American trainer of wild animals, known for his "fighting
act," designed to show his courage and mastery of the
ferocious animals under his control. In one of the most daring
acts in circus history, he mixed 40 lions and tigers of both
genders and also used dangerous combinations of tigers, lions,
leopards, pumas, hyenas, and bears.
Beatty left home at the age of 18 to be a circus cage attendant. A year later
he had his own animal act.
From 1925 through 1934 he toured with the Hagenbeck-Wallace
Circus. From 1931 through 1934 he appeared with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey
Circus in its New York City and Boston appearances. He also performed with the
Cole Bros. Circus from 1935 through 1938. Beatty bought a circus in 1945 that
later merged with Cole Bros. (1958) to form the largest tent show on the road
in the United States at that time. He appeared in several motion pictures, including
"The Big Cage" (1933) and "Ring of Fear"(1957).
