The dramatic lives of trapeze artists, a clown, and an elephant trainer are told against a background of circus spectacle.
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Title: The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Betty Hutton | ... | Holly | |
| Cornel Wilde | ... | The Great Sebastian | |
| Charlton Heston | ... | Brad Braden | |
| Dorothy Lamour | ... | Phyllis | |
| Gloria Grahame | ... | Angel | |
| Henry Wilcoxon | ... | FBI Agent Gregory | |
| Lyle Bettger | ... | Klaus | |
| Lawrence Tierney | ... | Mr. Henderson | |
| Emmett Kelly | ... | Emmett Kelly | |
 |
Cucciola | ... | Cucciola |
|
|
Antoinette Concello | ... | Antoinette Concello |
|
|
John Ringling North | ... | John Ringling North |
|
|
Tuffy Genders | ... | Tuffy Genders |
| John Kellogg | ... | Harry | |
| John Ridgely | ... | Assistant Manager | |
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Plot Summary
|
Add Synopsis
Storyline
To ensure a full profitable season, circus manager Brad Braden engages The Great Sebastian, though this moves his girlfriend Holly from her hard-won center trapeze spot. Holly and Sebastian begin a dangerous one-upmanship duel in the ring, while he pursues her on the ground. Subplots involve the secret past of Buttons the Clown and the efforts of racketeers to move in on the game concessions. Let the show begin! Written by Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>
Taglines:
Incomparable! Incredible! See more »Parents Guide:
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Details
Country:
USARelease Date:
May 1952 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Cecil B. DeMille's The Greatest Show on Earth See more »Edit
Box Office
Budget:
$4,000,000 (estimated)Gross USA:
$36,000,000Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Recording)Color:
Color (Technicolor)Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1
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Holly: No, he said I was like champagne. I made his head spin.
Angel: Yeah, only you'll be the one who winds up with a hangover.
See more »
(1857) (uncredited)
Written by James Pierpont
Played during the parade around the rings and briefly sung
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
When Mary Pickford presented the film's producer-director Cecil B. DeMille with the Oscar for Best Picture, not only was it the first time the Academy Awards ceremonies had ever been televised, it was also Pickford's very first television appearance. See more »Goofs
When Mickey Mouse and other Walt Disney characters walk around the ring, the band plays the song "It's A Hap-Hap-Happy Day" from Gulliver's Travels, which was released by Paramount, not Disney. See more »Quotes
Angel: Did he say you were like cognac? All fire in zee glass?Holly: No, he said I was like champagne. I made his head spin.
Angel: Yeah, only you'll be the one who winds up with a hangover.
See more »
Soundtracks
Jingle Bells(1857) (uncredited)
Written by James Pierpont
Played during the parade around the rings and briefly sung
See more »
Frequently Asked Questions
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Since this film was released in 1952, some scenes in the film will really be outdated (effects). But other than that, the film is a feast to the eyes and if you're sentimental, to the heart. With a seemingly thin plot, Cecil B. deMille made the film work with visuals and moments of suspense that is missing from a lot of big films nowadays. Mr. deMille is a master of epic films and this is one example. He made the circus one of the main characters in the film, that you will find yourself missing it at this day and age. A guilty pleasure? For me this is a magical pleasure.