Beaman attended the
Heatherley School of Fine Art, and during that period founded the theatre group known as the
Dickens Fellowship, which led to him being invited to perform at
smoking concerts. Beaman used to work out his ideas for the show in a miniature theatre at his home, using his original models. This was about a boy and his dog, and featured early versions of characters later to be in
Toytown. He was often in the studio while his work was being broadcast, and occasionally took part in the programme. This continued until the last Tuesday before his death. Later in his career he was inspired by the early
Walt Disney cartoons to create
marionette and animated renditions of his
Toytown play
The Arkville Dragon. He died on 4 February 1932 of
pneumonia: however, his plays were remounted for radio until 1964, and his friend Hendrik Baker would adapt his original plays for stage, vinyl and television over the next six decades. ==Bibliography==