 The Clyde Beatty Show. The greatest wild animal trainer, Clyde Beatty, with another exciting story transcribed from his brilliant career. This master of the big cats captures ferocious jungle beasts and trains them to perform under the big top in the circus where there are always thrills, action and danger. Hundreds of dramatic behind-the-scenes adventures are all part of the Clyde Beatty story. This is the story of Oklahoma Hokes. Being the owner of a circus may not be the easiest job in the world, but one thing is for sure, it's never dull. Not that there's a crisis every hour, but it's amazing how often something unexpected comes up. For example, there was the incident which took place a few years ago in Oklahoma. We were playing the second day of a three-day stand in Oklahoma City when it all started. Keep it moving, Hank. We're running pretty late tonight. Come on, come on. Wait a minute. Hi, honey. It's a dressing room with you. Good. Did you see my act? I did, and I never saw a smoother performance. Ah, thanks, honey. My cats have been behaving pretty well at that. I wonder how long it'll last. Knowing lines and targets as I do, I wouldn't care to wager on it. I know what you mean. I think tonight's crowd was even bigger than last night. Yeah, Oklahoma's the circus state if I ever saw one. Tired, dear? Oh, kind of. Tired, but happy. Been a good season so far. Oh, by the way, what's our next jump? Let's see. One more day here in Oklahoma City, then two days in Tulsa, then we head over to... Hi. Oh, that's probably Fred to give me my rub down. Come in. Clyde. Oh, Larry. Oh, hello, Larry. Hi, Harriet. Clyde. Now, why didn't somebody tell me? Huh? Tell you what? About Rita's python escaping day before yesterday in Grover. What? Larry, what in blazes are you talking about anyway? Well, you've made page one of the evening paper, pal. Here, read it yourself, second column. What does it say, dear? Python escapes from circus. Grover's citizens terrified by a huge snake. Clyde Beatty will return in a moment. Back to Clyde Beatty and Oklahoma hoax. Can't be true. Surely Rita would have told us if her python had escaped. Of course she would. But it must have happened. Read the article. Let's see. Grover, Oklahoma, June 7. Residents of this city were panic-stricken today when reliable witnesses reported having seen a huge python in the woods just north of town. The snake estimated to be between 20 and 30 feet in length is believed to have escaped from the sideshow of the Clyde Beatty Circus, which played Grover just two days ago. Good heavens. The city council has posted a reward of $1,000 for the capture of the giant reptile, but residents are advised to be extremely cautious in making any such attempt. Is that all? No, but it's enough for me. That's mighty bad publicity, Clyde. Oh, I can't believe Rita wouldn't tell us. Well, that python could squeeze the life out of a person in a minute. You two wait here. I'm going to have a little talk with our snake charmer right now. Rita. Rita, are you in there? Yes. Is that you, Mr. Beatty? Yes, I've got to talk to you. Good evening, Mr. Beatty. Come in. Thanks. What? Well, you seem all upset. What's the matter? Rita, did your big python escape when we played Grover the other day? What? Oh, I know. Of course not. Whatever. Oh, thank heaven. Well, I don't understand. What's this all about? The Oklahoma City evening paper carried a wire service dispatch about a huge python being seen on the outskirts of Grover, and they think it escaped from us. Oh, that's ridiculous. My lovelies are all present and accounted for. Why, those people are just imagining things. Rita, people just don't imagine 30-foot pythons. What else could it be? It didn't escape from me, and pythons certainly aren't needed to North America. That's what beats me. How could a python show up around here? That, Mr. Beatty, is a $64 question. Yeah, and I won't be happy until I know the answer. Anyway, I'm relieved to know it wasn't yours. Oh, don't worry. The day one of my pets gets loose, you'll be the first to know about it. To see that it never happens, Rita. I'm sorry I bothered you. That's all right, Mr. Beatty. Good night. But Clyde Rita's probably right. Somebody saw a black snake or something exaggerated its size, and then other people let their imaginations run wild. That's possible, I suppose, but somehow I doubt if that's what's happened. Well, at any rate, as long as it didn't come from our circus, it's not our responsibility. Larry's right, Clash. Sure, I know, but it's not just the responsibility that I'm thinking of. It gives the wrong impression to the public. Everybody will get the idea that we're negligent. That's my department. I'll get hold of a fellow who wrote that dispatch and explained things, and then he'll write the correct story and clear our good name. As simple as that, Clyde. I guess that's all we can do, but get right on it before anything else like that's printed, will you? Right away. Give your report first thing in the morning. You guys better get some shut-eye now. You will. Good night, Larry. Good night. Good night, Harry. Night, Larry. See you tomorrow. Always something. Oh, you'll forget it. Larry will take care of everything. Okay, honey. That's better. In the morning, everything will be all right. Morning, Mr. Bady. Morning, Hank. Everything under control? Your thing just finished cleaning the cages. Did Doc take a look at Caesar? Yeah, he just left. Caesar's pause coming along fine. Good. Don't forget to give something this tonic, will you? We're going to do that right now. See you later, Mr. Bady. Okay, Hank. What? Oh, Larry. I'm just going to see if you were in the cookhouse. Let's head over that way for a cup of coffee, shall we? All right. Did you get that little matter of the python straightened out? That's what I wanted to talk to you about, Clyde. I'm afraid I didn't have much luck. What? Well, the man that wrote the article for the wire service is out on another story, and I couldn't reach him. Well, that's just great. What do we do now? I call the editor of the Grover Gazette to explain the whole thing to him. But, uh... What? He didn't believe me. The whole town is in an uproar, and he said he'd see to it that Clyde Bady's circus never got a permit to play Grover again. But why wouldn't he believe me? Clyde, he said almost the identical words you used last night. Pythons just don't exist in Oklahoma. And since our show was in Grover just before the snake appeared, where else could it come from? I guess you can't blame him for feeling that way. That's too bad. But by this time next year, they'll have forgotten all about it. Maybe they will, but I won't. It may sound corny to say it's a matter of principle, but I don't intend to have this circus blamed for something. It's not responsible for it. I know how you feel, Clyde, but there's nothing we can do. The heck there isn't. Where's your car, Larry? Over on the side street. Why? I want to use it. Well, sure, Clyde. What are you going to do? I'm going back to Grover, and I'm going to take Rita along. Somehow, I've got to prove that snake didn't come from our side street. Oh, but look, you've got a matinee to do this afternoon. I hope to be back in time for it. Grover's not so far from here. Oh, but Clyde! I'll go tell Harriet where I'm going. You and she can keep an eye on things here while I'm gone. Yes, Clyde. Oh, boy, what a guy. He's just up the block, Mr. Beatty. See the sign? The Grover Gazette. That's it, all right. I hope the editor's in. So do I. It's up to us to convince him and see that he prints the true story. I hate to involve you, but I thought since the snakes are your act, it might be best to have you along. I'm glad to come. I want to help get this cleared up. All right, come on, Rita. Right. Well, I see somebody at a desk there. Good. What can I do for you? Are you the editor of this paper? That's right. Well, we came to see you about the big python that's been reported loose around here. Yeah, I'm sorry. I'm afraid you're a bit late. It's already been caught and the reward's been paid. What? That's right. The fella caught it early this morning. And was it a real python? I'll say it was. You want to see it? You've got it on display just a couple of blocks down the street. It cost you a fifth sense piece, though. It sounds like a bargain. Has anybody figured out where it came from yet? Well, no way to prove it, I guess, but everybody knows it came from that circus that was in town three days ago. You mean the Clyde Bady Circus? That's it. That outfit ought to be prosecuted, letting a monster like that get away. Lucky somebody wasn't killed. See here. You can't talk about it. Uh, thanks very much, sir. Huh? Come along, Rita. Have you ever seen a real python? Are you kidding? Oh. Oh, no. I'd love to see one. Well, Bella's got it in an empty stock-watering tank over in a vacant lot next to Chase's garage. Two blocks down there on them until you're right. Thanks. We'll have a look. Oh, look. They put chicken wire over the top of the tank. He makes a good cage. Hey, that is a big bruiser. Must be at least 20 feet long. Wait a second, folks. Cost you a fifth sense ahead to see the python. Oh. Oh, sure. There you are. Thanks. Are you the, uh, fellow who caught it? That's me. Me and my wife over there together did. How exciting. How in the world did you do it? Well, we've been camping in our trailer in the woods just north of town, and this snake showed up this morning right nearby and liked to scare us to death. How bad he did. We had a couple of bad-minton nets in the trailer, so I ran and got them, threw the nets over the snake, and we got all tangled up. Very interesting. Hey, excuse me a second. Hey, boy. Come here. Yeah, mister. Hey, look, kid. Here's a couple of bucks. Go to a poultry house and buy me a nice, live chicken. Well, then you can keep the change. Oh, sure. Now, just make sure it's a live chicken. Okay, mister. What's up? I thought maybe I better feed this python. I want to keep him alive. Maybe I can sell him to a zoo or something. Hmm. Tell me. Have you ever had anything to do with snakes before? Huh? Why, uh, no. Of course not. You're sure of that. What are you driving at, mister? Why did you tell that boy to make sure it was a live chicken? Why? Because you know a python won't eat anything. It doesn't kill himself, right? Well, uh, I'd do something the average person doesn't know, isn't it, Rita? It certainly is. All right. Watch on your mind, bud. Just this. I think this whole thing is as phony as a $3 bill, and I intend to get to the bottom of it. Let me give you a good tip, Buster. Keep your nose out of this so you're liable to get hurt. Blind Beatty will continue with his story, Oklahoma Hoax, in just a moment. And now, back to Blind Beatty and the story of the Oklahoma Hoax. I were both sure that a hoax had been pulled on the people of Grover, and we determined to show up the man who supposedly had captured the snake and collected the reward. As we returned to the car, I realized that proving our suspicions might not be easy. I think you're right, Mr. Beatty. That man must have brought the snake here in the first place. I'm sure of it. This whole thing was planned and worked out in advance. Unless I'm badly mistaken, it's just a new kind of confidence game. Oh, here we are. Thank you. But how can we prove that? Well, I don't know. I'm sure that man and his wife spread the rumor that a python was loose in the woods, and they actually turned it loose long enough for a couple of people to see it. Of course, and kept track of it so they could be captured after it had been seen. Right. The people got up in arms about the whole thing, and a big reward was offered for the capture, at which point our boy appears, with the snake tangled up in a net and proceeds to collect. And picks up a few more bucks from curious people who paid 50 cents to see the thing that caused all the excitement. It all adds up. They planned it in advance. After our circus had played here, they put their little plan into operation. But there's only one thing that bothers me. What's that? Where they got the python. Oh, wonder what a private eye would do in a case like this. I don't know. I'll tell you what. I'll drop you at the hotel down the street. You can wait in the lobby while I do a bit of looking around. What? Oh, Mr. Bate, you can't leave me out just when it gets interesting. Look, Rita, it may turn out to be a bit rough, too. Remember what our friend told me about sticking my nose into his business? I remember. But I'll take my chances along with you. Okay. What's the first step? I think maybe we'll drive out to the north edge of town where that fellow said his trailer is parked while he's collecting 50 cent pieces. We'll see you later. I don't see anything yet. But this is the side road that man back there told us to follow. That wooded section just ahead must be where he said the trailer was parked. We'll know in a minute. That's another funny thing. With a couple of nice trailer camps, why would they pick such a secluded place to park there? Maybe they don't like neighbors. Oh, look, there's a little lane running back into that clearing in the trees. And there's a trailer. It's hitched to a truck with a tarpaulin over the back. I see it now. Well, aren't you going to turn in here? No, no. We'll go on around this curve and park the car. Well, we can walk back to the trailer. They could keep a pison on the back end of that truck easily, Mr. Beatty. While with those sideboards all around and that canvas top, it would make a perfect place for it. Sure it would. Come on. You know, I've got a hunch we'll find something around here that'll prove what we've been talking about. What a desolate sauce. They'd have to have a good reason to park a trailer way out here. Yeah. Say, look, that truck's carrying Illinois license plates. They must have a car, too. There was one with Illinois plates parked in town where they had the python on display. Well, let's have a look in the back of the truck here. Nothing in here. Wait. Look at the sideboards. Down near the floor. Well, what about them? Well, the paints have been rubbed off. A python could have done that, Mr. Beatty. Hey, that's right. Let's see if we can see inside the trailer, huh? Well, there's no curtain at this window. All right. Let's see here. Anything interesting inside? It's pretty dark. My eyes aren't it. Well, wait a minute. Now we're getting somewhere. Well, what is it? An old theatrical truck. And guess what's painted on the end of it? What? Zelda. And underneath that is, uh, Kramer Brothers Carnival. Kramer Brothers? Why, I saw on Billboard last month where that carnival folded off. So did I. That explains quite a bit, too. The man's wife must be Zelda, a snake charmer. They're both out of a job now, and they figured out a way to pick up a fast thousand bucks. Of course that's it. Let's go back to town until the sheriff and the newspaper editor. Listen. Oh, it's a car. It must be them. What do we do, Mr. Beatty? Oh, we can hide in the back end of that truck over there. Oh, Jesus. But won't they find us? They won't have to. I intend to make our presence known anyway. But first, we might overhear something interesting. Come on, now. Up into the truck. Give me a hand getting that darn python out of the trunk if I went into the truck, Zelda. We haven't got much time to waste. And whose fault is that? You had to go and open your big gap about a live chicken. All right. So I made a slip. It don't matter. We got our door and we can get out of here before anybody's wide. All right. Open it up here. Man, there's your little pet safe and sound. I don't see why you insisted on tangling him up in those silly nets again. You know, very well I can handle him without those. Sure. I know it. But why let those jokers downtown know it? This way, they didn't figure anything was wrong when we pulled out. Partners for ease-dropping folks. Hey, what did you do? Come on, Rita. This day's just full of surprises, isn't it? Is this the man you talked to? Yeah, this is the wise guy. Oh, you fool. Don't you know who this is? Huh? A baby. I've seen his picture a thousand times. Go to the head of the class, lady. Get up, you old. Get your hands up. I've got to go, Mr. Baby. That's right, sister. Get on over there and be quiet. If not, don't do anything foolish. We're in no trouble already. Don't worry. They won't get hurt if they do as I say. If you've got any sense at all, you'll confess to this hoax and take what's coming. Sure. And give back the thousand bucks, too, huh? Uh-uh. Zella, give me some ropes. We'll tie them up and leave them in the woods. By the time somebody finds them and turns them loose, we'll be out of the state. Your python's going to be out of the state first if you don't watch him. Huh? Look, he's getting out of those nets. Hey, go grab him. Let's see about this gun, first. Get that gun off the ground. Good girl, Rita. On your feet, fella. Zella, get that python into the truck. All right. I'll help him, Mr. Baby. Hey, what? What are you going to do with this? I'm taking you into the sheriff's office, pal. You've got a little explaining to do. Hey, we didn't mean any harm, Mr. Baby. You can save that for the sheriff. Can you two manage that python all right, Rita? We've got it, Mr. Baby. Good. Let's hurry. We're due back in Oklahoma City in an hour and a half. Clyde, I've got to hand it to you. When you left this morning, I was sure you'd be late getting back to the matinee performance. So was I, Larry. But he made it with 10 minutes to spare. Oh, when will you two learn to trust me? You should know by now that I'm always on time. That promptness is my watchword. Oh, get him. Oh. Anyway, I'm glad the whole thing is straightened out. So am I. And I hope that's the last time I get involved with a snake in the grass. Oh, no. Again is the start of our show, Clyde Beatty. There's nothing I dislike more than using animals to terrify and trick unsuspecting people. So I was mighty glad to be able to solve the Oklahoma hoax. Don't miss my next tale of adventure. A fun incident in the career of the world's famous Clyde Beatty and the Clyde Beatty circus. The Clyde Beatty show is produced and transcribed by Shirley Thomas. Written by Robert T. Smith and Frank Hartmausen. Music composed and conducted by Albert Glassard. All names used were fictional and any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. This is a Commodore production.