We just uncovered this rare Kinescope of a show made for CBS in response to the popular ABC production SUPER CIRCUS. Producer Charles Vanda assembled the largest cast and crew to produce this TV kid's show. At times, the show could have as many as 350 people parading around the ring while the Joe Basile 15-piece orchestra plays away unperturbed. When it was first aired on July 1, 1950, the show was filmed at the New Jersey Convention Hall which Raymond Lowery had turned into a ritzy circus environment but in 1954, the show was moved to the North Philadelphia Armory.

New Jersey State Champion majorette Barbara Cubberly was CBS' answer to SUPER CIRCUS' Mary Hartline. She would lead the 65-piece Quaker City String Band which was usually followed by dozens of clowns, animals, jugglers, aerialists, and marching local Boy or Girl Scout troops.

Former vaudeville performer Jack Sterling played the top-hat-and-tails clad host/ringmaster, and you'll undoubtedly get a hoot when you see who plays their top clown -- Ed McMahon of TONIGHT SHOW fame. (In fact, McMahon was supposed to play the ringmaster, but Sterling had been hot on radio and the higher-ups thought he should have the job. And McMahon settled for second banana.) One-time Mr. America Dan Luri played Circus Dan the Muscle Man and Gene Crane was the staff announcer. All the Sealtest commercials are intact on this Halloween night show that aired in 1954.