In Memoriam

Long-time IJA member Hamilton Floyd died in September following several years of declining health. He was instrumental in introducing many people to rope spinning, and was author of the pamphlet, "The Lariat Manual." For many years he sold lariats and gave rope spinning and juggling shows in and around San Antonio, Tex. His trick of spinning a rope with his head while juggling three balls and standing on the rola bola (at age 60-plus!) never failed to bring applause, and he performed it at severaI IJA festivals. He has been buried at the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio.

                - from Jim Bayliss

 

Jay Gilligan appeared as the sole juggler in a 15-act competition of singers and dancers, did an absolutely no-drop routine and won a $5,000 first prize. The Arcadia, Ohio, I5-year-old finished sixth in the Juniors in Montreal, but won over multitudes of competitors trying to reach the national finals of the Youth Talent International contest. Gilligan said, "This is the 'Seniors' for dancers and singers. They've got coaches and train all year, but I didn't take it that seriously. That probably helped." Gilligan is also a multi­title holder in the Unicycle Society of America in artistic freestyle riding and racing. He won an initial talent search round at the Mid­South Fair in Memphis, Tenn. In the finals, he said, "I did a perfect routine, didn't drop once." It included a lot of his IJA Juniors tricks - seven ball flash, break-down with six rings, somersault with three clubs, four into five clubs and his finale: riding a unicycle without sitting on the seat while juggling five clubs. He also balanced the unicycle on his chin and juggled five clubs.

 

Bryan Nash from North Hollywood, Calif., is spending the winter at Holland Village in Japan. His four-month contract there, which represents his first visit to that country, runs through mid-March. This past summer Nash worked at Magic Mountain in Valencia, Calif., doing a pre-show for a Batman laser and fire show. Nash warmed up the crowd with torches, machetes, balls, clubs, rings, ball rolling and cigar boxes. He has been juggling professionally for three years, and has been seen on recent episodes of TV's "General Hospital," "Who's the Boss" and "Ricochet."

 

Cruise juggling has been bread and butter recently for Barnaby. An extended Scandinavian voyage included several visits to Russia. His biggest thrill came performing at the Russian Seaman's Club in St. Petersburg. For eight weeks a Seaman's group put on a cultural show for the ship's passengers. But the final week the ship's performers returned the favor to the club. Future cruises will take him from New York down the East Coast to the Caribbean. "Fighting boredom can be difficult," said Barnaby, "and you lose some of your chops working only once or twice a week." But he feels lucky and blessed to be able to travel. He crosses paths with Sean and Meg Emery, and has heard Michael James also juggles on board ships. Barnaby is one of a very small number of artists who still do the Bobby May cigarette trick, flipping a cigarette and lit match behind his back to be caught in his mouth, and lighting up. He is also known for juggling while playing guitar. Since "music goes a long way in entertainment," Barnaby says he's playing and singing more novelty songs. Back .home .in the American West, Barnaby ran into Steve and Carol Mills as they did school shows and Barbaby appeared at the Kern County Fair in Bakersfield, Calif. When he's not on the road, he visits with the Albuquerque Juggling Club, which he reports is thriving under the care of stalwarts Brian Pau, Stefan Bell, Pyro and Robbie Weinstein.

 

Michael Chirrick performed at the Monte Carlo Casino in October and November before accompanying his uncle, Francis Brunn, on his variety show tour of Germany. Stateside fans can see Chirrick perform at the Meadowlands Fair in New Jersey this coming June 17 through July 4.

 

The Fettncini Brothers, Sean Sullivan and Steve Langley, have hit the airwaves recently. They did a comedy cruise with Bud Friedman and the Improv people on Norwegian Cruise Lines, appearing on a resulting hour-long show in some short bits, badgering Bud as he visited Caribbean tourist sites to let them on his show. They taped an "Evening at the Improv" segment in November which should air early in 1993, and are scheduled to appear on the Statler Brothers Show on January 30.

 

Catch an act by Art Jennings in San An­tonio at the Hertzberg Circus Museum every third Saturday. The museum houses the collection of the man who left his archives to the city's pledge of eternal care. Art has been a volunteer at the museum for three years. He also reports seeing Dave Finnigan address a Texas statewide special education convention, and enjoying the scene as Professor Confidence coaxed 400 people to juggle scarves simultaneously.

Pensacola IJA member Bruce Heidt is honored as one of eight magicians of the year on the cover of the October issue of MUM, the magazine of the Society of American Magicians. Heidt, who is president of SAM 129, presents a "lesson on juggling" in his shows to try to interest young audience members in the skill.