Lions and Tigers and . . .Beatty
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the circus in our social history. And before there was Siegfield and Roy, there
was the legendary trainer Clyde Beatty. Beatty became a celebrity in the 1930’s,
playing himself in two chapter-plays and even having his own radio show. It was
when he orchestrated the appearance of two ferocious creatures, the lion and the
tiger, in the same arena at John Whipple’s Circus, however, that he won the awe
and admiration of so many. In fact, Beatty often performed with up to forty
lions and tigers at once. While his training standards, involving chairs, whips
and even shotguns, are totally unethical by today’s standards, Beatty took
circus performance to a place it had never been before. And while methods of
training have changed, the allure of watching daredevil stunts involving humans
vs. wild animals remains for many.
Among some Clyde Beatty merchandise
pictured here are the Lions and Tigers Big Little Book,
which was based on the Carl Laemmle production The Big Cage, and the
extremely rare Jungle Animal Brass Link Charm Bracelet. Charm bracelets were
very popular in the 30’s – and considering this one was a premium for Quaker
Wheat Crackels, it was particularly well made. The animals were produced in
amazing detail, and the brass glimmered like gold – making it quite the toy for
any child growing up during the Depression – and any child willing to eat boxes
of Crackels.
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