 The Clyde Beatty Show The world's greatest wild animal trainer Clyde Beatty 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 Beatty 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 Beatty story Here in mr. Beatty's own words is the adventure he calls the devil cats The leopard is a ferocious bloodthirsty and cunning beast the one delivered to my circus winter quarters in Florida was no exception She had all those characteristics and more from snarling jaws to incessantly twitching tails She was inky black and over seven feet long a jungle bread killer. She was 400 pounds of clawing murder My name for was Nubia, but the natives in the Sumatran jungle. She'd roamed called her by another translated it was devil cat Two days after she arrived. I learned this name suited her perfectly the devil cat We returned to Clyde Beatty in just a moment and now back to Clyde Beatty's experiences with the devil cat I guess every wild animal trainer has nightmares. I do minds are recurring one and it always begins with a spine-chilling cry In my dream I see defenseless men women and children attacked by jungle beasts This was no dream. I sprang out of bed and grabbed for some clothes get the man bring them to the cat pond The cat escaped the black one oh no Clyde she's the killer. I know 50 cats in the place. Why does that one have to break out? Oh here. Let me help you with those boots. Why does it have to be the most ferocious animal in the quarters Clyde would be a shirt There isn't time a few weeks ago. She was roaming the wilds now the devil cats at Liberty again and free to slaughter How does she break out? Well she worked this far loose bent this one slipped out. Yeah, it's one powerful cat. You said it mr. Beatty What do we do now? How long has she been out back? Not long in cats was all peaceful and quiet. I was just dozen off Ruckus started I run into sea like devil was gone. She's a murderous on the loose I got it get it before she kills somebody Elephants they're scared silly they smelled cat. She must be near the elephant enclosure. Let's go not me. I'm gonna get a good I Race for the elephant enclosure the spaces between the animal cages were black and shivery the beast whose ebony coat exactly matched The shadows could be in any of them The elephants were trumpeting practically suddenly I Found her or rather. She found me. I'd run past her in the dark. I whirled in my tracks Now she was crouched in the path behind me with haunches tucked. She was ready to spring Carried no weapons need a chair or with a gun. There hadn't been time with only my bare hands I had a face the devil cat Harriet stand back the leopards between us don't move No, you distract Yeah, we're in for it and so is everybody for miles around or gets in her way I Wasn't just being a hero when I dashed out into the darkness after the black leopard that murderous cat was my Responsibility I had a stopper before she killed somebody when I raced out of the enclosure I called to my cage boy buck to phone the sheriff's office and report the escape Fortunately the moon was shining full and bright and they got outside in time to see the leopard spring over a low Wall and lop off across the fields Still unarmed I went after her the terrain was fairly level But I found myself swishing through knee-high grass and crashing over a lot of underbrush In a few minutes. I heard someone running after me. It was my wife Harriet She was lugging a rifle of whip in my jacket. I brought you these But you might need them. Thanks when I catch up with that black devil. I will Now you run on back when the sheriff's men get here. Tell him which way I went Buck will tell him I'm going with you. I shouldn't allow it but you're a hundred pound package of determination And I know better than to argue. I'm glad you're more forceful with your pets in the lion cage Come on. We better hurry if we want to keep on the trail of the black one What are you supposed to go? I wish I knew. Can you still see her? No The long grass is so heavy with dew it stays bent down Trails clear. Do you think she knows we're after her? Probably She gets tired of it. She'll make a stand You can bet she isn't frightened. I wish I could bet I wasn't Yeah, that makes two of us. Oh the ground is getting more swampy. She must be headed for the Everglades. That's right I'm glad she didn't hit east of the city Oh with all those people and the wizard tourists it would be horrible. She may still turn off I'd rather have her doubled back to the animal barns There's plenty there. She might sink her teeth into but At least the men know something about handling wild animals I suppose it would be best if she continues west and disappears in the swamps What lose a four thousand dollar pussycat Clyde you aren't thinking about the money. No, no But I am thinking about those Indians living in the Everglades the seminars. I'd forgotten I don't think they'd like our black beauty running a muck through their villages. Look There she is On a hillock about a hundred yards away stood Nubia. She was silhouetted against a moonlit background I dropped a one knee cuddled the rifle butt against my cheek I lowered the sights to left center of the black mass and squeezed off a shot Nubia stiffened I knew I'd missed blame it on the moonlight to like a perspective the unfamiliar weapon We heard a savage snarl and before I could line up another shot The devil cat bounded away and disappeared into the dense growth of the Everglades Oh sheriff, uh, would you step into my office, please? Certainly mr. Beatty You uh, say you saw the cat slip into the Everglades. That's right And I think she'll stay there at least for the present probably reminds her of the jungles of Sumatra That's where she came from frankly. I don't quite know what to do The city spread out over a large area. I don't see what defense we could set up. Yeah What about the Seminole's and the Everglades? They're in a pretty dangerous spot right now. We've got a war number that we can't do tonight In the morning, I'll get a boat and we can chug around the Everglades of the different villages I'll be ready at sunup sheriff I only hope the devil cat will be satisfied with small game the rest of tonight Morning sheriff. Well, we're all set to go more than mr. Beatty. Mr. Beatty you going along them Just try to make her stay we didn't sleep last night sheriff I pictured a hundred ways those four Seminole's would be attacked I wouldn't want to wait here and think of more all right up in the boat. We'll get going Say sheriff The Seminole's in that first village were pretty calm about the alarm we sounded well name the descendants of us He all have had a kind of rugged for many many years. Yeah, and this is just an added misery for them. That's about it, baby Here's the next village. Let's pull in Looks like nothing's happened in this village seems no worse than normal I'll call the villagers and give them the word Hey, you over there Call all your people together Unbelievable We're within a dozen miles of town and yet We could be in the remotest regions of a dark continent. Yep Oh these villages remind me of some I've seen in the african interior or down along the amazon. Oh, yes It's uncanny I keep thinking about those open thatched huts of the Seminole's Noobie would find them an invitation to kill about that jungle cat, baby. Why have one in your show? Quite a question Well, call it the challenge or if you wish just showmanship When instinctive enemies like the lion and the tiger the elephant and the leopard are made to conform to a trainer's will Careful Clyde. You're giving away trade secrets Here's another village. There's something wrong with these Seminole's Yeah Look at some must be wrong. Oh, I hope it isn't what I think that Indian boy running like the dickens Looks like he's bursting with news Little young man, what's happened here? The terrible thing Come with me I'm behind the clearing. Wakula will show you Come on. It looks like a slaughterhouse. Oh, it's horrible I don't want to look at it. I don't blame you Let's go back to the huts All our dogs 10 of them Our cows our goats our sheep All killed. That's a bad loss for your village We are poor people That was all we had. Well, don't worry What'd you say your name was son Wakula Wakula, you tell the villagers. I'll see that they're repaid. Tell me son Did any of you see the animal? No But my brother Ocala is a fine hunter a trapper He and a friend went after it. They'll kill that bobcat bobcat a dozen bobcats couldn't have done that Look, Wakula your animals were slaughtered by a leopard a huge black leopard one of the most vicious beasts in the jungle But How did it get here? They had escaped for mr. Baby zoo But my brother Ocala They went into the everglades after it With just squirrel guns. Well, that's murder. Those boys may think they're trailing nubia, but by now a wager She's trailing them. God What are you going to do? You stay here harry. It don't let any of the villagers leave the clearing Sheriff do you know this country like a book hunted around here since I was a kid Good get the guns out of the boat and pick up that roll of fish netting I saw on the bank you and I are going after the biggest game you've ever hunted the devil cat We continue with the devil cat after this message Back to Clyde Beatty and the devil cats When a ferocious black leopard escaped from winter training quarters Clyde Beatty pursued it into the tropical density of the florida everglades Two indian lads went after what they thought to be a bobcat And now Clyde Beatty has set out on a desperate chase to save the young hunters from that murderously cunning man killer The devil cat. I was sure Ocala and his friend weren't a match for the black leopard Glad to have the sheriff along his guide. We pushed off through the tangled growth of the everglades The marshy ground made the trail of the indian lads easy for us to follow And I knew it would be even simpler for the devil cat Beatty look here the trail goes off in two directions I was afraid of that What do you mean? Well, if the indians had stayed together it's possible the cat wouldn't attack them But these signs indicate they've separated. That's bad, huh? Very. Oh, what do we do? Just a minute Find something yeah the trail to the right follows the leopard the other indian turned here and circled off to the left They must have figured to get the cat between them, I guess right for the small game They think they're after that might be good strategy with a devil cat at suicide. I think you'll take them one at a time. That's it Which trail do we follow baby? There's no choice. We'll stick with the one who set out after the cat Do you suppose they set a meeting place somewhere ahead and possibly What if they do heard the big cat between them? Hey, well, she's too clever for that well This is getting like a game of button button who's got the button. Come on. Let's go baby If that cats are done clever the indian boy doesn't have a chance. I know Well, call I had a good hour head start on us If your devil cat wanted to kill him wouldn't she have done it by now? I'm counting on what I know about leopards What do you mean? Well, I've made it my business to study the animals I work with each species has its own peculiar characteristics Besides slaughtering everything in sight What's peculiar about your black leopard most leopards seem to take pleasure in stalking their prey They've been known to follow a man for days just for the fun they get out of it Huh Nothing like a good stock before dinner, huh? Something like that sure Now if this cat's consistent and believe me, they aren't always we may be able to catch her catch her You mean shooter, don't you if necessary? Yes Oh now wait a minute If you think I'll let that baby get within range and not plug her between the eyes, you're crazy Let me warn you sheriff if that happens don't miss Another peculiarity of leopards is that they're difficult to kill and a wounded devil cat is something I hope you'll never have to face For several hours we followed Ocala's trail The signs proved the indian lad was completely unfamiliar with the nature of the animal he was tracking He made every mistake possible Unfortunately for him nubia was running true to form My hunch that the devil cat was stalking Ocala became a certainty when we reached a point where the trail appeared to end Well, baby Looks like the end of the trail now Ocala used the roots of this banyan tree as a bridge over the water Oh, yeah I see the mud from his boots on the bark and I see something else Look down there at the water's edge It's the footprint of your cat right and it's fresh fresher than the trail we've been following Then your hunch was right the cat is pale in the indian exactly Well, what happens now? Do you know this part of the everglades? Sure What's on the other side of the water strangely enough That's the only piece of high ground around here That's actually solid earth and rock there instead of marsh and mud I see Oh, Reese There's sort of a gorge cut by high water Now as a kid we used to run small game in there and corner them against the cliff That's just the spot the devil cat had picked Girl, you think that cat's got the indian lad trapped in there? I wouldn't be surprised. Listen Rifle shot. That's it. Let's go Easy now We've got approach cautiously That lad will use up all his ammunition or some that if he nicks the cat with that squirrel gun We can't hope to save him if we move up to the left He'll bring us out on top of the gorge on the high side good. That's where we want to be Or to the left quiet a little bit farther and we'll make it Look there across the gorge the devil cat He's crouched down the edge of the gorge. Is he going to spring? No, she knows. She's got him trapped She's just toying with him how'd the boy get on that ledge, you know, he must have jumped there in desperation There's not much footage there now the ledge is too small for the leopard to land on That's why she's waiting for the boy to move the boy jumped down into that gorge It's a corner, right? Ocala, don't move stay right where you are Ocala don't fire press back against the cliff and you'll be all right Look I can't stand this let me take a shot No If your shot isn't clean, she should have dropped on that boy a lean for her head If you don't hit the right spot, it won't stop her. Well, what's the right spot clean through the heart She's crouched belly down. That's impossible. That's the only target from this angle You'd never get a shot between her eyes Can't we frighten her off not anymore? This is a showdown and she's having too much fun So so we'll distract her and me that fish netting. I'm going down into the gorge But she'll leap on you that's the idea she'll leap all right, but if I'm lucky it won't be on me Man, you're crazy. Whatever you do. Don't shoot. What? Baby You are crazy I scrambled along the top of the cliff The devil cat across the gorge watched every move I made and I made some obvious ones for the purpose of drawing her attention When I was sure her blazing eyes were fixed on me I slid down the face of the cliff and moved quickly to a point directly beneath the ledge where the indian boy stood Glancing to either side of me. I made sure of the footing It was no time to trip on a rock or a stick Then I began to watch every single movement of my adversary who by now was hissing and spitting her hatred for I saw her gather herself to spring I paused a beat only long enough to gauge the direction of her leap then moved swiftly to one side The cat landed on all fours at the exact spot. I've been standing She raised herself half of her seven foot length and struck savagely at me with baird razor sharp claws It was then I cast the net All right, sheriff Hop down here and bring a heavy stick with you. You will color get down here, too You've got her. She's all snarls up in the net. Watch it. She gets one of those paws loose. She'll rip you to pieces Will this limb do it's perfect now run it through the netting Careful Good Oh color get the other end Yeah, that does it All together twist Now my beauty just keep flailing around like that. We can wait till you're tired We've got it baby. We've done it. We've captured the devil cat alive Yes, we captured the black leopard alive We netted her like a macro, but devil that she was she fought us for hours The more she thrashed around in a violent effort to free herself the more enmeshed she became She was exhausted and hopelessly snarled in the netting I sent Ocala racing back to bring the men and equipment necessary to return her to confinement When we got her back to winter quarters, I made certain the cage we put her in was strong and secure escape proof even for the devil cat Always a little frightened when you go in that arena with the animals, but that black cat What about her? She's a devil card. You've been working with her for weeks and she's still terrified She has to be broken Harriet Does she What do you want me to do sell her to a zoo? Yes anything only don't go in there with her again Sorry Harriet There's a bit of a feud going on between that cat and me. I wish you'd end it before she does To become a matter of principle a few more weeks and maybe she'll begin to learn whose boss All right, but let's the cat in My gloves ma'am and my whip, please All right devil cat get ready to recite your lessons back to the earth Clyde will be right back with a preview of our next exciting story, but now a message of interest to all of us Our next Clyde baby show is called crisis on the set It deals with the unexpected and almost tragic events which took place while Clyde was in hollywood making a movie Here is just a small portion of next week's adventure Okay, baby, we're ready to shoot You all set already mr. Sydney Remember now when that land charges you and you run for the safety cage at the end of the scene Register an expression of fear. You're terrified afraid you won't make it. That'll be easy. I won't have to act for that shot. Okay Quiet on the set. This is a take All right roll them Action the scene went as smoothly as a real circus performance for a while Then came time for the shot the director wanted of Caesar charging me where I barely escaped into the safety cage I motioned and he came down off his pedestal his yellowish green eyes flashing an ominous warning Then he started his charge before I could cue him before I was in position Twice I blanked him as I scurried backwards to the door of the safety cage But on he came 600 pounds of murderous rage My grip tightened on the chair in my left hand as my right hand broke behind for the cage door Caesar was starting to spring. I should just have time. Then my heart leaped the door was stuck. I couldn't budget Yes, take it from me friends not all of the dangerous scenes in the movie are faked by any means At least they weren't in the movie I worked in a few years ago Which is the background for our next story crisis on the set. I'm sure you'll enjoy it. So we'll be looking for you then This story was based on incidents in the life of Clyde Beatty and the Clyde Beatty circus The Clyde Beatty show was produced by Shirley Thomas. The devil tap was written by Frank Mark Towson All names used were fictional and any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. This is a Commodore production