. Her first residence was at 3056 Crescent Way. She performed her tiger acts there most of the year, at times taking them on the road out of the Compound for various shows, including Polack Bros. She remained with the Compound for the remaining 30 years of her life, and was my mentor for her final 3 1/2 years. I lived across the street from her at 2883 Crescent Way. She was found dead in her bed at home on April 20, 1968, by her housekeeper, Pauline LeGrand. I was asked to identify both her body and her handwriting for the Ventura Co. Sheriff's deputies, as Pauline had to be sedated for hysteria. The Compound continued under the destructive regime of the Kabat's and Scarborough's until we were auctioned off under federal court order, over October 8 and 9, 1969. Parley Baer, Mabel's closest friend for 40 years put her age at 79, and through my acquaintanceship with her family, this is the correct age.
(Roger Smith)
 

Mabel Stark, 79, died in Thousand Oaks, California, on April 20, 1968, after spending 57 years in the steel arena training tigers. Miss Stark was born in Princeton, Kentucky, and trained for a career in nursing in Louisville, Kentucky. While vacationing in Venice, California, she chanced to be standing before the cage of a large tiger named King. He was owned by Al G Barnes and was on lease to a movie company. She joined the Barnes show to work with that tiger and remained with the West Coast Circus until 1921.

Her early training in the big cage was under a master teacher, Louie Roth. The 1914 Barnes program listed Display No. 22 as Sampson, the aviation lion, the trainer, Miss Stark. Display No. 30, three full grown black maned ferocious African lions ride a galloping stallion, Trainer in charge, Miss Stark. The big tiger act was presented by Louie Roth, but an article in the program booklet tells of a group of tigers handled by Miss Stark, one of which was King. Then 1916 program listed Mabel Stark presenting the big tiger act.

The 1922 Ringling Barnum program lists an end ring wild animal act presented by Miss Stark, and in 1923 she moved to the center ring with an eight tiger act. After six years on the big show she went to Europe. While there she was contacted by the American Circus Corporation and appeared  with the John Robinson Circus in 1928.

In 1929 Miss Stark presented her tiger act on the Sells-Floto Circus. In 1930 she returned to the Al G Barnes Circus and remained there through 1936. The 1938 season found her back with the Barnes Sells-Floto show and at midseason with the Ringling Barnum features on Barnes. In the mid forties she appeared with the Jimmie Woods Yankee Patterson truck Circus.

In the 1950's she made a tour of Japan, while there her husband Eddie Trees died. She returned to Thousand Oaks, California, and went back to work at the World Jungle Compound. Miss Stark remained at the Compound until her death.
(Bandwagon Obituary1968)


 

Eugene "Arky" Scott
 

Eugene Howard "Arky" Scott was born Tuesday, 8 August 1905, in Louisiana, according to the Death Records of Ventura County, California. He told me he had no contact with his birth family, and wasn't sure of any record, including what age he might have been. His mother and father are listed as unknown. The number of years as an elephant trainer are officially given here as 45. Arky Scott was among my great friends at Jungleland. His wife, Toni, had been with him there for a time, but was not in Thousand Oaks when I arrived, in 1965. Arky became ill with cancer, and I took him to the bus for his trip to the hospital. He returned after the surgery, and was cared for in his trailer by a woman named Liz Muchmore, until he died in 1968. He was buried in his formal military elephant trainer's uniform at Pacific Coast Showmans' Rest, in Los Angeles County, California. Arky died of cardiovascular collapse, due to metastatic bronchogenic carcinoma, in Thousand Oaks Convalescent Hospital, at 5:45 pm, on Thursday, 11 April 1968. His age was given as 62. Arky was buried on Monday, 15 April 1968, in Evergreen Cemetery, Pacific Coast Showmans' Rest, in Los Angeles. To give this perspective, five days later, on Saturday, 20 April 1968, Mabel Stark's body was found in her home, in Thousand Oaks. 
(Roger Smith)

Eugene Arky Scott, 62, died in Thousand Oaks, California, on April 11, 1968. Scott left a boy's home at age 14 to join a small circus. He soon found his way to Peru, Indiana, where he worked for the John Robinson Circus. A friendship with Pete Taylor led him to try wild animal training. In the animal department of the various Corporation shows he developed a special interest in elephants. When the Cole show was started in 1935 he moved to Rochester. In 1937 he became menagerie superintendent remaining in that job until the show was sold in 1949. Scott moved to the Ringling-Barnum show in 1950 as elephant boss.

Arky held the top spot with the big show until 1954. He then moved to the World Jungle Compound in Thousand Oaks, California. While there he handled the Compound elephants in many movies and TV appearances , including the training of Bimbo in the Circus Boy television series.

During the 1961, 1962, and 1963 seasons he was with the Rudy Bros Circus, and then returned to Jungleland, where he was active until the last few years.
(Bandwagon Obituary 1968)

Jungleland Skates

Mabel Stark

Goebel's Lion Farm

 

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