Difference between revisions of "Ben Williams"
From Circopedia
(→Image Gallery) |
|||
| (17 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown) | |||
| Line 4: | Line 4: | ||
| − | Ben Harold Williams (1953-2009) was born January 18, 1953 in Fort Worth, Texas, the son of aerialist Barbara Ray and elephant trainer [[Rex Williams]]. His parents divorced. When Barbara married another elephant trainer, the legendary [[William Woodcock Jr|Bill “Buckles” Woodcock]], Ben began working with Buckles's star elephant, Anna May, a remarkably gifted Indian Woodlands elephant that Buckles had purchased from a circus in 1951 | + | [[File:Ben_Williams_and_Anna_May_1982.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Ben Williams & Anna May (1982)]]Ben Harold Williams (1953-2009) was born January 18, 1953 in Fort Worth, Texas, the son of aerialist Barbara Ray and elephant trainer [[Rex Williams]]. His parents divorced. When Barbara married another elephant trainer, the legendary [[William Woodcock, Jr.|Bill “Buckles” Woodcock]], Ben began working with Buckles's star elephant, Anna May, a remarkably gifted Indian Woodlands elephant that Buckles had purchased from a circus in 1951 when she was five years old. By then, Anna May was thirteen, and Ben, six. |
When not traveling with his parents, Ben went to school in Ruskin, Florida—the Woodcocks' hometown—where he became president of the National Honor Society. A bright student, he was offered a scholarship for the University of South Florida, but he chose to go back to the circus instead, and to continue working with elephants. | When not traveling with his parents, Ben went to school in Ruskin, Florida—the Woodcocks' hometown—where he became president of the National Honor Society. A bright student, he was offered a scholarship for the University of South Florida, but he chose to go back to the circus instead, and to continue working with elephants. | ||
| − | Ben appeared for the first time on television with Anna May, on the Ed Sullivan Show when he was eleven years old. Eventually, Buckles and Barbara Woodcock helped Ben develop a fast-paced duet with Anna May, to which Barbara added a leopard named Odin. "Ben Williams and Anna May" became one of the most successful and original elephant acts in America. | + | Ben appeared for the first time on television with Anna May, on the ''Ed Sullivan Show'' when he was eleven years old. Eventually, Buckles and Barbara Woodcock helped Ben develop a fast-paced duet with Anna May, to which Barbara added a leopard named Odin. "Ben Williams and Anna May" became one of the most successful and original elephant acts in America. |
===Ben Williams & Anna May=== | ===Ben Williams & Anna May=== | ||
| Line 16: | Line 16: | ||
Like the rest of the Woodcock family, Ben worked in all major American circuses. In 1978-79, he was featured with Anna May in the 108th edition of [[Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey]]'s ''Greatest Show On Earth''. In 1982-83, Ben Williams and Anna May were featured in the [[Big Apple Circus]]'s second holiday season at Lincoln Center, inaugurating a long association between that circus and the Woodcock family. | Like the rest of the Woodcock family, Ben worked in all major American circuses. In 1978-79, he was featured with Anna May in the 108th edition of [[Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey]]'s ''Greatest Show On Earth''. In 1982-83, Ben Williams and Anna May were featured in the [[Big Apple Circus]]'s second holiday season at Lincoln Center, inaugurating a long association between that circus and the Woodcock family. | ||
| − | Williams, with Anna May and other Woodcock elephants, subsequently performed with the Big Apple Circus in several productions through 1994. Starting in 1989, his presentations often included his wife, Darlene, a former Ringling showgirl, and their two daughters, Stormy and Skye. Shortly after his final engagement with the Big Apple Circus in 1994, Ben retired from performing, and he and his family settled in Ruskin, Florida. He died of a gastrointestinal cancer on October 2, 2009 in Tampa, Florida; he was fifty-six years old. Beside his daughters Stormy and Skye, Ben Williams had a son, Shane, and a daughter from a first marriage, Jennifer Williams Doby. | + | Williams, with Anna May and other Woodcock elephants, subsequently performed with the Big Apple Circus in several productions through 1994. Starting in 1989, his presentations often included his wife, Darlene, a former Ringling showgirl, and their two daughters, Stormy and Skye. Shortly after his final engagement with the Big Apple Circus in 1994, Ben retired from performing, and he and his family settled in Ruskin, Florida. He died of a gastrointestinal cancer on October 2, 2009 in Tampa, Florida; he was fifty-six years old. His partner, Anna May, had died in 2004, at age 57. Beside his daughters Stormy and Skye, Ben Williams had a son, Shane, and a daughter from a first marriage, Jennifer Williams Doby. |
==See Also== | ==See Also== | ||
| − | * Video: [[Ben_Williams_and_Anna_May_BAC_Video_1985|Ben Williams | + | * Video: [[Ben_Williams_and_Anna_May_BAC_Video_1985|Ben Williams & Anna May]] with The Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra at the Big Apple Circus (1985) |
| − | * Video: [[Ben_Williams_%26_Anna_May_Video|Ben Williams & Anna May]] | + | * Video: [[Ben_Williams_%26_Anna_May_Video|Ben Williams & Anna May]] at the Big Apple Circus (1985) |
| + | * Video: [[Ben_Williams_and_Anna_May_BAC_Video_1989|Ben Williams & Anna May]] in the Big Apple Circus production of ''Grandma Goes West'' (1989) | ||
* Video: [[Bill_Woodcocks_Elephants_BAC_Video_1990|Ben Williams & Family]], with Anna May and Ned, in the Big Apple Circus production of ''Ballerinas, Horses and Clowns...'' (1990) | * Video: [[Bill_Woodcocks_Elephants_BAC_Video_1990|Ben Williams & Family]], with Anna May and Ned, in the Big Apple Circus production of ''Ballerinas, Horses and Clowns...'' (1990) | ||
* Video: [[Williams_Family_Video_1993|Ben Williams & Family]], with Anna May, Ned, and Amy,in the Big Apple Circus production of ''Carnevale In Venice'' (1993) | * Video: [[Williams_Family_Video_1993|Ben Williams & Family]], with Anna May, Ned, and Amy,in the Big Apple Circus production of ''Carnevale In Venice'' (1993) | ||
| Line 29: | Line 30: | ||
<Gallery> | <Gallery> | ||
Image:Ben_Williams_%26_Anna_May_(1960).jpg|Ben Williams and Anna May (1960) | Image:Ben_Williams_%26_Anna_May_(1960).jpg|Ben Williams and Anna May (1960) | ||
| + | File:Ben_Williams_1974.jpg|Ben Williams at Circus World (1974) | ||
| + | File:Ben_Williams_at_Circus_World.jpg|Ben Williams at Circus World (1974) | ||
Image:Ben_Williams_%26_Barbara_Woodcock_(1978).jpg|Ben Williams, Barbara Woodcock and Bill Woodcock (1978) | Image:Ben_Williams_%26_Barbara_Woodcock_(1978).jpg|Ben Williams, Barbara Woodcock and Bill Woodcock (1978) | ||
Image:Darlene_Williams.jpg|Darlene Williams (c.1980) | Image:Darlene_Williams.jpg|Darlene Williams (c.1980) | ||
| + | File:Ben_Williams_and_Anna_May_1982.jpg|Ben Williams & Anna May (1982) | ||
| + | Image:Anna_May_and_Stormy_Wiilliams_(1986).jpg|Anna May and Stormy Williams (1984) | ||
Image:Ben_and_Darlene_Williams.jpg|Ben and Darlene Williams (1993) | Image:Ben_and_Darlene_Williams.jpg|Ben and Darlene Williams (1993) | ||
| + | File:Ben_Williams_and_family_BAC_(1993).jpg|The Williams Family (1993) | ||
</Gallery> | </Gallery> | ||
| − | [[Category: Artists and Acts|Williams, Ben]] | + | [[Category:Artists and Acts|Williams, Ben]] |
| − | [[Category: Animal Trainers|Williams, Ben]] | + | [[Category:Animal Trainers|Williams, Ben]][[Category:Elephant Acts|Williams, Ben]] |
Latest revision as of 18:39, 8 May 2018
Elephant Trainer
By Dominique Jando
When not traveling with his parents, Ben went to school in Ruskin, Florida—the Woodcocks' hometown—where he became president of the National Honor Society. A bright student, he was offered a scholarship for the University of South Florida, but he chose to go back to the circus instead, and to continue working with elephants.
Ben appeared for the first time on television with Anna May, on the Ed Sullivan Show when he was eleven years old. Eventually, Buckles and Barbara Woodcock helped Ben develop a fast-paced duet with Anna May, to which Barbara added a leopard named Odin. "Ben Williams and Anna May" became one of the most successful and original elephant acts in America.
Ben Williams & Anna May
The bond between Williams and Anna May was intense. When in 1982, Anna May accidently killed a woman who had sneaked into her trailer, Ben fled with his elephant partner, fearing that she would be killed by the authorities—unfortunately not an uncommon practice in this type of incident. Convicted of leaving the scene of an accident (he was originally charged with murder), Ben spent two weeks in jail—but Anna May survived the ordeal unharmed.
Like the rest of the Woodcock family, Ben worked in all major American circuses. In 1978-79, he was featured with Anna May in the 108th edition of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey's Greatest Show On Earth. In 1982-83, Ben Williams and Anna May were featured in the Big Apple Circus's second holiday season at Lincoln Center, inaugurating a long association between that circus and the Woodcock family.
Williams, with Anna May and other Woodcock elephants, subsequently performed with the Big Apple Circus in several productions through 1994. Starting in 1989, his presentations often included his wife, Darlene, a former Ringling showgirl, and their two daughters, Stormy and Skye. Shortly after his final engagement with the Big Apple Circus in 1994, Ben retired from performing, and he and his family settled in Ruskin, Florida. He died of a gastrointestinal cancer on October 2, 2009 in Tampa, Florida; he was fifty-six years old. His partner, Anna May, had died in 2004, at age 57. Beside his daughters Stormy and Skye, Ben Williams had a son, Shane, and a daughter from a first marriage, Jennifer Williams Doby.
See Also
- Video: Ben Williams & Anna May with The Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra at the Big Apple Circus (1985)
- Video: Ben Williams & Anna May at the Big Apple Circus (1985)
- Video: Ben Williams & Anna May in the Big Apple Circus production of Grandma Goes West (1989)
- Video: Ben Williams & Family, with Anna May and Ned, in the Big Apple Circus production of Ballerinas, Horses and Clowns... (1990)
- Video: Ben Williams & Family, with Anna May, Ned, and Amy,in the Big Apple Circus production of Carnevale In Venice (1993)
Image Gallery
Ben Williams and Anna May (1960)
Ben Williams at Circus World (1974)
Ben Williams at Circus World (1974)
Ben Williams, Barbara Woodcock and Bill Woodcock (1978)
Darlene Williams (c.1980)
Ben Williams & Anna May (1982)
Anna May and Stormy Williams (1984)
Ben and Darlene Williams (1993)
The Williams Family (1993)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
