 The Clyde Batey Show! The greatest wild animal trainer Clyde Batey with an exciting adventure from his brilliant career. The circus means thrills, excitement, snarling jungle beasts. The circus means fun for young folks and old, but under the big top you see only a part of the story. The real drama comes behind the scenes where 500 people live as one family, where Clyde Batey constantly risks death in the most dangerous act on earth. This master of the big cats has journeyed to Africa and India, hunting down his beasts in their native jungle. All of this is part of the Clyde Batey story. Here in Mr. Batey's own words is the adventure he calls Noah's Ark. If you've ever thought of making circus life your career, remember this. The circus packs up and moves at least 170 times during a 200-day tour. That means you literally live out of a trunk and call a pullman your home. Change is the rule, change and movement. In all sorts of weather and under all kinds and varieties of conditions, the community of hundreds comprising the circus is constantly on the move. The worst possible of all these conditions is storm. When a sudden rain squall hits, when gusts of wind blow out the side walls, rip up tent states and balloon the canvas at the big top, there comes the time that's dreaded by circus people. Most affected are the animal handlers. When the storm really gets underway, their charges grow panicky and unmanageable. Though the circus audience is never exposed to any danger whatever, nothing disturbs me as much as the thought of thunder and lightning catching up with me when I'm in the ring with my lions and tigers. We return to Clyde Batey in just a moment. And now back to Clyde Batey's adventure entitled Noah's Ark. One day, the circus trains pulled into a small town in the southwest. Although it was early morning, already it was hot and dry. The razorbacks and polars were grumbling and sweating as they unloaded our wagons in equipment from the trains. Sure hot, ain't it? Oh, hello, Mrs. Riley. Yeah, plenty hot. How's the unloading seem to be going? From the grumbling going on, I'd say we was right on schedule. When the boys don't sound off, you have to worry. Glad I don't have to push that heavy stuff around on a day like this. I bet you none of them fellas had swapped jobs with you, though. Well, I better get back and see what they're doing with the wardrobe. All right, Mrs. Riley, call on one of the girls if you need any help. I've been looking all over for you. What the world are you doing here? Hi, Harriet. I'm just watching the boys unload. On a day like this, you should be resting for the Madden May. Just wanted to check things. Couldn't you check things in a cooler spot? I'm worried. I don't like the feel of this weather. Clyde, baby, you're as bad as those cats of yours. The least change in the weather in Europe is nervous as any one of them. It's so hot and oppressive. I'll bet it storms. Boy, there's not a cloud in the sky. I know, but it feels like rain. The town papers says they haven't had rain around here for months. The ranches are complaining. Well, they're gonna have a change. Why be so worried? A little rain never stopped a circus. It's not the rain I'm thinking of. What then? You know how I feel about electrical storms. Of course. We all hate that. That's just it. This part of the country is noted for them. Clyde, I was sure we had all the folks in town of the Madden A, but tonight they're all back, plus every ranch's family for miles around. What's that, Norman? A good crowd? Yeah, it just came from the ticket wagon. It's a straw house. Sell out, huh? You don't sound very pleased. I'm not. What? Norman, it's gonna storm. It's clear as a bell out there. It's more like the inside of a pocket, I'd say. The cats are restless. I don't like it. No, a few hours from now the show will be over. The train's loaded. It'll be rolling on to the next stop. Yeah, that is if we're not blown out all over this prairie. Clyde, you worry too much. Just the same. I've ordered everybody on the grounds to be set for an emergency. Well, I guess you mean it. I've been around you too long to know that you're seldom wrong about your hunches. Well, I better double-check, see that your orders are carried out. I was about two-thirds through my act when signs of what I'd feared became a certainty. The 40 lions and tigers in the arena became more and more restless. They grew hazy about cues and unresponsive. I could hear the loosened poles of the tent structure bobbing up and down, an unmistakable sign that a heavy gale was blowing outside. As the gusts of wind intensified, the van played louder to be heard. Suddenly there was a terrific clap of thunder. Lucky you was near the safety cage, Mr. Beatty. That thunder's got them cats scared to death. Yeah. The winds died down, but a thunder storm will make them even harder to handle. Might get that van to play real loud. Mr. Robber's in signaling them to start up again. That's better. It'll help cover the sound of the storm. Man, look at that mess of cats in there. I'll get them straightened out. Clyde, you can't go back in there. The animals are in a panic. They're fighting and clawing each other. Don't go in, Clyde. Let them fight it out. See that the van keeps playing real loud. Might keep loading revolvers with blanks. I'm gonna need them. Hey, you hank, get the rest of the cage boys around to the chutes. Here I go. Back in the arena, I found most of the cats completely uncontrollable. Eventually I managed to get the worst ones back on their pedestals. I sensed that the crowd was worried in my behalf. I knew their peace of mind depended on my conduct. I had to make it appear that I wasn't frightened. He's got them all back on their pedestals. He's terrific, Mrs. Beatty. Why doesn't he let them out now? He don't want the audience to think he's scared. He'll probably do the rollover. He's queuing Venus down for a trick. That'll be a good finish if they can make her do it. He'll make her do it. The wind is not blowing. Now, if only the thunder quit. Oh, look. Venus refused to come off her pedestal. Oh, there she comes. I see. That's all she needed. Venus is frightened. She's cowering back to her pedestal. This is worse than the wind. That big lion has dropped on him back of him. Watch out for Nero, Mr. Beatty. He's jumped down behind you. Up you go. Up. Down, Venus. Down. There. All right. Over. Over, Venus. Roll over. Again. There. There. Good girl. I didn't think Venus was going to perform. She was scared. I don't blame her, so was I. You all right, Claude? Sure. Well, Norman, the public get enough? Oh, they sure did. Okay, then, get him out of here. Because now it's really going to rain. You see? Beatty, you're the greatest weather prophet since Noah. My friend and manager, Norman Carroll, made a reference to Noah. A comparison between that stalwart captain of the Ark and myself took on added significance as the deluge continued. By the time the last of the audience had left the big top, the circus area was a quagmire. To move a circus is always a race against time and train schedules. On this occasion, our movement was slowed to a walk, or rather a squish. All of us from the roustabout to the star slushed through mud in a frantic effort to get our equipment packed and rolling. I'm sure we should deluge on this, Claude. Can't you do something about turning it off? Well, upstairs there's a man who fixes things. You better talk to him. I have been. Looks like the ranchers got their prayers to him first. Well, Norman, this ought to make the grass grow. Well, Claude, if it keeps up, the ranchers can start raising goldfish instead of cattle. And we could have an aquacate instead of a circus. Mr. Bady! Mr. Bady! Over here, Mike. The catfish say the tractors is far down. They can't move the cages. They're getting flooded. The cage covers up. Yep. And lasts some tarps over them, too. Have Rockwell get his elephants down there to pull the wagons to their trains. Right, Mr. Bady. The thunder and lightning, Claude, had those elephants kind of skiddish. I sure hope Rockwell calms them down and up to work. Well, I hope he can try. They can't be made to work. We're really in for it. Well, Harriet, at least this pullman's snug and dry. The boys finally got everything loaded. Trains are ready to roll. Good. Now you can get those wet clothes off. Not yet. I want to see that the animal cages are mopped out. We don't want to flock in ammonia cases on our hands. What about you? You look like a drowned puppy. Hi. That you, Norman? Hey, you look terrible. What's up? Plenty. We're stuck. But the trains are all loaded. We're ready to move. That may be, but we're not moving tonight. What do you mean? The bridge across the Royopah had just washed out. And the tracks in the downgrade behind us are under four feet of water. Well, at least we're safely on the train. In the middle of nowhere. Yeah, water's rising all around us. I hope this train can float. Well, let's hope it can, because this is no longer a train. It's just become Noah's Ark the second. We continue with Noah's Ark after this message. Back to Clyde Beatty and Noah's Ark. Clyde Beatty's circus playing a one-day stand in a small southwestern town was struck by a wind and electrical storm. The heavy rains have left the circus trains marooned, isolated between a washed-out bridge and track four feet underwater. Old man Noah must have been the greatest of all animal trainers. He battled the elements for 40 days and nights aboard an Ark loaded with wild beasts. I'd have given anything to know how he fed them, because although we didn't expect to be stranded that long, we numbered over 500 people with two train loads of ravenous animals. Well, Clyde, here's the bad news. The Forage and Commissary reports, eh, Norman? Yeah. We can serve breakfast to the crew tomorrow, and if we go real easy, maybe lunch and dinner. What about the animals? One round of fresh meat for your cats. That's all. Hay and grain? Five tons of hay, 700 weight of grain. But, Norman, the elephants alone will finish half the supply by tomorrow night. And no horses and camels and the other animals will finish the rest. Brother, are we in trouble? Can't we get some supplies in town? No, I doubt it, Harriet. Clean them out, feeding the circus today. Well, we'd better go see. We might at least pick up some hay and grain. How will we get there? Swim? It's a half mile of town and the flood water is now running five feet deep all the way. Ah, great. Don't worry, boys. I've got an idea. Oh, I have Rockwell. Bring out a mayor round. Mayor Fletcher! Hey, come here. Look out this window. There's an elephant with three people on its back swimming down Main Street. Oh, easy, Sheriff. Easy. I told you hard work would catch up with you some day. No, no, I tell you, there's an elephant out there. He's climbing the courthouse steps. Yeah, is it a pink one? Come see for yourself. Well, I'll be doggone. It is an elephant. See, I told you. Yeah. Then people are coming in here. A real elephant coming into our courthouse. The situation is desperate. I can see that, Mr. Bailey, but what can we do? Have you ever had a flood like this before, Mayor Fletcher? Oh, yeah. Well, let's see. What was it, Sheriff? 32. Dang near Warsh the town out of the state. Did it rain like this? Four days steady. Four and a half. Four days. That's right. Never let up. Town was cut off almost a week. Everybody liked a star before the tracks was fixed and a train come in. We can't wait a week or even four days. If we don't get forage for those animals by tomorrow, that circus train will be a madhouse. Don't look like the rain will let up that soon. Something's got to be done, Mayor Fletcher. Well, Fred, we can't do much. You say there's 500-odd people to be fed? That's right. I reckon by rationing the grub in town, we might could take care of them, but the animals, Fred, we couldn't handle that job. Isn't there any forage available? Oh, you folks got what we had. What about the surrounding ranches? Ranches will need that to feed their own cattle and livestock. Yeah, even if they were to let you have some. How'd you get it in? Ain't a boat within a hundred miles of here. Sheriff, if elephants don't have feed in front of them all the time, they make trouble. We've got 18 of them, and each one eats 100 pounds of hay and 25 pounds of grain every 24 hours. Ain't that much forage in the county? We've got 40 lions and tigers. They've just eaten the last of our meat supply. They'll need a thousand pounds by tomorrow. Ain't a head of beef in town. And don't expect the town's focal to sell you their horses. Do you suppose we could get some cattle from the ranches? The nearest ranch is 10 miles away. This time of the year, there's no town how far out in the range the cattle is. But there must be something we can do. I don't know what, ma'am. A telegraph and telephone lines are down. No radio station. They're cut off from everything. We've got to establish communication by tomorrow night. But there's only one thing we can do. What? What is that, Ty? I hope you have rifles and ammunition, Sheriff. You mean you'd kill our animals? There's nothing else we could do, Harriet. We couldn't risk the consequences of a trainload of hunger-mad wild animals. Them cats know it's past meal time, Mr. Beatty. I know, Mike. We're gonna have to do something and soon. It ain't a nice thought, but, uh, we'll... Couldn't we use a couple of the horses? No. Well, it was just a thought. Well, forget it. Rockwell says the hail only hold out another eight hours. Yes, and I'm more worried about those elephants than I am the cats. They'll wreck the trains when they get hungry. What are we gonna do, Mr. Beatty? I don't know. I just don't know. I'm going up to the office car. Call me if you need. Oh, where'd Clyde go? I suppose he's with his beloved cats, Norman. Poor Clyde. I thought he might have to destroy those animals. It's just killing. Oh, it'd be tragic. The rain would only stop. There might be some hope. Oh, we'd better face it, Harriet. We'll be lucky to feed the troop. We're afraid we'll have to sacrifice the animals. Oh, hello, Clyde. Been down with your pets? Yeah. It's past their dinner time, and they're raising canes. Poor things. Looks like the end of the road. I guess this is the finish of the Clyde Beatty Circus. There must be something we can do. It's a bum break for you, Clyde. It's a bum break, all right, but not just for me. I'm thinking about 500 people being put out of their jobs in the middle of the season. Oh, well, that's just part of show business. Those folks are all troopers. They know in this business you eat one day and starve the next. As for me, I should have gone to law school like my father said. If only we could communicate with the outside. Maybe they could send a plane and drop a supply. Sure. And if we had a plane, I could fly out and get... Wait. That's an idea. I just remembered something. Now, don't tell me you're going to get the circus blacksmith to whip you up an airplane out of canvas, bailing a wire, and an old tractor. I don't have to. Didn't you see that hanger out near the circus grounds? No, I can't say I did. Well, I saw it. It means somebody in this town has an airplane. How do you know it's not a toolshed? Look, I've done enough flying to know an airplane hanger when I see one. All right, even if there is a plane, it's too dangerous. Now, that makes sense. I go in a cage twice a day with 40 lions and tigers, but you don't want me to fly because it's too dangerous. Yes, but Clyde... One more day and I won't have a circus. Come on, we're going back to town. Oh, there's a plane in that hanger, Betty. Four-play spacecraft and, uh... she's a beauty. That's wonderful, Sheriff. Who's is it? Mine. And Coyote's from there with it. Fly off on fishing trips and such. Will you let me borrow it? Your pilot? I hold a commercial license. How about it? Now, hold on now. Where do you figure to go? Oh, about 100 miles north of here. I don't know. It's a mighty nice little ship. Wouldn't want nothing to happen to it. If anything happens, you'll get another up. I'll leave my personal check as a deposit until I return. Where are you flying to? There's an Army Air Force base up there, isn't that right? That's right. Well, I'm going to fly up and get help. Good idea, but you forgot it's still raining out. Oh, what's a little rain? No visibility. Sealing zero. I'll push up through it. The air base could be zero down too. Well, then I'll fly on. Kind of sad, aren't you? Well, it's important. Another question. My ship ain't fitted with pontoons. How are you going to take off? There must be some high ground somewhere around here. There's sort of a plateau about five miles from town. Good. I'll take off from there. I said it's five miles from town. The ship's here. We'll get it out there. Look, Normand, we've got a blacksmith and carpenters with the show, haven't we? Sure. What do you want them to do? Build your bridge? No, I want them to build a raft. A what? You heard me. Now get on back there and start the boys to work. Well, what do they build it out of? They can improvise something. They can cut up a box car if they have to. And how do we get this so-called raft out there? Get Rockwell to hitch up Anna May and one of the other elephants. They can pull it. Well, this is the craziest thing since you're Aya Green's flying machine, but you're the boss. Check the engines, baby. She's set to fly. Thanks, Sheriff. I'll never forget this. I still think you're crazy to fly in this stuff. Don't worry. I'll make it. This is a dandy little ship. Ain't worried about the ship. Just don't figure a lion tamer flying her. The word is trainer, not tamer. Get your way. Well, good luck, son. Thanks. Look, Clyde, I've had a tough time keeping this business from Harriet. She knows something's going on. What'll I tell her? Just keep stalling. Tell her I went fishing or something. He's awful suspicious, but I'll try. Have Buck start lighting those flares in about two hours. I want to find his place when I get back. Right. Good luck, Clyde. Hold on. Look here, Norman. Carol, Clyde's been gone for hours. Where is he? Oh, he just went fishing with a sheriff. Oh, nonsense. It's something about that airplane, isn't it? Well, yes, it is. Is he going to try to fly out of here? No. I'd better tell you, Harriet, Clyde's gone for help. Where? To an army air base about 100 miles from here. 100 miles? How? In the sheriff's airplane. Norman, you let him fly in this weather. Look, I've got news for you, Mrs. Batey. Nobody lets Clyde do anything. He does what he wants. I know what you mean. Oh, he'll be all right, Harriet. He should be on his way back by now. Come on, let's climb a board anime and get out to the landing place. How long has it been, Norman? It's five hours. I'm worried. Well, at least the rain has stopped. Make it easier for him to land. But it was raining so hard when he left. How do we know he made it to the army base? No, he scooted right up through the rain clouds. He's probably waiting at the base for the weather to lift a bit. Oh, Mr. Carroll. Yeah? The weather's clear. You still want me to keep all them flares out? No, you'd better leave a few, Mike, just in case. Oh, Norman, I can't stand this wait. Now, relax, Harriet. Relax. He'll make it. Oh, but it's this wait. Wait. Listen. Do you hear it? What? Wait a minute. Yes, airplane motors. He made it. He made it. Hello there, Sheriff. What do you think of your lion training, Al? I think he'd better lower his landing gear. He's going to smash up my ship. Is he in trouble? He's waving at something. Yeah, he's pointing down. What does it mean, Sheriff? Looks like the landing gear's stuck. He can't lower it. What will he do? Probably cut the motors and dead stick down for a belly landing. Will he crash? Don't worry, ma'am. That ground's so soft from the rain, it'll be just like jumping in a feather bed. He's coming in. Here he comes. Easy, boy. Easy. Now, let's go. Good to see you here. Oh, glad to see you. Well, it looks like I owe you, Sheriff. I'm afraid I messed up your ship a little. You got that ship full of grub, Clyde? Nope. But wait till you see what's following me. What? Well, I'll be. Hey, look up there. Say, that's the darndest contraption I ever seen. Looks like a baloney sausage bent in the middle with two windmills on top. Sheriff, that's the largest helicopter in the world. Those AirCorp boys can set that ship down anywhere. I told them to come down over the train. They got a load of hay, grain, and fresh, fresh meat. Oh, Clyde, that's wonderful. Well, folks, let's go. Dinner and served in a dining car. Clyde will be back with a preview of our next exciting story. But now, a message of interest to all of us. Here is the preview of an exciting adventure entitled God of the White Nile. This is a fabulous story that took place a few years ago when Clyde Beatty was on a safari in Central East Africa. It was approaching midnight as I crouched in the brush, watching one of the strangest rituals I'd ever seen. Our native boys were squatting on their haunches in a tight circle in the center of the clearing. Suddenly, one of them threw back his head, raised his arms high, and spoke. His voice came clearly through the night. Nearly as I could translate it, he said, there's a dirty job to be done, and one of us has to be selected. One by one, each of them reached into a pouch, withdrew a knife, and placed it before him on the ground. One drew a bloodstained knife. It was the leader himself. Without another word being spoken, the other natives proceeded to lash their leader securely to a stake in the middle of the clearing. This completed, they disappeared into the jungle, leaving the chosen one alone in the moonlight. You have just heard a preview of our next adventure, God of the White Nile. All stories are based upon incidents in the career of the world-famous Clyde Beatty and the Clyde Beatty Circus. The Clyde Beatty show is produced by Shirley Thomas. Noah's Ark was written by Frank Hart Tossing. All names used were fictional, and any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. This is a Commodore production.