Walter McClain

1934: Walter McClain was in charge of the 16 elephants on the show that season and he may well have them all moving the "Hippo Den" thru the sand in Seattle 5/27/34.
- Al G. Barnes Circus 1934/ Working in the sand

William "Buckles" Woodcock Buckles Blog

Slivers was drafted into the Army in 1942 and he told me he was in Basic Training when he learned that Walter had been killed.
Oscar Cristiani added that he had been an eye witness to the incident. He said that John Ringling North was engaged to one of his sisters at the time and the three of them were standing at the crossing watching the train being unloaded when the hook rope broke while one of the wagons was coming down the runs and continued to roll across the intersection.
McClain was standing nearby with the elephants and attempted to climb aboard the runaway vehicle to set the hand brake but instead slipped and fell beneath to his death.

William "Buckles" Woodcock Buckles Blog

As far as a department head with the old style railroad shows is concerned, Walter McClain was the best ever with Ringling.
None were the equal of Cheerful Gardner tho a close runner up was Walter McClain.
- A portion of a letter from Bill Woodcock (1/8/61) to Chappie Fox.

William "Buckles" Woodcock Buckles Blog

The 1940 program also ran an article on boss elephant man Walter McClain titled “Beautician to Fifty Elephants,” and which described some of the care and maintenance that McClain and his associates were required to perform on the show’s elephant Herd.

William "Buckles" Woodcock Buckles Blog