Beatty, Clyde, 1903 - 1965
Dates
- Existence: 10 June 1903 - 19 July 1965
Biography
Clyde Beatty began his circus career working as a cage boy for Louis Roth. He quickly developed his skills as an animal trainer and gained wide spread fame, which quickly expanded to roles on several films, radio shows and fiction novels.
Clyde featured in some of the most prestigious American circuses of the time including Cole Bros. in 1935. Unbeknown to him at the time, that the relationship with Coles will last until the end of his lifetime.
His first steps into circus ownership came about in 1943 in partnership with Art Concello when the pair formed the Clyde Beatty-Russell Bros. Circus. However, he didn't acquire his own circus until 1944 when he purchased the Wallace Bros. Circus and turned it into the Clyde Beatty Circus.
During the 1950's Beatty's circus was the setting for two well known circus movies, Ring of Fear, staring Clyde Beatty himself alongside Mickey Spillane and Pat O'Brien and 3 Ring Circus, starring Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Joanne Dru and Zsa Zsa Gabor.
In c1957 the Clyde Beatty Circus was bought by the owners of Cole Bros. Circus, who merged the two circuses to form the Clyde Beatty Cole Bros. Circus.
Clyde worked in the Clyde Beatty Cole Bros. Circus until his death in 1965.
Found in 4 Collections and/or Records:
Circus Friends Association Collection
This collection consists of a large library of books and journals, as well as archival material including posters, programmes, photographs, films, handbills, research material, scrapbooks, original artwork and many other items of ephemera relating to British, Irish and European circuses
Films, c1930 - 1990
Amateur and commercial films on multiple formats, focusing mainly on Circus but also including transport, fairs, fairground rides and other types of travelling entertainments.
Noel Drewe Collection
A large collection of films entitled Circusama containing amateur and professional films on the themes of circus, performing animals and zoos, and edited clips from commercial Western and comedy films. The films are in a variety of formats including 8mm, Super8, 9.5mm and 16mm and contain related correspondence and notes. This collection also contains some sound reels mainly of fairground music.
Programmes, c1800 - 2019
A collection of mainly British and international circus programmes and some variety and music hall programmes containing circus acts.