Frank Gardner , circus elephant trainer in United States Gardner was born * 1885-07-18 in Janesville, Wisconsin United States dead 1952-03-17 , in United States .
Frank was born in Janesville, Wisconsin He was nicknamed "Cheerful" because deadpan expression. He learned the trade as a young man under the direction of George Denman. Cheerful began his circus career on the Ringling Bros Circus in 1903 as a camel handler. By 1923 he had taken over the John Robinson Circus Herd and then in 1925 for whatever reason, the John Robinson Herd and the Hagenbeck-Wallace herds traded places. He had become a legendary Herd boss and trainer known for his swinging pendulum head carry. From 1925 to 1934 he held the entire Hagenbeck-Wallace Herd in his control with as many as 29 elephants in 1934.
Records about Cheerful Gardner from William "Buckles" Woodcocks Blog Above we see Cheerful Gardners 1931-32 twenty elephant Herd with Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus. Peru Quarters 1935. Cheerful Gardner at left and Emory Stiles at extreme right. William "Buckles" Woodcock Buckles Blog Records about Cheerful Gardner from William "Buckles" Woodcocks Blog Contradictory records: FRANK "CHEERFUL" GARDNER 1903- Rinmgling Bros. Circus (Menagerie Hand) 1904- Hagenbeck Animal Exhibit (St. Louis Worlds Fair) 1905 Carl Hagenbeck Circus 1907-09 Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus 1910 Patterson Carnival- J.E. Henry Circus 1911-13 Sun Bros. Circus (Supt. of Elephantrs) 1915-17 Cole Bros. Circus (J. Augustus Jones) 1918 Walter L. Main Circus (Andrew Downie) 1919 Al G. Barnes Circus (Menagerie Supt.) 1920-22 Al G. Barnes (Supt. of Elephants) 1923-24 John Robinson Circus (Corporation owned) 1925-38 Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus 1939-40 Baldwin Park, Calif. Quarters 1940-41 1943 Russell Bros. Circus 1944-45 Arthur Bros. Circus 1946-47 Polack Bros. Circus (Western Unit) 1948-50 Polack Bros. Circus (Eastern Unit) 1951 Howard Y. Bary Zoo Train FRANK "Cheerful" GARDNER 1903 Ringling Bros. (menagerie hand) 1904 Hagenbeck Animal Show (St. Louis Worlds Fair) _____Carl Hagenbeck Circus 1909 Hagenbeck-Wallace (Asst. Supt. menagerie) _____Patterson Carnival _____J.E. Henry Circus 1911-13 Sun Bros. Circus 1915-17 Cole Bros. (J. Augustus Jones) 1918 Walter L. Main Circus (Andrew Downie) 1919 Al G. Barnes Circus (MenagerieSupt.) 1920-22 Al G. Barnes Circus (Elephant Supt.) 1923-24 John Robinson Circus 1925-35 Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus 1936 Peru, Indiana Quarters 1937-38 Hagenbeck-Wallace (Howard Y. Bary ) 1939-40 Surplus H-W elephants in Calif. 1943 Russell Bros. Circus 1944-45 Arthur Bros. Circus 1946-47 Polack Bros. Circus (Western Unit) 1948-50 Polack Bros. Circus (Eastern Unit) 1951 Howard Y. Bary Zoo Train Died March 17, 1952 William "Buckles" Woodcock Buckles Blog He was inducted into the International Circus Hall of Fame in 1981. Elephant Joe in Baldwin Park with Cheerful Gardner, 1939. Cheerful Gardner and Bill Woodcock at Kelly-Miller, during their last meeting, 1950. Cheerful Gardner is mentioned on 8 other person pagesBert Bowers, Clyde Baudendistle, Emory Stiles, Fred Alispaw, Jeremiah Mugivan, Johan Ringling, Walter McClain, William Woodcock, Cheerful Gardner is mentioned on 4 location pagesAmerican Circus Corporation, Baldwin Park, Cole Brothers Circus, Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus, Cheerful Gardner is mentioned on 6 elephant record pagesBlanche, Gentry Babe, Hattie (Haddie), Joe, Lizzie (Wallace Liz), Vera (Bingo),
Above we see Cheerful Gardners 1931-32 twenty elephant Herd with Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus. Peru Quarters 1935. Cheerful Gardner at left and Emory Stiles at extreme right. William "Buckles" Woodcock Buckles Blog
Contradictory records: FRANK "CHEERFUL" GARDNER 1903- Rinmgling Bros. Circus (Menagerie Hand) 1904- Hagenbeck Animal Exhibit (St. Louis Worlds Fair) 1905 Carl Hagenbeck Circus 1907-09 Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus 1910 Patterson Carnival- J.E. Henry Circus 1911-13 Sun Bros. Circus (Supt. of Elephantrs) 1915-17 Cole Bros. Circus (J. Augustus Jones) 1918 Walter L. Main Circus (Andrew Downie) 1919 Al G. Barnes Circus (Menagerie Supt.) 1920-22 Al G. Barnes (Supt. of Elephants) 1923-24 John Robinson Circus (Corporation owned) 1925-38 Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus 1939-40 Baldwin Park, Calif. Quarters 1940-41 1943 Russell Bros. Circus 1944-45 Arthur Bros. Circus 1946-47 Polack Bros. Circus (Western Unit) 1948-50 Polack Bros. Circus (Eastern Unit) 1951 Howard Y. Bary Zoo Train FRANK "Cheerful" GARDNER 1903 Ringling Bros. (menagerie hand) 1904 Hagenbeck Animal Show (St. Louis Worlds Fair) _____Carl Hagenbeck Circus 1909 Hagenbeck-Wallace (Asst. Supt. menagerie) _____Patterson Carnival _____J.E. Henry Circus 1911-13 Sun Bros. Circus 1915-17 Cole Bros. (J. Augustus Jones) 1918 Walter L. Main Circus (Andrew Downie) 1919 Al G. Barnes Circus (MenagerieSupt.) 1920-22 Al G. Barnes Circus (Elephant Supt.) 1923-24 John Robinson Circus 1925-35 Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus 1936 Peru, Indiana Quarters 1937-38 Hagenbeck-Wallace (Howard Y. Bary ) 1939-40 Surplus H-W elephants in Calif. 1943 Russell Bros. Circus 1944-45 Arthur Bros. Circus 1946-47 Polack Bros. Circus (Western Unit) 1948-50 Polack Bros. Circus (Eastern Unit) 1951 Howard Y. Bary Zoo Train Died March 17, 1952 William "Buckles" Woodcock Buckles Blog
FRANK "CHEERFUL" GARDNER 1903- Rinmgling Bros. Circus (Menagerie Hand) 1904- Hagenbeck Animal Exhibit (St. Louis Worlds Fair) 1905 Carl Hagenbeck Circus 1907-09 Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus 1910 Patterson Carnival- J.E. Henry Circus 1911-13 Sun Bros. Circus (Supt. of Elephantrs) 1915-17 Cole Bros. Circus (J. Augustus Jones) 1918 Walter L. Main Circus (Andrew Downie) 1919 Al G. Barnes Circus (Menagerie Supt.) 1920-22 Al G. Barnes (Supt. of Elephants) 1923-24 John Robinson Circus (Corporation owned) 1925-38 Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus 1939-40 Baldwin Park, Calif. Quarters 1940-41 1943 Russell Bros. Circus 1944-45 Arthur Bros. Circus 1946-47 Polack Bros. Circus (Western Unit) 1948-50 Polack Bros. Circus (Eastern Unit) 1951 Howard Y. Bary Zoo Train
FRANK "Cheerful" GARDNER 1903 Ringling Bros. (menagerie hand) 1904 Hagenbeck Animal Show (St. Louis Worlds Fair) _____Carl Hagenbeck Circus 1909 Hagenbeck-Wallace (Asst. Supt. menagerie) _____Patterson Carnival _____J.E. Henry Circus 1911-13 Sun Bros. Circus 1915-17 Cole Bros. (J. Augustus Jones) 1918 Walter L. Main Circus (Andrew Downie) 1919 Al G. Barnes Circus (MenagerieSupt.) 1920-22 Al G. Barnes Circus (Elephant Supt.) 1923-24 John Robinson Circus 1925-35 Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus 1936 Peru, Indiana Quarters 1937-38 Hagenbeck-Wallace (Howard Y. Bary ) 1939-40 Surplus H-W elephants in Calif. 1943 Russell Bros. Circus 1944-45 Arthur Bros. Circus 1946-47 Polack Bros. Circus (Western Unit) 1948-50 Polack Bros. Circus (Eastern Unit) 1951 Howard Y. Bary Zoo Train Died March 17, 1952