Jenda Smaha - Revision history

Djando: /* Image Gallery */

2018-05-07T18:03:19Z

‎Image Gallery

Djando: /* Tanya, Star Of Stage And Television */

2018-03-15T23:30:45Z

‎Tanya, Star Of Stage And Television

Djando: /* Tanya, Star Of Stage And Television */

2018-03-15T23:30:12Z

‎Tanya, Star Of Stage And Television

Djando at 20:05, 8 February 2015

2015-02-08T20:05:03Z

Djando: /* Tanya, Star Of Stage And Television */

2014-10-08T17:23:27Z

‎Tanya, Star Of Stage And Television

Djando: /* The Vinicky-Smahas */

2012-07-17T17:00:14Z

‎The Vinicky-Smahas

Djando: /* Tanya, Star Of Stage And Television */

2012-07-17T16:57:35Z

‎Tanya, Star Of Stage And Television

Djando: /* Tanya, Star Of Stage And Television */

2012-07-17T16:56:32Z

‎Tanya, Star Of Stage And Television

Djando: /* The Vinicky-Smahas */

2012-07-17T16:52:34Z

‎The Vinicky-Smahas

Djando: /* The Vinicky-Smahas */

2012-07-17T16:51:14Z

‎The Vinicky-Smahas

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:03, 7 May 2018
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−	[[Category:Artists and Acts\|Smaha, Jenda]][[Category:Animal Trainers\|Smaha, Jenda]]	+	[[Category:Artists and Acts\|Smaha, Jenda]][[Category:Animal Trainers\|Smaha, Jenda]][[Category:Elephant Acts\|Smaha, Jenda]]

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 ===Tanya, Star Of Stage And Television===
-[[File:Tanya_at_Circus_Circus_(1968).jpeg|thumb|left|400|Tanya]]In 1965, Jenda acquired a one-year-old Thai elephant born in captivity, ''Tanya''. Like he had done for Bertha, he trained Tanya to work onstage, and she made her entire career in casino showrooms&mdash;sometimes playing craps, keno, or working the slot machines as publicity stunts!  In 1966, Jenda returned to Europe with Tanya, where they appeared during the 1966-1967 season of the London Palladium, first in the Christmas pantomime ''Cinderella'', starring Cliff Richard, and then in ''Showtime'', starring Frank Ifield; each time, Baby Tanya practically stole the show! In November 1967, still at the Palladium, Jenda and Tanya were invited to participate in a Royal Variety Performance in presence of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, with a cast that included the great British comedian Tommy Cooper, the French singer Mireille Mathieu, Tom Jones, and Bob Hope.
+[[File:Tanya_at_Circus_Circus_(1968).jpeg|thumb|left|400|Tanya at Circus Circus (1968)]]In 1965, Jenda acquired a one-year-old Thai elephant born in captivity, ''Tanya''. Like he had done for Bertha, he trained Tanya to work onstage, and she made her entire career in casino showrooms&mdash;sometimes playing craps, keno, or working the slot machines as publicity stunts!  In 1966, Jenda returned to Europe with Tanya, where they appeared during the 1966-1967 season of the London Palladium, first in the Christmas pantomime ''Cinderella'', starring Cliff Richard, and then in ''Showtime'', starring Frank Ifield; each time, Baby Tanya practically stole the show! In November 1967, still at the Palladium, Jenda and Tanya were invited to participate in a Royal Variety Performance in presence of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, with a cast that included the great British comedian Tommy Cooper, the French singer Mireille Mathieu, Tom Jones, and Bob Hope.
 Back to the United States in 1968, Jenda Smaha appeared with Tanya at [[Circus Circus]] Hotel and Casino, and settled in Las Vegas the following year with his wife and stage partner, Rena&mdash;a former singer, born Sandra Goldston&mdash;and their daughter, Regina. Jenda and Rena would later have a son, Jan Christian (1973-2009). For more than a decade, Jenda, Rena and Tanya were featured in Vegas and Reno’s major showrooms. In actuality, during that time, there would be four successive Tanyas, one taking the place of the other as each elephant grew up. Whoever she was at a given time, Tanya, like Bertha, became a television star; she appeared in two ''Ed Sullivan Shows'' (in 1967 and 1970), as well as in ''The Merv Griffin Show'', ''The Mike Douglas Show'', and on ABC’s ''Those Amazing Animals'' in 1980. Tanya also appeared in a James Bond movie, ''Diamonds are Forever'' (1971).

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 ===Tanya, Star Of Stage And Television===
-In 1965, Jenda acquired a one-year-old Thai elephant born in captivity, ''Tanya''. Like he had done for Bertha, he trained Tanya to work onstage, and she made her entire career in casino showrooms&mdash;sometimes playing craps, keno, or working the slot machines as publicity stunts!  In 1966, Jenda returned to Europe with Tanya, where they appeared during the 1966-1967 season of the London Palladium, first in the Christmas pantomime ''Cinderella'', starring Cliff Richard, and then in ''Showtime'', starring Frank Ifield; each time, Baby Tanya practically stole the show! In November 1967, still at the Palladium, Jenda and Tanya were invited to participate in a Royal Variety Performance in presence of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, with a cast that included the great British comedian Tommy Cooper, the French singer Mireille Mathieu, Tom Jones, and Bob Hope.
+[[File:Tanya_at_Circus_Circus_(1968).jpeg|thumb|left|400|Tanya]]In 1965, Jenda acquired a one-year-old Thai elephant born in captivity, ''Tanya''. Like he had done for Bertha, he trained Tanya to work onstage, and she made her entire career in casino showrooms&mdash;sometimes playing craps, keno, or working the slot machines as publicity stunts!  In 1966, Jenda returned to Europe with Tanya, where they appeared during the 1966-1967 season of the London Palladium, first in the Christmas pantomime ''Cinderella'', starring Cliff Richard, and then in ''Showtime'', starring Frank Ifield; each time, Baby Tanya practically stole the show! In November 1967, still at the Palladium, Jenda and Tanya were invited to participate in a Royal Variety Performance in presence of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, with a cast that included the great British comedian Tommy Cooper, the French singer Mireille Mathieu, Tom Jones, and Bob Hope.
 Back to the United States in 1968, Jenda Smaha appeared with Tanya at [[Circus Circus]] Hotel and Casino, and settled in Las Vegas the following year with his wife and stage partner, Rena&mdash;a former singer, born Sandra Goldston&mdash;and their daughter, Regina. Jenda and Rena would later have a son, Jan Christian (1973-2009). For more than a decade, Jenda, Rena and Tanya were featured in Vegas and Reno’s major showrooms. In actuality, during that time, there would be four successive Tanyas, one taking the place of the other as each elephant grew up. Whoever she was at a given time, Tanya, like Bertha, became a television star; she appeared in two ''Ed Sullivan Shows'' (in 1967 and 1970), as well as in ''The Merv Griffin Show'', ''The Mike Douglas Show'', and on ABC’s ''Those Amazing Animals'' in 1980. Tanya also appeared in a James Bond movie, ''Diamonds are Forever'' (1971).
@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 In 1980, Jenda, Rena and Tanya, went to work in a casino in Botswana, in southern Africa. Then and there, Jenda fell in love with Africa, where he met Dr. Helena Fitchat, an internationally renowned animal conservationist, who was director of the Centre For Rehabilitation Of Wildlife, in Yellowwood Park, Durban, South Africa. This friendship let Jenda into developing a keen interest in elephant conservation; after his retirement from show business, he would return to Africa, where he enjoyed participating in photo safaris.
 Jenda Smaha eventually retired in 1989, and he and Rena settled in Sarasota, Florida, America’s circus capital, where they could spend time with their many circus friends who had retired there as well. Jenda died in his sleep in Africa, during one of his cherished photo safaris, on October 27, 2006. In his will, he had asked that memorial donations be made to the Centre For Rehabilitation Of Wildlife, to create a waterhole for elephants in a national wildlife park in Botswania.
 ==See Also==

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 ===The Vinicky-Smahas===
-Born Jan Vinicky on January 8, 1932 in Bad Salzelmen, a district of Schönebeck in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, he was fifth generation of a celebrated German family of equestrians and animal trainers who worked under the stage name of Smaha. Jan, nicknamed Jenda, was the son of Antonin and Ingebord Vinicky. His father was a famous circus equestrian known in the business as  [[Toni Smaha]] (1908-1986), and his mother was also a remarkable equestrienne. Jenda had two brothers, Antonin Joszi, known as [[Toni Smaha, Jr.]] (1949-2008), and [[Pero Smaha|Pero]], equestrians and animal trainers as well. Jenda's uncle (Tony Smaha’s brother) was [[Joszi Vinicky]], who had also a brilliant career in Europe as a Master Equestrian and animal trainer.
+Born Jan Vinicky on January 8, 1932 in Bad Salzelmen, a district of Schönebeck in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, he was fifth generation of a celebrated German family of equestrians and animal trainers who worked under the stage name of Smaha. Jan, nicknamed Jenda, was the son of Antonin and Ingebord Vinicky. His father was a famous circus equestrian known in the business as  [[Toni Smaha]] (1908-1986), and his mother was also a remarkable equestrienne. Jenda had two brothers, Antonin Joszi, known as [[Tony Smaha, Jr.]] (1949-2008), and [[Pero Smaha|Pero]], equestrians and animal trainers as well. Jenda's uncle (Tony Smaha’s brother) was [[Joszi Vinicky]], who had also a brilliant career in Europe as a Master Equestrian and animal trainer.
-[[File:Jenda_Smaha_%26_Bertha.jpg|thumb|right|350px|Jenda Smaha & Bertha (1963)]]Jenda’s grandfather, Joszi Vinicky, Sr., was born in the traveling menagerie business, and had worked as an elephant trainer with the legendary Austro-Czech circus [[Circus Kludsky|Kludsky]]&mdash;which owned, at the time of its fateful bankruptcy in 1934, a group of 24 elephants. Joszi’s children, Toni and Joszi (Jr.), became accomplished equestrians as well as all-around animal trainers. As a child, Jenda learned horsemanship from his parents, and started working with them in their equestrian displays in some of Europe’s most prominent circuses, such as [[Circus Strassburger]] in Holland, [[Cirkus Scott]] in Sweden, and [[Bertram Mills Circus]], where they spent several seasons.
+[[File:Jenda_Smaha_%26_Bertha.jpg|thumb|right|350px|Jenda Smaha & Bertha (1963)]]Jenda’s grandfather, Joszi Vinicky, Sr., was born in the traveling menagerie business, and had worked as an elephant trainer with the legendary Czech circus [[Circus Kludsky|Kludsky]]&mdash;which owned, at the time of its fateful bankruptcy in 1934, a group of 24 elephants. Joszi’s children, Tony and Joszi (Jr.), became accomplished equestrians as well as all-around animal trainers. As a child, Jenda learned horsemanship from his parents, and started working with them in their equestrian displays in some of Europe’s most prominent circuses, such as [[Circus Strassburger]] in Holland, [[Cirkus Scott]] in Sweden, and [[Bertram Mills Circus]] in London.
 Tony Smaha-Vinicky moved with his family to Australia In 1950, to work with the [[Wirth’s Circus]]&mdash;then Australia’s oldest and most prominent circus. They stayed there until they were offered a contract with [[King Bros. Circus]], which brought them to the United States in 1956. By then, Jenda, who had developed a passion for elephants, had become, like his grandfather, an outstanding elephant trainer&mdash;and he worked as such in several American circuses. In 1961, the family went to work for Wilbur Deppe’s newly created ''Old Time Circus'' at the [[Circus World Museum]] in Baraboo, Wisconsin&mdash;in the old [[Ringling Bros. Circus]] winter quarters&mdash;and they settled in this history-rich circus town.
@@ Line 17: / Line 17: @@
 ===Tanya, Star Of Stage And Television===
-In 1965, Jenda acquired a one-year-old Thai elephant born in captivity, ''Tanya''. Like he had done for Bertha, he trained Tanya to work onstage, and she made her entire career in casino showrooms&mdash;sometimes playing craps, keno, or working the slot machines as publicity stunts!  In 1966, Jenda returned to Europe with Tanya, where they appeared during the 1966-1967 season of the London Palladium, first in the Christmas pantomime ''Cinderella'', starring Cliff Richard, and then in ''Showtime'', starring Frank Ifield; each time, Baby Tanya practically stole the show! In November 1967, still at the Palladium, Jenda and Tanya were invited to participate in a Royal Variety Performance in presence of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, with a cast that included the great British comedian Tommy Cooper, the French singer Mireille Mathieu, Tom Jones, and Bob Hope. In May 1968, they were featured on the long-running French TV show, ''La Piste aux Etoiles'', shot at Paris's [[Cirque d'Hiver]].
+In 1965, Jenda acquired a one-year-old Thai elephant born in captivity, ''Tanya''. Like he had done for Bertha, he trained Tanya to work onstage, and she made her entire career in casino showrooms&mdash;sometimes playing craps, keno, or working the slot machines as publicity stunts!  In 1966, Jenda returned to Europe with Tanya, where they appeared during the 1966-1967 season of the London Palladium, first in the Christmas pantomime ''Cinderella'', starring Cliff Richard, and then in ''Showtime'', starring Frank Ifield; each time, Baby Tanya practically stole the show! In November 1967, still at the Palladium, Jenda and Tanya were invited to participate in a Royal Variety Performance in presence of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, with a cast that included the great British comedian Tommy Cooper, the French singer Mireille Mathieu, Tom Jones, and Bob Hope.
 Back to the United States in 1968, Jenda Smaha appeared with Tanya at [[Circus Circus]] Hotel and Casino, and settled in Las Vegas the following year with his wife and stage partner, Rena&mdash;a former singer, born Sandra Goldston&mdash;and their daughter, Regina. Jenda and Rena would later have a son, Jan Christian (1973-2009). For more than a decade, Jenda, Rena and Tanya were featured in Vegas and Reno’s major showrooms. In actuality, during that time, there would be four successive Tanyas, one taking the place of the other as each elephant grew up. Whoever she was at a given time, Tanya, like Bertha, became a television star; she appeared in two ''Ed Sullivan Shows'' (in 1967 and 1970), as well as in ''The Merv Griffin Show'', ''The Mike Douglas Show'', and on ABC’s ''Those Amazing Animals'' in 1980. Tanya also appeared in a James Bond movie, ''Diamonds are Forever'' (1971).
-In 1980, Jenda, Rena and Tanya, went to work in a casino in Botswana, in southern Africa. Then and there, Jenda fell in love with Africa, where he met Dr. Helena Fitchat, an internationally renowned animal conservationist, who was director of the Centre For Rehabilitation Of Wildlife, in Yellowwood Park, Durban, South Africa. This friendship led Jenda into developing a keen interest in elephant conservation; after his retirement from show business, he would return to Africa, where he enjoyed participating in photo safaris.
+In 1980, Jenda, Rena and Tanya, went to work in a casino in Botswana, in southern Africa. Then and there, Jenda fell in love with Africa, where he met Dr. Helena Fitchat, an internationally renowned animal conservationist, who was director of the Centre For Rehabilitation Of Wildlife, in Yellowwood Park, Durban, South Africa. This friendship let Jenda into developing a keen interest in elephant conservation; after his retirement from show business, he would return to Africa, where he enjoyed participating in photo safaris.
-When Jenda Smaha retired in 1989, he and Rena settled in Sarasota, Florida, America’s circus capital, where they could spend time with their many circus friends who had retired there as well. Jenda died in his sleep in Africa, during one of his cherished photo safaris, on October 27, 2006. In his will, he had asked that memorial donations be made to the Centre For Rehabilitation Of Wildlife, to create a waterhole for elephants in a national wildlife park in Botswania.
+Jenda Smaha eventually retired in 1989, and he and Rena settled in Sarasota, Florida, America’s circus capital, where they could spend time with their many circus friends who had retired there as well. Jenda died in his sleep in Africa, during one of his cherished photo safaris, on October 27, 2006. In his will, he had asked that memorial donations be made to the Centre For Rehabilitation Of Wildlife, to create a waterhole for elephants in a national wildlife park in Botswania.
 ==See Also==

@@ Line 17: / Line 17: @@
 ===Tanya, Star Of Stage And Television===
-In 1965, Jenda acquired a one-year-old Thai elephant born in captivity, ''Tanya''. Like he had done for Bertha, he trained Tanya to work onstage, and she made her entire career in casino showrooms&mdash;sometimes playing craps, keno, or working the slot machines as publicity stunts!  In 1966, Jenda returned to Europe with Tanya, where they appeared during the 1966-1967 season of the London Palladium, first in the Christmas pantomime ''Cinderella'', starring Cliff Richard, and then in ''Showtime'', starring Frank Ifield; each time, Baby Tanya practically stole the show! In November 1967, still at the Palladium, Jenda and Tanya were invited to participate in a Royal Variety Performance in presence of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, with a cast that included the great British comedian Tommy Cooper, the French singer Mireille Mathieu, Tom Jones, and Bob Hope.
+In 1965, Jenda acquired a one-year-old Thai elephant born in captivity, ''Tanya''. Like he had done for Bertha, he trained Tanya to work onstage, and she made her entire career in casino showrooms&mdash;sometimes playing craps, keno, or working the slot machines as publicity stunts!  In 1966, Jenda returned to Europe with Tanya, where they appeared during the 1966-1967 season of the London Palladium, first in the Christmas pantomime ''Cinderella'', starring Cliff Richard, and then in ''Showtime'', starring Frank Ifield; each time, Baby Tanya practically stole the show! In November 1967, still at the Palladium, Jenda and Tanya were invited to participate in a Royal Variety Performance in presence of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, with a cast that included the great British comedian Tommy Cooper, the French singer Mireille Mathieu, Tom Jones, and Bob Hope. In May 1968, they were featured on the long-running French TV show, ''La Piste aux Etoiles'', shot at Paris's [[Cirque d'Hiver]].
 Back to the United States in 1968, Jenda Smaha appeared with Tanya at [[Circus Circus]] Hotel and Casino, and settled in Las Vegas the following year with his wife and stage partner, Rena&mdash;a former singer, born Sandra Goldston&mdash;and their daughter, Regina. Jenda and Rena would later have a son, Jan Christian (1973-2009). For more than a decade, Jenda, Rena and Tanya were featured in Vegas and Reno’s major showrooms. In actuality, during that time, there would be four successive Tanyas, one taking the place of the other as each elephant grew up. Whoever she was at a given time, Tanya, like Bertha, became a television star; she appeared in two ''Ed Sullivan Shows'' (in 1967 and 1970), as well as in ''The Merv Griffin Show'', ''The Mike Douglas Show'', and on ABC’s ''Those Amazing Animals'' in 1980. Tanya also appeared in a James Bond movie, ''Diamonds are Forever'' (1971).