Greatest Show on Earth tv-program from 1963-64 (1 Viewer)

[benbess]

Has anyone ever seen this show? Based on the hit film a decade earlier by Cecil B. DeMille, Desilu productions (who later made Star Trek) made this one-hour long show with the cooperation of the Ringling Bros. Barnum Bailey Circus. It was even in color. It was not a hit, and was killed after one season. But it starred Jack Palance as the circus master, and seems like a fascinating and lost bit of tv history. Don't think it will ever make it to DVD, but maybe streaming? When Paramount bought Desilu in 1968, I imagine they bought this too, and if it still survives the cans of film are sitting in a warehouse somewhere....

 

[Gary16]

Yes I remember it mainly because it was one of ABC's first live action color shows. I don't recall a lot of storyline info but Palance was always worth watching.

 

[Neil Brock]

It was typical of many shows of that early 60s era in that it was an anthology without being an actual anthology. That is, the guest stars each week were the focus of the stories and the regulars were kind of peripheral to what was going on. Not a great show nor a bad one. It was okay. I have maybe a half dozen and I've seen several more. I would say it was average for its era.

 

[Randy Korstick]

It was typical of many shows of that early 60s era in that it was an anthology without being an actual anthology. That is, the guest stars each week were the focus of the stories and the regulars were kind of peripheral to what was going on. Not a great show nor a bad one. It was okay. I have maybe a half dozen and I've seen several more. I would say it was average for its era.

Sounds similar to Frontier Circus in that regard.

 

[Neil Brock]

I'd say its a better show than Frontier Circus. It takes place in the present rather than the old west and Palance is always worth watching.