performinganimals

This was most likely between 1910 and the Dreamland fire in May 1911.

amazing photos. so glad i discovered this.

These types of scenarios remind of the movies, it's amazing that not that long ago shows like this actually existed right here in America. I hear so much about Coney Island, and to see it in what might have been its prime is a great treat.

Added to the gallery, More Oddities From the Commons.

I did a little research and found info on Ferari and added it to Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_G._Ferari

The 'Educated horse act' was performed in London circuses as early as the mid-18th century and is still performed at circuses today.

Any chance this actually says "the whole DARND family"?

I think you're right.

That's my impression too. It's a joke because one member of the "family" is a monkey. My mistake: two monkeys

The title is a takeoff on the title of a 1905 silent comedy short, "The Whole Dam Family and the Family Dog" (sequel to another 1905 short, "I. B. Dam and the Dam Family"), which also supplied subject matter for a raft of comic picture postcards. Use of the word "damn" was considered very risque in polite circles then, and even spelling it without the final "n" could bring a frisson of titillation to sensitive auditors. Here is an example of a "Dam Family" postcard: www.slv.vic.gov.au/pcards/0/0/1/doc/pc001380.shtml Incidentally, "darnd" above is a misspelling. It should be "darned."

Unless their last name was Darnd.

Great pic! Any idea on a date?