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Call Number
CWM Mss 15, CWM PH 6

Title
Valdo, Patrick (1881-1970), Papers 1900-1970.  3.4 cubic feet (10 boxes) 

Biography
Patrick Fitzgerald Valdo had a lifelong association with the circus. A native of Binghamton, New York, Valdo got his first circus job while still in his teens with the Walter L. Main Circus as a candy butcher. A short time later Valdo became apprenticed as clown with the John Robinson Circus. He joined the Ringling Brothers in 1902 and first gained notoriety as a clown. Valdo’s face could often be seen in white face makeup on circus posters of the era. Valdo worked for several major circus shows including Barnum and Bailey and Hagenbeck-Wallace but had his longest association with the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, a relationship that lasted until his death in 1970. In 1923 Valdo was appointed assistant director of performance. Several years later he took over as supervisor of performance and personnel for all Ringling properties. His duties often took him overseas to scout out new talent. His first trip was in 1932. On that and subsequent European visits, Valdo brought to the United States many notable circus artists. At the opening of the 1969 season at the Circus’s Florida winter quarters Valdo was named Director Emeritus of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus, a title never before bestowed by the circus.

Scope and Content
The collection is divided into two series, MANUSCRIPT (CWM Mss 15), and VISUAL MATERIALS (CWM Ph 6). The MANUSCRIPT series consists of correspondence, and personal ephemera including wartime vehicle registration documents, membership cards in multiple performing organizations including the White Rats of America (an early 20th century actors union), newspaper clippings, circus programs, and route books. The series also contains Valdo’s contracts with the Barnum and Bailey, Hagenbeck-Wallace, and Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circuses as well as production for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus for various years from 1930 through 1970. The MANUSCRIPT series also contains various documents relating to Valdo’s wife Laura O’Meers Valdo, including her passport and citizenship papers.   

The VISUAL MATERIALS series (CWM Ph 6) contains an extensive collection of photographs of various acts from both abroad and from within the United States. The arrangement is primarily alphabetical but also based upon the original order of the collection as received from the University of Wyoming and may in some manner reflect the original order as established by Pat Valdo, although it must be stressed that there is no clear evidence of this fact.

The bulk of the photographs are undated however many date from the 1930s or earlier. The images cover a broad array of acts including balancing acts, bicycle acts, clowns, acrobats, magicians, musicians, notable individuals such as Lillian Leitzel, and Emmett Kelley. Also found in the collection are a number of images of Valdo himself and personal family photographs. In many cases the images are unidentified but general circus scenes, unless otherwise noted, most likely were taken from the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

The VISUAL MATERIALS series also contain a number of photographic albums and scrapbooks. One album contains postcard photographs of the Barnum and Bailey Circus from 1908-1911. Another scrapbook dating to the 1903-1905 period contains advertisements and photographs for various circus shows, performers, and vaudeville acts as well as Valdo’s contract with the Cincinnati Theatrical Agency in 1903.

Transferred from the American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming to Circus World Museum in 2003

Container List
CWM Mss 15
Box     Folder
                                 MANUSCRIPT          
Box 1   Folder 1        Automobile Insurance policy, 1965
                                 Business Cards
Box 1   Folder  2                      Dover, Robert 
Box 1   Folder 3                       Robbins, A.
Box 1   Folder 4                       Valdo, Pat                                
                                 Contracts
Box 1   Folder 5                       Barnum and Bailey Circus, 1908,
Box 1   Folder 6                       Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus, 1912
Box 1   Folder 7                       Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, 1921-1935          
Box 1   Folder 8        Correspondence 1924-1970, undated
                                 Fitzgerald, Laura (Mrs. Pat Valdo)
Box 1   Folder 9                       Citizenship papers 1917, 1956
Box 1   Folder 10                     Drivers License,1940-1947
Box 1   Folder 11                     Passport, 1918
Box 1   Folder 12      Gasoline Ration Books, 1944
Box 1   Folder 13      Hubert Castle Entertainment 3-Ring Circus, Route Card, 1970
Box 1   Folder 14      Invitations, 1933, 1953, 1954
Box 1   Folder 15      “It Can Be Done” Radio Broadcast Transcript, 1937
Box 1   Folder 16      Magic Trick Booklets, 1936, undated
                                 Membership Cards
Box 1   Folder 17                     General, 1932-1969
Box 1   Folder 18                     White Rats of America (Actors Union), 1908-1912
Box 1   Folder 19      Miscellaneous Ephemera 
                                 Newspaper clippings
Box 1   Folder 20                     Cartoons
Box 1   Folder 21                     Circus Advertisements
Box 1   Folder 22                     Circus Articles
Box 1   Folder 23                     Circus Reviews
Box 1   Folder 24                     Jung, Paul, Circus Clown Murdered in 1966
Box 1   Folder 25                     Leitzel, Lillian
Box 1   Folder 26                     Meers and Valdo
Box 1   Folder 27                     Valdo, Laura O’Meers
Box 1   Folder 28                     Valdo, Pat
Box 2   Folder 1        O’Meers, Laura, Autograph Album, 1902-1905
Box 2   Folder 2        Passenger list, S.S. Washington, 1936
Box 2   Folder 3        Performance Tickets
Box 2   Folder 4        Production notes, 1930, 1944, 1969, 1970, undated 
                                 Programs
Box 2   Folder 5                       Adam Forepaugh and Sells Bros. 20th Century Colossus, ca. 1936
Box 2   Folder 6                       Bertram Mills Circus, 1930-1939
Box 2   Folder 7                       B.F. Kieth’s New Theatre (Vaudeville), 1934
Box 2   Folder 8                       Bonne et Heureuse Anne a Tous Vous Habintenes, Undated
Box 2   Folder 9                       Carmo Currier (The Great Carmo Circus and Menagerie) ca. 1925
Box 2   Folder 10                     Circus Knie, 1922
Box 2   Folder 11                     Clyde Beatty Cole Bros. Circus, 1968
Box 2   Folder 12                     Crystal Palace Grand Continental Circus, 1934
Box 2   Folder 13                     Des Moines Orpheum, 1929
Box 2   Folder 14                     French Casino Theatre and Restaurant, undated
Box 2   Folder 15                     Gran Circo Feijoo, 1935         
Box 2   Folder 16                     Kelvin Hall Carnival and Circus, Glasgow, 1936-1939
Box 2   Folder 17                     New Globe Theatre, 1908
Box 2   Folder 18                     New Worlds Fair Circus, London, 1934
Box 2   Folder 19                     Northampton 3-County Fair, 1970
Box 2   Folder 20                     Proctor’s 23rd Street Theatre (Vaudeville), 1900                      
Box 2   Folder 21                     Roland Circus, 1951
Box 2   Folder 22      Promotional Material, 1933-1961
Box 2   Folder 23      Receipts Book, 1954
Box 3   Folder 1        Religious booklets and identification cards, undated
                                 Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
Box 3   Folder 2                       Advance Dept. Employee Card, 1943
Box 3   Folder 3                       Programs, 1933, 1960, 1964, 1969, 1970
Box 3   Folder 4-5                    Route Books, 1955, 1937
Box 3   Folder 6                       Route Card, 1970
Box 3   Folder 7                       Route Map, 1939
Box 3   Folder 8        Season Passes-Circus, 1932-1967
Box 3   Folder 9        Season Passes-non circus, 1932-1953
Box 3   Folder 10      Selective Service Card, 1942
Box 3   Folder 11      Show Folks of Sarasota, Inc., By-Laws, undated
                                 Sketches
Box 3   Folder 12                     Valdo, Pat
Box 3   Folder 13                     Various circus acts, undated
Box 3   Folder 14      Sparks Circus, Magazine and Daily Review, 1931
Box 3   Folder 15      “The Jinx,” Newsletter, 1939-1941
Box 3   Folder 16      “The Conjuros, Magazine,” 1945, 1946
                                 Valdo, Pat,
Box 3   Folder 17                     New Yorker Profile, 1952
Box 3   Folder 18                     Obituary, 1970

Container List  
CWM Ph 6
Box      Folder              
                                    VISUAL MATERIALS
                                    Acrobats
Box 1   Folder  1                      Carlo Medini Troupe1
Box 1   Folder  2                      Four Eitners
Box 1   Folder  3                      Los Perezoff, 1880
Box 1   Folder  4                      Solver, Hal, 1935
Box 1   Folder  5                      France, Miriam
Box 1   Folder  6                      Meers Brothers, 1894
Box 1   Folder  7                      Meers, Marie
Box 1   Folder  8                      Monage Troupe
Box 1   Folder  9                      Raja en Reno Company
Box 1   Folder  10                    Three Worchesters
Box 1   Folder  11                    Unidentified
Box 1   Folder  12                    Wen Hai Troupe           
                                    Aerial Acts
Box 1   Folder  13                    Fearless Flyers
Box 1   Folder  14                    Florence and Delores
Box 1   Folder  15                    Four Saphirs
Box 1   Folder  16                    Four Wileys     
Box 1   Folder  17                    Great Nelson Troupe
Box 1   Folder  18                    Leitzel, Lillian-11
Box 7   Folder  3                      Leitzel, Lillian, Oversize
Box 1   Folder  19                    Lieblum, Darla Diette,1965
Box 1   Folder  20                    Liedy and Fred Carron
Box 1   Folder  21                    Miss America Olvera
Box 1   Folder  22                    Miss Cooky
Box 1   Folder  23                    Miss Tamarra
Box 1   Folder  24                    Nettie Carroll Trio, 1910
Box 1   Folder  25                    Nocks, The
Box 1   Folder  26                    Norma
Box 1   Folder  27                    Rita de la Plata
Box 1   Folder  28                    Rob Crimse Company
Box 1   Folder  29                    St. Astonis
Box 1   Folder  30                    Les Souers Wetzel
Box 1   Folder  31                    Ten Otaris
Box 1   Folder  32                    The Codonas
Box 1   Folder  33                    Two Willos
Box 1   Folder  34                    Unidentified
Box 1   Folder  35                    Winn Troupe
                                        Animal Acts
Box 1   Folder  36                    Ackeri, Franz
Box 1   Folder  37                    Aeros, Cliff
Box 1   Folder  38                    Arango, Carol (attached letter)
Box 1   Folder  39                    Betty and Clarisse (Finch Bros Circus), 1967
Box 1   Folder  40                    Bradena, Ella, 1908
Box 1   Folder  41                    Carmenerti
Box 1   Folder  42                    Casi, Les
Box 1   Folder  43                    Charles Peterson’s Jockey Dogs
Box 1   Folder  44                    Clark, Katherine
Box 1   Folder  45                    Corriea Sisters, 1913
Box 1   Folder  46                    Cottrell-Powell Trio, ca. 1900
Box 1   Folder  47                    Davenport Farm, ca. 1900
Box 1   Folder  48                    DeKok, Johnny and Eveline
Box 1   Folder  49                    Dresur, Marguerita
Box 1   Folder  50                    Duttons, The,  ca 1900
Box 1   Folder  51                    E.H. Williams Horses
Box 1   Folder  52                    Familie Belley
Box 1   Folder  53                    Familie Loyal Repenski
Box 1   Folder  54                    Feindt, Cilly
Box 1   Folder  55                    Folco, Les
Box 1   Folder  56                    Four O’Relly’s
Box 1   Folder  57                    Gunvor Ahlber’s Elephants
Box 1   Folder  58                    Hanneford, Gracie
Box 1   Folder  59                    Herbert, Dorothy and Princess Anna
Box 1   Folder  60                    Heyer, William
Box 1   Folder  61                    H.H. Conley’s Horses, 1941
Box 1   Folder  62                    Jose Gonzales Company
Box 1   Folder  63                    Kautsky’s Chaplain Bears
Box 1   Folder  64                    Kraml, Francesco
Box 1   Folder  65                    Langen Emil’s Jockey Parody
Box 1   Folder  66                    Leon, Randy
Box 1   Folder  67                    Les Freres Caroli
Box 1   Folder  68                    Luciana
Box 1   Folder  69                    Lyons, Tommy Kaye
Box 1   Folder  70                    Mangean’s International Novelty
Box 1   Folder  71                    Max and Moritz
Box 1   Folder  71                    Meyer, Rosalind, 1910
Box 1   Folder  73                    M&G Gilbert’s Trained Pigeons
Box 1   Folder  74                    Mister Coco
Box 1   Folder  75                    Mrs. O’Myra
Box 1   Folder  76                    Nelson’s Steel Pier Alley Cats
Box 1   Folder  77                    O,Meers Sisters
Box 1   Folder  78                    Petuletti, Fred
Box 1   Folder  79                    Primtora
Box 1   Folder  80                    Professor George J. Keller’s Jungle Killet’s
Box 1   Folder  81                    Riding Rooney’s, ca. 1900
Box 1   Folder  82                    Roberty’s Riders
Box 1   Folder  83                    Rocasini
Box 1   Folder  84                    Sisters Carre
Box 1   Folder  85                    Solar, Willie (and Madge Ermer and Judy)
Box 1   Folder  86                    Tas de Deux
Box 1   Folder  87                    Two Novellos
Box 1   Folder  88                    Unidentified
Box 1   Folder  89                    Unidentified, color transparency
Box 1   Folder  90                    Willy and Emma, 1933
                                    Balancing Acts
Box 2   Folder 1                       Amazing Gridneffs
Box 2   Folder 2                       Four Aerial Devils
Box 2   Folder 3                       Four Romeos
Box 2   Folder 4                       Great Bradforts, The
Box 2   Folder 5                       Guilly and Jeanny
Box 2   Folder 6                       H.B. Liazeed Troupe
Box 2   Folder 7                       Jardy’s, The
Box 2   Folder 8                       Julian and Charmaine
Box 2   Folder 9                       Les Silvas
Box 2   Folder 10                     Les Trois Matas
Box 2   Folder 11                     Los Aquila
Box 2   Folder 12                     Phil and Bonnie Bonta  
Box 2   Folder 13                     Opvisning
Box 2   Folder 14                     Original Romano’s
Box 2   Folder 15                     Original Sawadas
Box 2   Folder 16                     Three Adlers
Box 2   Folder 17                     Three Raspinis
Box 2   Folder 18                     Unidentified
Box 2   Folder 19                     Young Kam Troupe
Box 5   Album 1           Barnum and Bailey Circus Postcard Album, 1908-1911
                                    Bicycle Acts
Box 2   Folder 20                     Four Sidneys
Box 2   Folder 21                     Gardy and Macson
Box 2   Folder 22                     Slatanachs, The
Box 2   Folder 23                     Trio Shyretto
Box 2   Folder 24                     Victoria Troupe
Box 2   Folder 25         Cirque Medrano, Paris, France 1936
                                    Circus Scenes
Box 2   Folder 26                     General
Box 7   Folder 1                       Oversize 
                                    Clowns
Box 2   Folder 27                     Anthony, Mark
Box 2   Folder 28                     Banie, Dale
Box 2   Folder 29                     Barraceta, Hermanos
Box 2   Folder 30                     Finch, Gary and Ronnie, 1963
Box 2   Folder 31                     Four Hermans
Box 2   Folder 32                     Helias  
Box 2   Folder 33                     Holland, L.C.
Box 2   Folder 34                     Jansleys
Box 2   Folder 35                     Kelly, Emmet
Box 7   Folder 2                       Kelly, Emmet  Oversize
Box 2   Folder 36                     La Cinco Duran
Box 2   Folder 37                     Polidor
Box 2   Folder 38                     Rastelli Troupe
Box 2   Folder 39                     Rice, Bell and Baldwin
Box 2   Folder 40                     Rico Alex and Company
Box 2   Folder 41                     Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus Clowns, 1922
Box 2   Folder 42                     Romig, Irwin H.
Box 2   Folder 43                     Stelling, Fred
Box 2   Folder 44                     Three Original Bennos
Box 2   Folder 45                     Trio Zachinni   
Box 2   Folder 46                     Unidentified
                                    Contortionists
Box 2   Folder 47                     Leo and Walter
Box 2   Folder 48                     Linnie Trio
Box 2   Folder 49                     Sayton, Carl (and Partner)
Box 2   Folder 50                     Togan and Geneva
Box 2   Folder 51                     Walters Duo, The
                                    Dancers
Box 2   Folder 52                     Duchanne, Leblanc (and Ray)
Box 2   Folder 53                     Hazel Mangean Girls
Box 2   Folder 54                     Marcellus Dancers
Box 2   Folder 55                     Van de Velde Company
Box 2   Folder 56                     Evans, Merle, 1966
Box 2   Folder 57                     Hartford Fire, 1944
                                    Jugglers
Box 2   Folder 58                     Andos
Box 2   Folder 59                     Cronin, Morris
Box 2   Folder 60                     Hildebrand, Inge (Helmut Gunther’s Juggler)
Box 2   Folder 61                     Great Reverho, The
Box 2   Folder 62                     Turner, Bert
Box 2   Folder 63                     Unidentified
                                    Magic Acts
Box 2   Folder 64                     Besplay
Box 2   Folder 65                     Hull, Burling
Box 2   Folder 66                     Otilla, Sicki’s Assistant
Box 2   Folder 67         Medrano Circus
Box 2   Folder 68         Meck, Sophie
                                    Midgets
Box 2   Folder 69                     Ringling Brothers, Ringling Giants Baseball Team
Box 2   Folder 70                     Ritter Midgets, The
Box 2   Folder 71                     Troupe Internationale des Lilliputiens de Siebold
                                    Musical Acts
Box 2   Folder 72                     Barraceta, Manu
Box 2   Folder 73                     Belley, E.A.
Box 2   Folder 74         Nickell Family
Box 2   Folder 75         O’Meers, Joe
                                    Places
Box 2   Folder 76                     Burma
Box 2   Folder 77                     Cuba
Box 2   Folder 78                     Elm Farm, East Brookfield, Mass
Box 2   Folder 79                     England
Box 2   Folder 80                     Germany
Box 2   Folder 81                     Italy
Box 2   Folder 82                     Moscow
Box 2   Folder 83                     South Redfield, South Dakota
Box 3   Folder 1           Ringling, Henry North
Box 3   Folder 2           Ringling, John
Box 3   Folder 3           Sanford, Hester Ringling
Box 3   Folder 4           “The Greatest Show on Earth” (Movie), 1951
Box 7   Album 4           Scrapbook, various circus performers 1920-1945
                                    Tightrope Acts
Box 3   Folder 5                       Andos, The
Box 3   Folder 6                       Blondin Rellim’s, The
Box 3   Folder 7                       Fliefo, Paul
Box 3   Folder 8                       Levolo, Pat
Box 3   Folder 9                       Togan & Geneva
Box 3   Folder 10                     Two Niewar’s
Box 3   Folder 11                     Unidentifed
Box 3   Folder 12                     Walker, Johnny (and Erica)
Box 6   Album 2           Travel Photographs, 1900-1914
Box 3   Folder 13         Unidentified Acts
Box 6   Album 3           Unidentified circus performers
Box 7   Folder 5           Unidentified circus people
Box 3   Folder 14         Unidentified family photographs
Box 3   Folder 15         Unidentified house
Box 3   Folder 16-17    Unidentified people
                                    Various Acts
Box 3   Folder 18                     Bogino, Leda and Manuela
Box 3   Folder 19                     Camillo Meyer Troupe
Box 3   Folder 20                     Desprez Brothers, The
Box 3   Folder 21                     Ferbus, Ruby
Box 3   Folder 22                     Five Lorrisons
Box 3   Folder 23                     Floretty Trio
Box 3   Folder 24                     Four Whirlwinds
Box 3   Folder 25                     Frilli Troupe
Box 3   Folder 26                     Germain, Wanda
Box 3   Folder 27                     Gorison, Gissi
Box 3   Folder 28                     Guetsang Troupe
Box 3   Folder 29                     Gutis, The
Box 3   Folder 30                     Hardt, Louis
Box 3   Folder 31                     Italian Christian Troupe
Box 3   Folder 32                     Koehler Troupe
Box 3   Folder 33                     La Toria
Box 3   Folder 34                     Les Sisters Zoyal
Box 3   Folder 35                     Miller, Noida
Box 3   Folder 36                     Mongadors, The
Box 3   Folder 37                     Odeo
Box 3   Folder 38                     Original Three Cempers
Box 3   Folder 39                     Reed, Olga; Meyer, Rose K.; McCree, Lulu
Box 3   Folder 40                     Rohrl, Hand
Box 3   Folder 41                     Royal China
Box 3   Folder 42                     Siegrist and Silbon Troupe
Box 3   Folder 43                     Silber Sehmallen Four
Box 3   Folder 44                     Silloway, A.M.
Box 3   Folder 45                     Stark, Mabel
Box 3   Folder 46                     Three Allison Girls
Box 3   Folder 47                     Three Niagraa
Box 3   Folder 48                     Troupe Junior Hortobagy
Box 4   Folder 1           Valdo, Laura O’Meers
Box 4   Folder 2           Valdo, Meers, and Valdo
                                    Valdo, Pat
Box 4   Folder 3                       Family and Friends
Box 4   Folder 4-6                    General
Box 4   Folder 7                       In clown costume
Box 7   Folder 6                       Painting/Birthday Greeting Card
Box 7   Album 5                       Vaudeville and Performer Advertisement Scrapbook, 1903-1905