| Super Circus | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Ed Skotch |
| Presented by |
|
| Music by | Bruce Chase |
| Production | |
| Producer | Phil Patton |
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC |
| Release | 1949 – 1956 |
Super Circus is an American television program that aired live on Sunday afternoons from 5 to 6pm Eastern Time from 1949 to 1956 on ABC. [1] The show was produced in Chicago by WENR-TV, continuing through its call letter change to WBKB (today's WLS-TV) through 1955, and its production moved to New York City and WABC-TV for its final season. The award-winning show featured circus and clown acts performing in front of a studio audience. Mary Hartline and Claude Kirchner were the hosts (Jerry Colonna succeeded Kirchner as "Ringmaster" in the final New York season), and Bruce Chase conducted the band. [2] Phil Patton was the producer, and Ed Skotch was the director. [3] Sponsors for the show included Kellogg's, Mars, Canada Dry Ginger Ale, and Sweetheart Soap. [4]
Hartline, known for her short skirts, white boots and long blonde hair, became one of television's first sex symbols, spawning merchandise such as dolls, clothes, and boots --- three dozen different Mary Hartline products. [5] [6] [7]
For at least the 1951 and 1952 seasons, each day Kirchner selected one child from the audience to stick his hand into a jar full of coins, attempting to pull out and keep as much money as possible. There were no dollar coins in the jar, but Kirchner always announced when he spotted a "fifty-cent piece" among the coins retrieved and the audience was prompted to cheer.[ citation needed ]
In 1951, the program received a Micahel Award as the best children's show on television. Also that year, the Lion's Club of Illinois named it the best children's TV program, and the Chicago Federated Advertising Club rated it as one of the four best shows on TV. [2]
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A small number of episodes survive in film archives and private collections, and are in the public domain. Six episodes were released to DVD on October 28, 2008, by Alpha Video, and several have been posted to both the Internet Archive and YouTube.
Herschel Shmoikel Pinchas Yerucham Krustofsky, better known by his stage name Krusty the Clown, is a recurring character on the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta. He is the long-time clown host of Bart and Lisa's favorite TV show, a combination of kiddie variety television hijinks and cartoons including The Itchy & Scratchy Show. Krusty is often portrayed as a cynical, burnt-out, addiction-riddled smoker who is made miserable by show business but continues on anyway. He has become one of the most frequently occurring characters outside the main Simpson family and has been the focus of many episodes, some of which also feature Sideshow Bob.
Bozo the Clown, sometimes billed as "Bozo, The World's Most Famous Clown", is a clown character created for children's entertainment, widely popular in the second half of the 20th century. He was introduced in the United States in 1946, and to television in 1949, later appearing in franchised television programs of which he was the host, where he was portrayed by numerous local performers.
Kukla, Fran and Ollie was an early American television show using puppets. It was created for children, but was soon watched by more adults than children. It did not have a script and was entirely ad-libbed. It was broadcast from Chicago between October 13, 1947, and August 30, 1957. Comedienne Fran Allison starred, interacting with puppets, Kukla and Ollie whose puppeteer was the show's creator, Burr Tillstrom. After the original run, the team appeared in other productions over several decades.
The Red Skelton Show is an American television comedy/variety show that aired from 1951 to 1971. In the decade prior to hosting the show, Richard "Red" Skelton had a successful career as a radio and motion pictures star. Although his television series is largely associated with CBS, where it appeared for more than sixteen years, it actually began and ended on NBC. During its run, the program received three Emmy Awards, for Skelton as best comedian and the program as best comedy show during its initial season, and an award for comedy writing in 1961. In 1959 Skelton also received a Golden Globe for Best TV Show.
The Bob Cummings Show is an American sitcom starring Bob Cummings, which was broadcast from January 2, 1955, to September 15, 1959.
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Ray Rayner was an American television presenter, actor and author. He was a staple of Chicago children's television in the 1960s and 1970s on WGN-TV.
Steve Smith, professional clown and circus director, is best known to audiences as the clown character, "TJ Tatters."
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Roy Thomas Brown was an American television personality, puppeteer, clown and artist known for playing "Cooky the Cook" on Chicago's Bozo's Circus.
Xuxa is an American children's television series hosted by Xuxa Meneghel that aired in first-run syndication between September 13 and December 10, 1993, for a total of 65 episodes. The program, which was based on Rede Globo's Xou da Xuxa, was created by Thomas W. Lynch and Marlene Mattos, with MTM Enterprises handing production. The show works with several blocks, where in each block, a game is presented. The program also received famous people or diverse professionals, as well as educational lessons.
The BJ and Dirty Dragon Show is a Chicago children's television program that aired on WFLD and later WGN-TV from 1968 to 1974. It starred Bill Jackson and his puppets.
Norbert Locke, better known as Ned Locke, was an American television personality and radio announcer, best known for the role of "Ringmaster Ned" on WGN-TV's Bozo's Circus from 1961 - 1976.
"Chuckles Bites the Dust" is an episode of the television situation comedy The Mary Tyler Moore Show which first aired on October 25, 1975. The episode's plot centers on the WJM-TV staff's reaction to the absurd death of Chuckles the Clown, an often-mentioned but seldom-seen character who starred in an eponymously titled children's show at the station. Most of the WJM-TV staff cannot help making jokes about the strange death of a strange person except for Mary, who repeatedly scolds her co-workers for disrespecting the deceased. However, during Chuckles' funeral service, Mary begins to giggle uncontrollably, much to her embarrassment. The celebrant assures her that laughing is the proper response to the life of a clown.
"All About Lisa" is the twentieth and final episode of the nineteenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on May 18, 2008. Lisa Simpson becomes Krusty the Clown's newest assistant and steals his spotlight. She wins Entertainer of the Year at the Springfield Media awards, but is warned that with her sudden fame comes a new attitude towards others and herself. Meanwhile, Homer and Bart bond over their newfound love of coin collecting. The episode features narration by Sideshow Mel. It was written by John Frink and directed by Steven Dean Moore. Drew Carey guest voices himself, appearing as a guest on Krusty's show.
Bozo, Gar & Ray: WGN TV Classics is a two-hour television special produced by WGN-TV in Chicago, Illinois which focuses on children's programming which aired on the station from 1955 to 2001. It debuted in 2005 and has been featured on both WGN-TV and its former superstation WGN America. The program is hosted by WGN-TV personality Dean Richards.
Mary Pauline Hartline was an American model and actress who became one of television's early stars.
Jinx was a chimpanzee who performed as part of the ice skating duo "Darlene and Jinx" with Darlene Sellek, his owner and trainer.
Claude Kirchner, was an American television announcer and personality whose 50-year career in radio and television included hosting popular children's programs in Chicago and New York City from 1949 until 1970. The best known of these were Super Circus, Terrytoon Circus / Merrytoon Circus and Super Adventure Theater.
