Friday, August 05, 2016

#13 Beatty-Cole


Posted by Buckles at 8/05/2016 06:40:00 AM

3 comments:

Harry Kingston said...

Red Hartman,in for Clyde Beatty when he was dying of cancer.
I spent an afternoon with him in a corn field in East Texas and heard many a circus story.
He gave me 2 of Clyde Beatty's guns and they are some of my proudest circus items I cherish today.
Harry in Texas

05 August, 2016 07:04
Chic Silber said...


This was very likely

in late 65 after Clyde

went back to California

05 August, 2016 11:37
Roger Smith said...

A prominent figure in the Sarasota circus community of today, was equally important as a performer/staffer on the Beatty show in this era. He certainly can speak for himself, if he chooses. He told me this: Hartman had a chance to work the Beatty cats--which no, he did not train. Show after show after show, Tommy Clarke and the Prop Crew had to go before a seated audience and tear down the cage, and clear the ring of props. If we think townies are dumb, they are fully aware that part of the show they paid to see is being taken out. Either Hartman was lost in some local gin joint and couldn't be found, or was passed out drunk in the Silver Sleeper and Tommy and his help couldn't stand him up to get him dressed. When Beatty had to leave, he gave orders to remove the tough lion, Henry, and all the tigers from the act, as these animals were beyond what Red could handle. When he created such heat from ticket holders that refunds were demanded, the top staff--and I know where this came from--gave orders in the Back Yard to run all the cats in that Red had been begging for. The idea was, maybe they'd resolve the Hartman problem, and "Someone" could save that threatening nickel, if anyone gets my drift. Red had damaged the reputation of the show to the point of giving money back. By sheer chance, Red survived, but when 1966 was being formed up, he was 86'd off the show, and Hoover came on. Then we got Red out here at Jungleland. It took the management longer than it should have to realize what Red was, but he was also fired for constant drinking on the lot, even to the inability to take care of the animals assigned to him. One dark midnight, I stood the duty to see him board a southbound Greyhound, and Red was gone from Thousand Oaks.

05 August, 2016 18:10

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