Al Wheatley

[Guest]

I'm looking for information about
Al Wheatley and specifics of his
dove act.

If anyone has any information
I would appreciate it very much.

[Guest]

there are a couple of nice photographs of him on the australian picture library, performing as Chop Chop..
Al wheatley

[Guest]

I've run across this libraries archive
accidentaly when I found my father's
photos there.

[Guest]

Charlene Wheatley taught Lou Lancaster Chop's act decades ago. He would have the answers but I doubt anyone could replicate Chop's quality without input from either Charlene or Lou. I don't know if Charlene is still alive. If I remember correctly, part of the act was producing seven doves from a large change bag.

[Guest]

is lou lancaster still around?

[Pete Biro]

I believe Lou is, as I saw him at some event last year, but my brain can't recall exactly where. You might try a google search.

[Richard Kaufman]

I was just looking at an old Genii from 1964/65 this morning and saw a newspaper clipping about how Chop Chop died while working a cruise and was buried at sea.

[Guest]

Richard,

In the article did it talk about him
using coloured doves?

I'm working on the part of my book that
talks about the origin of colouring doves.

The technique used that made the colour
stay and safe was originated by my dad
in the early 1950's...Eventually perfected
by Ron Urban.

However, with Ron's help he found an
article from 1960 stating Al might have
coloured doves too, but he only
used white doves. Yet it talk anything
specific about it And what formula he
used...if he come up with his own
technique.


Does the article mention anything about it?

[Richard Kaufman]

Nothing about colored doves, just about his sudden and unexpected death during the cruise he and his wife were working.