Karl L. King
and the Sells-Floto & Buffalo Bill
Wild West Combined Shows Band
1914 to 1916

Karl King played baritone in the 1912 Sells-Floto Circus Band conducted by Walter P. English. However, in 1914 (at age 23) Karl became leader of the Sells-Floto & Buffalo Bill Wild West Combined Shows Band. He remained in that capacity for the 1915 and 1916 seasons. 1912 season Sells-Floto route

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click to enlarge photo
click to enlarge image

The 1914 season Sells-Floto & Buffalo Bill Wild West Combined Shows Band is shown inside the tent.
1914 season Sells-Floto Route

front row from left: Tommy Fallon, John Martin, Frank Griffith, Karl L. King, Nosy Martin and Red Miller
second row: Henry Werner, unknown, unknown, Harold Sanford, Hi Robinson, and George Becker
third row: Alonzo Leach (who would later move to Iowa and play his flute with the Karl King Band of Fort Dodge), Pete Sturgis, Togo McLaughlin and John Kultti
fourth row: Don Montgomery, Walter P. English (who conducted the Sells-Floto Band in 1912 when Karl was a baritone player in that band), Isele Coplin, Harry Coplin
top row: Mike Frankenpool, Henry Lindeman and Mark Stubley

click to enlarge photo
image courtesy of Dave Leach - click to enlarge

Sells Floto Circus tent interior, 1914 Season,

1914 Sells Floto Route Card

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click to enlarge photo

This 1914 photo shows Buffalo Bill Cody on the left and Karl L. King on the right.

click to see contract

Click on image to view entire contract (large file) signed by Karl King.
(1914 Contract and Route Card courtesy of Dave Leach)

Learn more about Alonzo Leach, who played piccolo for Karl King.

Page 2 - images from the 1915 and 1916 Sells Floto Seasons