john herriott said...
Wade, you are lost or so jealous its bugging you. I pointed out that Mr. Beatty closed a season in late Fall, Got together some twenty, p0lus, lions and tigers and opened in Detroit in a repeat engagement from the year before in January with all new animals and was again a wildly heralded feature. You have not commented on that. I wonder why. I would like to see you acquire some twenty cats, not cubs, in September and present them as an act in Evansville. Incidentally when Beatty did this n WNTQTRS. It was he and not other trainers. This has all been documented. A suggestion to a famous tiger trainer; A spinning tiger always tears the house down. Freak trick or not Beatty always had one. Yes he did work Polar bears and we ave a photo with him and a trained Hippo. He also did riding tiger and lion on elephant for his wife. Beatty had the competition of Alfred Court and so many others during a 45 yr. career. He did it every season, at least two a day, seven days a week. Look at yourself in the mirror when you get so pompous. Have cat acts deteriorated in the years? Yes, because we have not had any Clyde Beattys to fill the void. Gunther did add that exdcitement in the cage and that is sadly about it. Keep up the good work and advise me about high school riding and training, or any other saddle training and riding when you have done it yourself. I am 77 yrs. old and counting down.
Johnny,
I didn't realize you were waiting for a comment about getting the cats together and going to Detroit. Maybe you don't realize I am waiting for your answer on a number of things also. In regard to Detroit, heres the best I can come up with. It may or may not be what you are looking for.
In 1978 I had to fly into Oklahoma City to work the first white tiger act with 17 animals. I was in Florida at the time, when a call came in that the cats were enroute to Oklahoma and I had to be there in 3 days. 8 of the tigers, I hadn't worked in 4 months, and 9 I had never worked with. The man who did train the 9 let the assistant who was to work the act, get mauled severely. It was a career ending injury. I arrived in Oklahoma, had one practice, and opened with that tiger also. I was 23, John. An experienced old timer handed me that. AND SO WHAT JOHN. BIG DEAL. In July of 2002 a few years later, an man showed me 2 15 minute practices with 7 tigers, and left. Because another act was not ready, I had to have 15 ready for your Evansville in November. Again, I know that is 4 1/2 months, and only 15, but that's the best I can offer to you. I know it had those stupid hind leg walks, and 15 sitting up on the floor, that the people don't like, but cut me some slack. You have put so much emphasis on time in this debate, I can almost guess who has been wild animal training you, and telling you the world is ready for a big fighting act. And he is not very good John. Do you want your mirror back? Jealousy, John? Pompous, John? That's not the belittling deal you mentioned I do, is it? No, I didn't think so. You would have to be a little pompous and jealous to belittle don't you think, and I have just asked questions to find a standard?
Tell you what John. I'll make a big grand Beatty act, if you make a Gran Prix Dressage horse?
I know I have worked with more horses, then you have cats, so what? That's not been an issue for me. Elephants? I don't know? But I do know in a couple of days when they are developed, you can see pictures of my 3 year old son and I working an elephant that was deemed "unmanageable", later in 1993, and spent the rest of her life in a "non contact" world, similar to some zoo's, that we frown on so much. Her name is Billie, and she has been featured and spoke of on this blog in the past. Jealousy? Maybe there is some of that, John?
Regards,
Wade Burck
johnny said...
Thanks Roger for your very informative circus history. I am amazed that a wild animal trainer would have the gall to try to put down Mr. Beatty. He never knocked any of his fellow vtrainers and I like the recent photo of him with all the guys visiting Thousand Oaks and he was at the top of the field at that btime. You and Red Hartman would both be a good review of just how great he was, in and out of the cage. I can verify just a little of that. I have heard the Beatty knocks over the years, but I must give my view before it comes believable.
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3 comments:
I got to pass this on. It was just pointed out to me in a phone call, that Johnny has just answered one of my questions. The reason why there are no more good high school horse acts in the American circus any more, is because the tiger acts suck. LOL
Wade
Beatty is a sacred cow on the Buckles Blog, 'nuff said. I think to a certain generation who grew up in the shadow of his legend, or knew or worked for him he remains almost mythic. I think likewise GGW fills a similar place in the pantheon of greats. It's worth noting however that over the years there have been well regarded circus historians and one time troupers who took a contrarian view of Mr. Beatty. Joe McKennon comes to mind. McKennon worked with Beatty on the Corporation shows, and was intimately familiar with the creation of Beatty's initial Cole act and wrote on several occasions that Beatty simply didn't have the time to do his own training on Hagenbeck-Wallace or Cole. Allan King broke the cats on Cole. Now perhaps Mr McKennon was mistaken, and certainly he thought highly of Beatty's power as a crowd pleaser -- but he's a legitimate source who said, "This man who never attempted to train an animal, was the supreme presenter of trainers efforts."
Ben
Ben,
What have you done!!!! Lord are you in trouble!!!! I didn't have the stones to bring the Mckennen quote up. I still haven't recovered from trying to find out why we have to go back 50 years to reference great high school horses. They man who started me in the business said similar things. He worked at the Oaks, and his wife was supposedly best friends with Mable Stark, but I have never mentioned that before, because I am sure his stories are different from Rogers. Lou's dead so I just figured I would let Roger's tales be the tell. Doesn't hurt anything. When you censor validity isn't your main priority.
How about this Kimberly saying we are too tradition bound. She's got some nerve doesn't she. LOL
Wade
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