Not juggling but an archery and trampoline act instead.
Here's George Bodo, his wife, Gloria and their daughter, Bonnie, aka The Bouncing Bodos, performing their thrilling stunts on the 1950s US TV show, You Asked For It. George (1918-2013) was a Pearl Harbour survivor, who spent his life as a judo instructor as well as performing his trampoline and archery act with Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus.
When I first shared this video online in 2024, I received a comment from a woman in South Carolina who said: “THIS IS MY GRANDFATHER, GRANDMOTHER, AND AUNT!!!! I love this! It’s the first time I’ve seen a video of them!”
She went on to tell me that she was adopted but had been researching her family's history after doing an ancestry search. She was finding it hard to discover much about them.
I then replied: “Whenever I find an old video clip like this, especially of lesser known artists, I always try looking for them on Facebook. I've discovered loads of retired artists or family members who were interested in circus history, messaged them and invited them to join this group and connect/reconnect with others. I have messaged several members of the Bodo family who I suspect are relations but none have replied yet. I'll send you their names on Messenger later when I get back on my computer.”
A man in Florida also left this comment: “Thank you for posting this film. They are my grand parents and the young girl is my mom.”
Another American man wrote this: “I grew up in the country between Pinellas Park and Largo, Florida. I had a long time friend name Don, I'll leave his last name off here. Don's family put a swimming pool in at their house and it was a long walk from where I lived. They had a trampoline as well. This is the very late 1950's possibly into 1960. I don't know the connection but Bonnie's parents and Don's parents knew each other. Bonnie would come to Don's house and swim in the pool. And I was invited as well. I remember her well. The background area in this video looks exactly like the area where I'm talking about. That is rural Florida, pine trees and palmetto bushes all over the place. I don't know if this was filmed at Don's house but for sure it was filmed in that area of Florida. Long ago memory. I thought Bonnie rather cute, by the way.”
Here's the obituary notice for George A Bodo Sr: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/tampabaytimes/name/george-bodo-obituary?id=9284440
Here's a newspaper clipping advertising the Bodo's TV appearance on You Asked For It: https://www.newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times/118696688/
Here's the video: https://youtu.be/v8xrGjJWB6U?si=HXYMNzn1mCL_HjOU
When I first shared this video online in 2024, I received a comment from a woman in South Carolina who said: “THIS IS MY GRANDFATHER, GRANDMOTHER, AND AUNT!!!! I love this! It’s the first time I’ve seen a video of them!”
She went on to tell me that she was adopted but had been researching her family's history after doing an ancestry search. She was finding it hard to discover much about them.
I then replied: “Whenever I find an old video clip like this, especially of lesser known artists, I always try looking for them on Facebook. I've discovered loads of retired artists or family members who were interested in circus history, messaged them and invited them to join this group and connect/reconnect with others. I have messaged several members of the Bodo family who I suspect are relations but none have replied yet. I'll send you their names on Messenger later when I get back on my computer.”
A man in Florida also left this comment: “Thank you for posting this film. They are my grand parents and the young girl is my mom.”
Another American man wrote this: “I grew up in the country between Pinellas Park and Largo, Florida. I had a long time friend name Don, I'll leave his last name off here. Don's family put a swimming pool in at their house and it was a long walk from where I lived. They had a trampoline as well. This is the very late 1950's possibly into 1960. I don't know the connection but Bonnie's parents and Don's parents knew each other. Bonnie would come to Don's house and swim in the pool. And I was invited as well. I remember her well. The background area in this video looks exactly like the area where I'm talking about. That is rural Florida, pine trees and palmetto bushes all over the place. I don't know if this was filmed at Don's house but for sure it was filmed in that area of Florida. Long ago memory. I thought Bonnie rather cute, by the way.”
Here's the obituary notice for George A Bodo Sr: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/tampabaytimes/name/george-bodo-obituary?id=9284440
Here's a newspaper clipping advertising the Bodo's TV appearance on You Asked For It: https://www.newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times/118696688/
Here's the video: https://youtu.be/v8xrGjJWB6U?si=HXYMNzn1mCL_HjOU
