A circus family comes to town and charms the populace who don't know the family's real stock-in-trade is larceny.A circus family comes to town and charms the populace who don't know the family's real stock-in-trade is larceny.A circus family comes to town and charms the populace who don't know the family's real stock-in-trade is larceny.
Isabel Jewell
- Madame Ahr
- (as Isabel Jewel)
John Barton
- Townsman
- (uncredited)
John Breen
- Townsman
- (uncredited)
Loren Brown
- Circus Worker
- (uncredited)
Albert Cavens
- Townsman
- (uncredited)
Noble 'Kid' Chissell
- Circus Worker
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- Les Crutchfield
- Norman MacDonnell(uncredited)
- John Meston(uncredited)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaElizabeth MacRae's final appearance as Festus's girl friend April. She had appeared in 3 other episodes in that role.
- GoofsThe barber shop, which comes and goes in the corner of the building next to Matt's office, is a sewing and mending shop in this episode.
Featured review
Rare Opportunity for WALTER BURKE to shine.
Somebody associated with Gunsmoke had the smarts to engage Walter Burke for a significant role that allowed him to display his terrific acting chops--instead of another thankless role as bum, cripple, onlooker, leprechaun, etc etc, all of which made use of his diminutive physique.
Walter was a first-rate dramatic actor with a long stage career (obvious from his impeccable vocal projection and enunciation). If you want to see him at his best, try: 1.) The last 10 minutes of Ben Casey's "The Firemen Who Raised Rabbits" 2.) The final act of Thriller's "Man of Mystery" -- written especially for him by Robert Bloch 3.) His scene as "Ditto" in Peter Gunn's "The Torch". 4.) One Step Beyond's "Front Runner". Even his brief scenes in Twilight Zone's "The Big, Tall Wish" reveal an actor who really understood his craft.
Walter's big monologue at the end of "Circus Trick"--though with rather cliched dialogue and shot almost entirely in dark, moody profile, is nonetheless engrossing from a dramatic standpoint. Beautifully done. My thanks to fellow Burke enthusiast jlthronb51 (probably born the same year as me-- 1951) for tipping me off to this episode, which I'm now glad to own.
"Circus Trick" , an average episode that provides some real visual variety from the usual Gunsmoke setting, is engagingly directed by Wiliiam Claxton, thanks to inventive camera work and prominent close-ups, aided by John Nickolaus' superb, richly-textured cinematography. Interesting to note, though, that this was Claxton's ONLY Gunsmoke as director, and one of only TWO episodes filmed by Nickolaus. Coincidence? Or did the producers hire these two guys specifically because of the demands of this scrpt?
Unfortunately (and this falls back on Claxton's shoulders), the pace suffers during the actual "Big Show" itself; Walter Burke seems to be laboring in vain to keep things moving and upbeat. Background music would have helped. And..again unfortunately.. the plot becomes predictable and cliched, especially with the big, dimwitted brother (Ken Scott), who comes across more like Frankie Laine's dumb brother than any 1870's circus strongman. And the contrived business with his fascination with "pretty things"--girls, diamonds,, etc...is too trite to really be effective.
Elizabeth McRae almost overdoes her usual dumb-blonde caricature, but still maintains her dignity. Warren Oates is fine. Too bad that old-time actress Isabel Jewell's role wasn't bigger; she's very good.
The CBS music library was raided for this one-- with a distinctive Jerome Moross opening cue, and lots of Herrmann ("Walking Distance" (TZ) and "Moat Farm Murder" (radio) and Jeff Alexander (TZ's "Trouble with Templeton'); the delicate, sparkly cues from these scores are used (of course) every time those "pretty things" are discussed. Deduct one full rating Star for this painfully obvious element in the script and score.
However, the somber, Baroque-style processional (Herrmann) from the merry-go-round scene of TZ's "Walking Distance" is very effectively used near the end of Mr. Burke's big monologue.
A so-so show, greatly elevated by Walter Burke's expert performance...for which I'll add BACK that one rating Star. LR.
Walter was a first-rate dramatic actor with a long stage career (obvious from his impeccable vocal projection and enunciation). If you want to see him at his best, try: 1.) The last 10 minutes of Ben Casey's "The Firemen Who Raised Rabbits" 2.) The final act of Thriller's "Man of Mystery" -- written especially for him by Robert Bloch 3.) His scene as "Ditto" in Peter Gunn's "The Torch". 4.) One Step Beyond's "Front Runner". Even his brief scenes in Twilight Zone's "The Big, Tall Wish" reveal an actor who really understood his craft.
Walter's big monologue at the end of "Circus Trick"--though with rather cliched dialogue and shot almost entirely in dark, moody profile, is nonetheless engrossing from a dramatic standpoint. Beautifully done. My thanks to fellow Burke enthusiast jlthronb51 (probably born the same year as me-- 1951) for tipping me off to this episode, which I'm now glad to own.
"Circus Trick" , an average episode that provides some real visual variety from the usual Gunsmoke setting, is engagingly directed by Wiliiam Claxton, thanks to inventive camera work and prominent close-ups, aided by John Nickolaus' superb, richly-textured cinematography. Interesting to note, though, that this was Claxton's ONLY Gunsmoke as director, and one of only TWO episodes filmed by Nickolaus. Coincidence? Or did the producers hire these two guys specifically because of the demands of this scrpt?
Unfortunately (and this falls back on Claxton's shoulders), the pace suffers during the actual "Big Show" itself; Walter Burke seems to be laboring in vain to keep things moving and upbeat. Background music would have helped. And..again unfortunately.. the plot becomes predictable and cliched, especially with the big, dimwitted brother (Ken Scott), who comes across more like Frankie Laine's dumb brother than any 1870's circus strongman. And the contrived business with his fascination with "pretty things"--girls, diamonds,, etc...is too trite to really be effective.
Elizabeth McRae almost overdoes her usual dumb-blonde caricature, but still maintains her dignity. Warren Oates is fine. Too bad that old-time actress Isabel Jewell's role wasn't bigger; she's very good.
The CBS music library was raided for this one-- with a distinctive Jerome Moross opening cue, and lots of Herrmann ("Walking Distance" (TZ) and "Moat Farm Murder" (radio) and Jeff Alexander (TZ's "Trouble with Templeton'); the delicate, sparkly cues from these scores are used (of course) every time those "pretty things" are discussed. Deduct one full rating Star for this painfully obvious element in the script and score.
However, the somber, Baroque-style processional (Herrmann) from the merry-go-round scene of TZ's "Walking Distance" is very effectively used near the end of Mr. Burke's big monologue.
A so-so show, greatly elevated by Walter Burke's expert performance...for which I'll add BACK that one rating Star. LR.
helpful•121
- lrrap
- Jan 11, 2021
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Filming locations
- Stage 3, CBS Studio Center - 4024 Radford Avenue, Studio City, Los Angeles, California, USA(Dodge City Western Street)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
- 4:3
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