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Beatty, Clyde, 1903 - 1965

 Person

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 1 Collection or Record:

Circus Research Material, 1891 - 1935

 Sub-Series
Reference code: 178B30.37
Scope and Contents A large volume of typed and handwritten material referring to information published in newspapers and journals including the Strand Magazine, The Royal Magazine, McClure's Magazine, Cosmopolitan Magazine, The Bookman, The World Magazine, Cassells's Magazine, American Magazine, The Toronto Star Weekly, Everybody's Magazine, Collier's Illustrated Weekly, St. Nicholas Magazine, Popular Science Monthly, Pearson's Magazine and Saturday Evening Post on animal training and other aspects of wild...
Dates: 1891 - 1935