BORN WITH AN EYE FOR TIGERS.

Byline: Jerry Rice  Staff Writer

In the interest of not offending any pet lovers out there, let's get one thing straight about Mark Oliver Gebel: He likes both cats and dogs.

And horses.

And elephants.

And, well, you get the idea.

But you'd never know it if you visited his home in Florida.

``I don't really have any pets because I have so many when I go to work,'' Gebel says.

He sure does. Gebel is one of the marquee performers for the 133rd edition of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, which opens today at the Los Angeles Sports Arena before making its way to the Long Beach Arena and the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim later this month.

If you're not sure who Gebel is, he'll be easy to spot during the circus' three Southland stops: He's the one who will be in a center-ring cage with 10 Bengal tigers.

``My job is dangerous, definitely, but I don't go in there every day and think about that,'' Gebel says. ``Driving to work is dangerous. You have to be aware of what you're doing, and that's where experience comes in - knowing your animals and being around them.''

During his eight-minute routine, Gebel runs the tigers through their paces - standing on their hind legs, leaping over hurdles (including each other) - using only voice commands.

At one point, he has one of them hop inside a wheel that's 7 feet in diameter. Then another jumps on top of the wheel and they start spinning it.

Gebel has been performing with the tigers since 1996, but this time there's a new twist to his act. Gebel has often worn a microphone, and now there are microphones around the cage so everyone can hear what the big cats have to say in response to his directions.

``It gets the audience a little more up close and personal, so they get more of a feeling for what I'm doing.''

While some kids say they want to run away and join the circus, Gebel, 32, never had to. He was born into it.

His father is Gunther Gebel-Williams, the Michael Jordan of animal trainers, who was recruited by Ringling Bros. in 1969 from a circus in Europe.

Gebel-Williams, who died two years ago, encouraged his son's love for animals. Gebel was playing with elephants at age 2, and 18 years later he became the youngest trainer in the long history of Ringling Bros. to simultaneously present elephants in all three rings. (Gebel also works with 10 elephants on the arena floor during the current show.)

``The No. 1 thing I learned from my father is having patience, no matter what you do. I would say the first part of being patient, especially here in California, is just getting where you need to go in the traffic. Once you make it where you're going, and you're still calm, everything is good.''

Although Gebel didn't mention it, something else he learned from his father was a sense of humor. It's something Ringling Bros. director Philip William McKinley first spotted in Gebel when they started working together seven years ago.

``A lot of animal trainers are very serious, and they kind of give this aura of being masters of the universe,'' McKinley says. ``Mark brings something completely different to the floor.

``Gunther had that sense of humor, but he didn't necessarily use it in the ring. Mark really has developed his personality where he shows his relationship with the animals. And he shows everyone the fun he's having, how much he enjoys it.''

That was no easy task, especially with the eyes of the circus world on Gebel because he was following in the footsteps of a legend. Think Michael Douglas coming up behind his Oscar-winning father.

``It was difficult for Mark because there always will be a comparison,'' says McKinley, who is taking a break from the circus to direct ``The Boy From Oz,'' this fall's highly anticipated Broadway musical starring Hugh Jackman (from the two ``X-Men'' movies).

``Mark really put this new act together this past year,'' McKinley adds. ``Previous to this, his father was there, so this was really the chance for Mark to show his mettle, and he's come through with flying colors.''

McKinley isn't the only one who's noticed. When the circus recently stopped in Las Vegas, Siegfried & Roy - who use white lions and tigers in their magic-and-effects show at the Mirage - were in the audience one night.

``It was the first time they saw me perform with the tigers,'' Gebel says. ``They came over from Europe the same time my father did, and my father knew them very well. They said they were extremely happy with the way I did things and the way I've carried on my father's tradition.''

MARK OLIVER GEBEL

Age: 32

On the job: Works with tigers and elephants for the 133rd edition of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

Background: Grew up in the circus and learned much of what he knows from his father, Gunther Gebel-Williams, who is considered one of the greatest wild-animal trainers of all time.

Interesting fact: Gebel was literally born into the circus while his parents were touring with Ringling Bros. during a stop in Houston.

Family: Wife, Christina, a Romanian-born gymnast, who joined Ringling Bros. circus and performs with the elephants. They have two sons, ages 2 and 4.

Quotebook: ``Both of my kids love animals tremendously. It would be fantastic if they would carry on (the family tradition), but you have to enjoy what you do. Whatever they decide, I will support them.''

RINGLING BROS. AND BARNUM & BAILEY CIRCUS

Where: Los Angeles Sports Arena, 3939 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles; Long Beach Arena, 300 E. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach; Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim, 2695 E. Katella Ave., Anaheim.

When: Today through Sunday, Los Angeles Sports Arena; Tuesday and July 23 at Long Beach Arena; July 25-Aug. 3 (except July 28) at Arrowhead Pond.

Bilingual performances: 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Los Angeles Sports Arena; 1:30 p.m. July 28, Arrowhead Pond.

Cost: $13 to $35 at Los Angeles Sports Arena and Long Beach Arena, $13 to $50 at Arrowhead Pond; $10 on opening nights at each venue (excludes front row and VIP seating).

Information: [phone]; www.ringling.com.

Circus extra: Arrive 90 minutes before showtime and get up close and personal with many of the circus performers. The Three Ring Adventure and Animal Open House allow guests to try out some of the circus apparatus, collect autographs from the clowns and see some of the animals perform in a more intimate setting. The preshow activities are included with the circus admission.

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Both Mark Oliver Gebel and his Bengal tigers are equipped with microphones during their performances for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.