Harry Rice tent show posters

Collection — Folder: 1

Identifier: BCA 0334

Selected Renfro Valley Tent Show Oral History Interviews

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Content Description

This collection comprises two large, colorful posters from tent shows of the late 1930s or early 1940s:

1. Text: "Renfro Valley Folks in person here in the big tent one night only Tuesday June 26. The greatest hill billy show on tour." Neil Walters Poster Co. Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Red and blue ink on cream paper. Dimensions: 27 x 41 inches.

2. Text: "Kay Bros. Circus Endicott show grounds, rear H. B. Endicott School afternoon and night one day only May 11 Kay Bros. dancing elephants." Red and blue ink on yellow paper. Show location: Endicott, New York? Dimensions: 28 x 42 inches.

Dates

Creation: circa 1935 - 1945

Creator

Neal Walters Poster Corporation (Eureka Springs (Ark.)) (Publisher, Organization)

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for use in the Special Collections and Archives reading room.

Full Extent

1 folder

Full Extent

2 items (Large format prints)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The Harry Rice tent show posters is a small collection of two large items: posters printed on paper advertising traveling entertainment events. The Kay Brothers Circus opened in 1932 as the successor to the Ketrow Brothers Circus. “Kay Brothers” and Ketrow Brothers” were professional names use by the show owner William “Bill” Ketrow (real name William R. Peters.) This small, family-run circus traveled throughout the eastern United States until 1941.

The Renfro Valley Folks were an entertainment troop organized by John Lair in 1937. In addition to performing on the radio and live at the Renfro Valley Barn in Rockcastle County, Kentucky (which opened in 1939), the cast presented traveling shows. The connection between these two posters in the Rice collection is that Renfro Valley contracted with the Ketrows to provide tent, equipment, and related labor for their road shows after the Ketrows were no longer in the circus business.