Buckles Blog: Clyde Beatty Circus #2

Wednesday, May 02, 2007

Clyde Beatty Circus #2

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8 comments:

Anonymous said...: With the cage on his right, it looks to me like Mr. Beatty has just saluted Section D after the act and is headed for the Back Door. The eagle-eyed, like Jimmy Cole, will note the three-clustered extra-bar groups on the sections shown here.; 02 May, 2007 19:00
Anonymous said...: Roger,
Would you be so kind as to fill us in on Beattys cage, why the three-clustered extra bars groups are on it.
Also with Beatty standing there with his robe on could it have been a cold day being up North where Kitto took the picture. I would think after the act Beatty is sweaty and puts on the robe to keep warm. Then head to the Air- stream to get his beer and catfish, with a slice of onion.
Your input would be greatly appreciated.
Harry Kingston; 02 May, 2007 20:37
Anonymous said...: This Beatty cage with the three bars in two clusters, from my studies, was engineered for the days of Simba lion and Primba tiger riding on a platform borne by Anna May the First. It is an exemplary work of fabrication, and included a section of two hinged doors for Anna May's convenience. It was a riding elephant arena, and I figure of my own volition the designer thought the three-bar clusters gave the cage extra security.

At Jungleland, Mabel Stark's Tiger Arena, as her section of the Old Place was called, also had the big doors to accommodate riding elephants. Coming from the Barnes show, where the arena stayed up throughout the show, it was used for every kind of animal act--even one of rabbits.

In honesty, this Red Forbes arena didn't look as cleanly delineated as the Beatty cages, which of these designs were turned out by the Nipple Factory, in Chicago-- one over the winter of 1933 for his last year, 1934, on Hagenbeck-Wallace. A second, duplicate cage was rushed into duty from this facility for the early 1935 dates when Mr. Beatty had gone to Cole Bros. & Clyde Beatty Circus, the "Miracle Show".

The last Beatty arena, in which I worked for two years on the Castle show, was built new on the behest of Mr. Beatty, for the 1960 Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros. season. It was engineered by Red Fisher, and assisted by Alfred Timlin and the Beatty show welder Charlie Harris, at Olson Welding, in DeLand Florida.

I trust this may be of worth to Harry Kingston's request.

Again to address those new to circus history, the ones who care, there is a difference in welders and show welders. Show welders exemplify a core knowledge of circus equipment from which a town welder is bereaved. For the greatest show welder I've ever known, look no further that Charlie Harris.

And to Mr. Kingston: I see you must have known Mr. Beatty. Indeed, he loved his Mississippi River catfish, and his beer.

OK--now for Clyde Beatty trivia questions: What was his beer of choice? What was his favored whisky (note the spelling of whisky--it's a hint)? And you mentioned his slice of onion. All right, how did he like his hamburgers, and what did he want with them in the diners we stopped at every night? 100 points the to winner. He who doesn't know, owes me a Clyde Beatty beer and a Clyde Beatty whisky. And I can't wait.; 04 May, 2007 00:05
Anonymous said...: Roger Smith
Thank you a million for the fantastic job on explaining about the three bared cage as that was circus history at it's finest.
I knew Charlie Harris through the years visiting Clyde Beatty Cole Bros. Yes you are right as he was the best ever. We visited winterquarters when he was just starting on the 3 elephant semi's and I knew they would be the best ever made. Charlie gave me a present for my collection, one of those Beatty Cole chandeliers that hung in the marque.
Now I owe you a Clyde Beatty beer and a whisky as that is a question that only Dave Price could answer. I would guess a Schlitz beer???? Whisky, old crow?????
Also on the hamburger and what went with it?????
Some of my Clyde Beatty stories came from Red Hartman who I spent a Saturday afternoon with in his 12 foot trailer smoking one cig after the other and on oxygen.
Red said Harry I want to give you something and it was 2 of Clyde Beatty's gun's and by then the tears were running down my face.
Also heard about the raw deal he got when he was told you are no longer needed on Beatty Cole and Dave Hoover is taking your place.
Thank you again so much Roger and Clyde Beaty is gone but not forgotten as there will NEVER be another like Clyde Beatty.
Harry Kingston; 04 May, 2007 09:01
Anonymous said...: Mr. Beatty's favorite beer was Michelob, accompanied at times by a little VO. Some have said he was pretty good with the Scotch, but in my time around him, Scotch was not on the menu. I like the story about his rail show coming out of Canada, after the incredibly successful 1946 tour. The props were returned by a rented truck, and the prop wagon on the train was packed with cases of VO, far more than allowed by law, and not a dime was paid in duty. When the customs inspectors saw the circus train, the gave it a once over, said to hell with this, and let it pass. One peek in the prop wagon, and the show might still be there.

In the diners at night, he always had a bowl of soup, any kind. He usually let the waitress choose it. His hamburgers were "all the way, plain bun, not toasted, and a slice of raw onion." With this he had coffee, with "just a touch" of cream.

Many times in these little roadside diners, the parking lot would be jammed with show trucks. After tearing down and loading out, the guys would be ravenous and the diners did well when we went through. When he had finished eating, Mr. Beatty would quietly walk among the tables, or along the counter, smiling, making a little small talk, and he'd pick up each show guy's check. Sometimes the stack was rather thick, but he handed them to the cashier and sprung for everyone. He was quite a guy.; 05 May, 2007 13:27
Anonymous said...: Have looked at many photos of the Forbes built arena and it looks like it is twice as heavy as any that was built. Must have had a heck of a prop crew to move it.
Have been wondering if any of these three -Forbes and the 2 Nipple built- are still around ?
I also have some photos of a Beatty blow down that looks like it took out the arena. I don't have a date or place of the 18 photos. Taken by a unknown performer on the show as it shows it from the time the top went over,getting people in an ambulance, getting the canvas off the seats and arena, getting the center poles off the arena,etc. Looks like it went from the long side over to the back door. Would be glad to e-mail the photos to Buckles if anyone is interested.
regards,
P.J.Holmes; 06 May, 2007 10:12
Anonymous said...: For PJ Holmes: Benny Bennett, Mabel Starks chief animal man at the Compound, told me it took three men on each side to safely handle a section of the Frobes arenas. The damn thing was pig-iron. Thankfully, Barnes kept the cage up for the whole show, so it went up once and down once per town.

As for me, I hope you can shsre the photos of the Beatty blow-down.; 06 May, 2007 18:06
Anonymous said...: Hi, I'm working on a pictorial history of Manuel King, Youngest Wild Animal Trainer of Brownsville (son of the Snake King) who was in Darkest Africa with Clyde Beatty. This small booklet will be published by museum where I work. More details to anyone interested. Looking for Dave Price if he's still around.

please write to me at brownsvilletrain@yahoo.com; 16 September, 2007 22:10

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