Mabel Stark
Encyclopedia
Mabel Stark, whose real name was Mary Haynie (December 9, 1889 - April 20, 1968) was a renowned tiger trainer of the 1920s and she was referred to as the world's first woman tiger trainer/tamer.
. She was one of seven children born to Lela and Hardy Haynie. Stark's parents were farmers and they died within two years of each other, so that by the age of 17, Stark and her siblings were orphaned. She spent a short period of time with her aunt in Princeton. She then traveled to Louisville
and became a nurse at St. Mary's Hospital. Soon after, she left Louisville and her history becomes difficult to trace. Circus friends contend that she worked in carnivals as a "dancer" of some type. Like many circus performers, Stark did not hesitate to enrich the truth to create an interesting story. She even once told an interviewer that she was born to a wealthy Canadian
. She ended up in 1911 with the Al G. Barnes Circus based in Culver City, California
, where she met animal trainer Al Sands. She worked for a brief time there as a "high school" rider (horseback rider), but fervently wanted to work with the big cats. She began work with Louis Roth, a famous "cat man" who she would later marry. (Stark was married 4 or 5 times) Soon, she became a tiger trainer in the ring. At first, they had her work a "balloon act" which had her "riding" a lion on a platform and then pressing a pedal to release fireworks at some point in the act. But by 1916, she was presenting the show's major tiger act.
She adopted a mangy, sickly tiger cub named Rajah and raised him to perform a famous wrestling act with her. She accomplished this by romping and playing with the cub at the beach and actually keeping him as a pet in her apartment. According to Stark's autobiography, "Rajah would run straight toward me. Up he went on his hind legs, his forefeet around my neck. We turned around once or twice, I threw him to the ground, and we rolled three or four times. I opened his mouth and put my face inside, then jumped to my feet."
She was approached by, and joined, the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus in 1922, where she performed in Madison Square Garden
with snarling tigers and a black panther. By the end of that season, of the six wild animal acts featured with the circus, Mabel Stark's was clearly the greatest success. In 1923, she starred in the Ringling center ring, but two years later in 1925, the circus banned all wild animal acts. After a sojourn to Europe where she performed in a circus, she came back to the U.S. in 1928 and began work with the John Robinson Show. In Bangor, Maine
, she lost her footing in a muddy arena and was seriously mauled by her tigers. She would suffer a wound that almost severed her leg, face lacerations, a hole in her shoulder, a torn deltoid muscle and a host of other injuries. She was rescued by fellow trainer, Terrell Jacobs, and returned to the ring in a matter of weeks, swathed in bandages and walking with a cane. She suffered numerous maulings and serious injury over her nearly 60 years of working with tigers. At one point in her career, she would face 18 big cats in the ring.
She performed with the Sells-Floto Circus in 1929 and then rejoined Barnes, after it had been sold to Ringling, in 1930 and stayed there until it folded in 1935. She toured with some small circuses and lived in Japan
where she performed her circus act in the 1950s. She returned to California
and finished her career at the Jungle Compound (later called Jungleland
) at Thousand Oaks.
Stark appeared occasionally on television in the 1960s. For example, she did a stint as one of the guests with an unusual occupation on What's My Line?
, the popular Sunday Night CBS-TV program.
In 1968 Jungleland was sold to a new owner who disliked Stark and fired her. Soon after she left, one of her tigers escaped and was shot. Stark was angry and hurt about the animal's destruction and felt that she could have safely secured the tiger if the owners had asked for her assistance. Three months later, she killed herself by an overdose of barbiturates. In the last pages of her autobiography, Hold That Tiger, Stark writes: "The chute door opens as I crack my whip and shout, 'Let them come,' Out slink the striped cats, snarling and roaring, leaping at each other or at me. It's a matchless thrill, and life without it is not worth while to me."
She died on April 20, 1968.
and starring Kate Winslet
. The filming rights were purchased by his production company, Neal Street Productions, and based upon a fictionalized account of Stark's life by author Robert Hough
, entitled The Final Confession of Mabel Stark. The screenplay is rumored to be adapted by Italian
screenwriter Francesca Marciano. Production was expected to begin sometime in 2008, but has not been verified.According to Ms. Winslet's assisant, the screenplay was "shopped" around Hollywood but they were unable to obtain the money necessary to shoot the film.
Biography
Stark was born near Princeton, KentuckyPrinceton, Kentucky
Princeton is a city in Caldwell County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 6,329 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Caldwell County.-History:...
. She was one of seven children born to Lela and Hardy Haynie. Stark's parents were farmers and they died within two years of each other, so that by the age of 17, Stark and her siblings were orphaned. She spent a short period of time with her aunt in Princeton. She then traveled to Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
and became a nurse at St. Mary's Hospital. Soon after, she left Louisville and her history becomes difficult to trace. Circus friends contend that she worked in carnivals as a "dancer" of some type. Like many circus performers, Stark did not hesitate to enrich the truth to create an interesting story. She even once told an interviewer that she was born to a wealthy Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. She ended up in 1911 with the Al G. Barnes Circus based in Culver City, California
Culver City, California
Culver City is a city in western Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 38,883, up from 38,816 at the 2000 census. It is mostly surrounded by the city of Los Angeles, but also shares a border with unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. Culver...
, where she met animal trainer Al Sands. She worked for a brief time there as a "high school" rider (horseback rider), but fervently wanted to work with the big cats. She began work with Louis Roth, a famous "cat man" who she would later marry. (Stark was married 4 or 5 times) Soon, she became a tiger trainer in the ring. At first, they had her work a "balloon act" which had her "riding" a lion on a platform and then pressing a pedal to release fireworks at some point in the act. But by 1916, she was presenting the show's major tiger act.
She adopted a mangy, sickly tiger cub named Rajah and raised him to perform a famous wrestling act with her. She accomplished this by romping and playing with the cub at the beach and actually keeping him as a pet in her apartment. According to Stark's autobiography, "Rajah would run straight toward me. Up he went on his hind legs, his forefeet around my neck. We turned around once or twice, I threw him to the ground, and we rolled three or four times. I opened his mouth and put my face inside, then jumped to my feet."
She was approached by, and joined, the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus in 1922, where she performed in Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
with snarling tigers and a black panther. By the end of that season, of the six wild animal acts featured with the circus, Mabel Stark's was clearly the greatest success. In 1923, she starred in the Ringling center ring, but two years later in 1925, the circus banned all wild animal acts. After a sojourn to Europe where she performed in a circus, she came back to the U.S. in 1928 and began work with the John Robinson Show. In Bangor, Maine
Bangor, Maine
Bangor is a city in and the county seat of Penobscot County, Maine, United States, and the major commercial and cultural center for eastern and northern Maine...
, she lost her footing in a muddy arena and was seriously mauled by her tigers. She would suffer a wound that almost severed her leg, face lacerations, a hole in her shoulder, a torn deltoid muscle and a host of other injuries. She was rescued by fellow trainer, Terrell Jacobs, and returned to the ring in a matter of weeks, swathed in bandages and walking with a cane. She suffered numerous maulings and serious injury over her nearly 60 years of working with tigers. At one point in her career, she would face 18 big cats in the ring.
She performed with the Sells-Floto Circus in 1929 and then rejoined Barnes, after it had been sold to Ringling, in 1930 and stayed there until it folded in 1935. She toured with some small circuses and lived in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
where she performed her circus act in the 1950s. She returned to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and finished her career at the Jungle Compound (later called Jungleland
Jungleland USA
Jungleland USA was a theme park in Thousand Oaks, California, United States, on the current site of the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza.Louis Goebel created Jungleland in 1926 as an animal training center for Hollywood. It later became one of Southern California's first theme parks. It opened to the...
) at Thousand Oaks.
Stark appeared occasionally on television in the 1960s. For example, she did a stint as one of the guests with an unusual occupation on What's My Line?
What's My Line?
What's My Line? is a panel game show which originally ran in the United States on the CBS Television Network from 1950 to 1967, with several international versions and subsequent U.S. revivals. The game tasked celebrity panelists with questioning contestants in order to determine their occupations....
, the popular Sunday Night CBS-TV program.
In 1968 Jungleland was sold to a new owner who disliked Stark and fired her. Soon after she left, one of her tigers escaped and was shot. Stark was angry and hurt about the animal's destruction and felt that she could have safely secured the tiger if the owners had asked for her assistance. Three months later, she killed herself by an overdose of barbiturates. In the last pages of her autobiography, Hold That Tiger, Stark writes: "The chute door opens as I crack my whip and shout, 'Let them come,' Out slink the striped cats, snarling and roaring, leaping at each other or at me. It's a matchless thrill, and life without it is not worth while to me."
She died on April 20, 1968.
Legacy
As of February 26, 2007, there were rumors of a film based on her life in the developmental stages, reportedly directed and/or produced by Sam MendesSam Mendes
Samuel Alexander "Sam" Mendes, CBE is an English stage and film director. He is best known for his Academy Award-winning work on his debut film American Beauty and his dark re-inventions of the stage musicals Cabaret , Oliver! , Company and Gypsy . He's currently working on the 23rd James Bond...
and starring Kate Winslet
Kate Winslet
Kate Elizabeth Winslet is an English actress and occasional singer. She has received multiple awards and nominations. She was the youngest person to accrue six Academy Award nominations, and won the Academy Award for Best Actress for The Reader...
. The filming rights were purchased by his production company, Neal Street Productions, and based upon a fictionalized account of Stark's life by author Robert Hough
Robert Hough
Robert Hough is a Canadian author. Hough graduated from Queen's University at Kingston in 1985. Following a career as a free-lance magazine journalist, Hough published his first novel titled The Final Confession of Mabel Stark, in 2001.-Published works:* The Final Confession of Mabel Stark ....
, entitled The Final Confession of Mabel Stark. The screenplay is rumored to be adapted by Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
screenwriter Francesca Marciano. Production was expected to begin sometime in 2008, but has not been verified.According to Ms. Winslet's assisant, the screenplay was "shopped" around Hollywood but they were unable to obtain the money necessary to shoot the film.