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]
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.
^Hyatt, Wesley (1997). The Encyclopedia of Daytime Television. Watson-Guptill Publications. p. 415. ISBN978-0823083152. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
^ ab"Video Circus Wins Awards:" Billboard, May 26, 1951
^"This Week -- Debuts, Highlights, Changes". Ross Reports on Television including The Television Index. September 5, 1950. p. 1. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
^Woolery, George W. (1985). Children's Television: The First Thirty-Five Years, 1946-1981, Part II: Live, Film, and Tape Series. The Scarecrow Press. pp. 485–487. ISBN0-8108-1651-2.
^Ted Okuda and Jack Mulqueen, The Golden Age of Chicago Children's Television (Lake Claremont Press, 2004), p. 42.
^Billy Ingram, "TV's First Sex Symbol", TV Party.com, accessed 2009-02-17.
^Mary Hartline Was A Living Doll – Chicago Tribune
April 10, 2024
super, circus, american, television, program, that, aired, live, sunday, afternoons, from, eastern, time, from, 1949, 1956, show, produced, chicago, wenr, continuing, through, call, letter, change, wbkb, today, through, 1955, production, moved, york, city, wab. 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 Super CircusDirected byEd SkotchPresented byMary Hartline Claude KirchnerMusic byBruce ChaseProductionProducerPhil PattonOriginal releaseNetworkABCRelease1949 1949 1956 1956 source source source source A 1954 episode of the show Contents 1 History 2 Episode status 3 See also 4 ReferencesHistory editHartline 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 Episode status editThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed September 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message 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 See also edit nbsp 1950s portal nbsp Television portalCaptain Video and His Video Rangers Howdy Doody Ding Dong School The Magic ClownReferences edit Hyatt Wesley 1997 The Encyclopedia of Daytime Television Watson Guptill Publications p 415 ISBN 978 0823083152 Retrieved 22 March 2020 a b Video Circus Wins Awards Billboard May 26 1951 This Week Debuts Highlights Changes Ross Reports on Television including The Television Index September 5 1950 p 1 Retrieved September 15 2022 Woolery George W 1985 Children s Television The First Thirty Five Years 1946 1981 Part II Live Film and Tape Series The Scarecrow Press pp 485 487 ISBN 0 8108 1651 2 Ted Okuda and Jack Mulqueen The Golden Age of Chicago Children s Television Lake Claremont Press 2004 p 42 Billy Ingram TV s First Sex Symbol TV Party com accessed 2009 02 17 Mary Hartline Was A Living Doll Chicago Tribune Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Super Circus amp oldid 1207892276, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
