Noah's Ark

The Clyde Beatty Show! The greatest wild animal trainer Clyde Beatty with an exciting adventure from his brilliant career. The circus means thrills, excitements, 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 Vaidi story. Here in Mr. Vaidi'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-swall hits, when gusts of wind blow out the side walls, rip up tent-states, and balloon the canvas of the big top, there comes the time that's dreaded by circus people.

Most affected are the animal handlers. When the storm really gets under way, 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.