Picture Out Of The Past
Ed Wranosky's Free Show Circuit Crew
Old Guy Video in Athens, Georgia produced a documentary on the Free Merchant Shows. Their hope was to immortalize the history of the free shows by recounting stories and memories from that time. As far can be determined, the free show concept was unique to this area. It started in Haddam and expanded to include most of Kansas and some towns in bordering state.
Old Guy Video filmed the Free Merchant Shows documentary in Haddam on June 24, 2005.
A town hall meeting was held to begin the filming and production process. Residents attended the town meeting and shared their memories of one of the most colorful and interesting eras in Haddam's history.
Note: James Benyshek is Ed Wranosky's grandson.
Projection Carts Reconstructed to Replicate Carts Used During Free Shows Days
Recap of the Town Hall meeting:
James Benyshek interviewed: Dora Brown, Evelyn June Ward, Christine
Gingles, Clyde Bobbitt, Bollie Hyland, Leon Odette, Babe Zenger and various others. Kansas City interview: Floyd Cundiff.
Wichita interviews: Cletes Wranosky and Ellen Meckenstock.
And various other Wranosky family members in related areas.
Listed below are some of the men that worked for ECCO Pictures. Some from Haddam, some from other towns. Any viewer of this page is encouraged to contact James Benyshek if you know the whereabouts of any of these men or their families:
| Vernon Wranosky |
Francis/Bud Jorgenson |
John Lallak |
Frank Goux |
Boliver Hyland |
| Gayl Byrd |
Merrell Speers |
Floyd Cundiff |
Jack Welborn |
Bob Welborn |
| Dale Pancake |
Dean Sorrell |
Bill Meckenstock |
Dewey Lindsey |
Loyd Gingles |
| Bud Randall |
Nelson Hamblin |
Gene Frye |
Vaughn Parrack |
Emanuel Moore |
| Ernest Drips |
Roger Sprinkle |
Anita Childerston, Webmaster 2005
Revamped September 2012
