The Greatest Show on Earth

Director: Cecil B. DeMille Cecil B. DeMille

Overview

This Cecil B. DeMille film is a lavish tribute to circuses, featuring three intertwining plotlines concerning romance and rivalry beneath the big top. DeMille's film is an over-the-top piece of entertainment, boasting hammy performances, exaggerated clich?s and spectacular action sequences.

Product Details

Release Date:	10/10/2017
UPC:	0032429285157
Original Release:	1952
Rating:	NR
Source:	PARAMOUNT
Region Code:	1
Language:	English
Time:	2:32:00

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Betty Hutton	Holly
Cornel Wilde	Sebastian
Charlton Heston	Brad
James Stewart	Buttons
Dorothy Lamour	Phyllis
Gloria Grahame	Angel
Henry Wilcoxon	Detective
Kyle Bettger	Klaus,Klaus
Lawrence Tierney	Henderson
John Kellogg	Harry
Iphigenie Castiglioni	Herself
John Ridgely	Jack Steelman, Assistant Manager
Frank Wilcox	Circus Doctor
Robert Carson	Ringmaster
Lillian Albertson	Buttons' Mother
Julia Faye	Birdie
Gloria Drew	Ann
Anthony Marsh	Tony
Bruce Cameron	Bruce
Noel Neill	Noel
Charmienne Harker	Charmienne
Dorothy Crider	Dorothy
Patricia Michon	Patricia
Vicki Bakken	Vicki
Gay McEldowney	Gay
Hugh Prosser	Hugh
Riccardo Cucciolla	Himself
Russ Conklin	Rus
John Crawford	Jack
Claude Dunkin	Claude
Keith Richards	Keith
Milt Kibbee	Townsman,Townsman
Rosemary Dvorak	Rosemary
Lorna Jordan	Lorna
Mona Knox	Mona
Gertrude Messinger	Gertrude
John Parrish	Jack Lawson
William Hall	Bill,Actor
Brad Johnson	Reporter,Mabel
William J. Riley	Policeman
Robert W. Rushing	Policeman
Erik Nelson	Boy
Lane Chandler	Lane
Howard Negley	Truck Boss
Eric Nielsen	Boy
Beverly Washburn	Girl
Syd Saylor	Circus Barker
William Boyd	Hopalong Cassidy,Himself
Lester Dorr	Circus Barker
Fred Kohler Jr.	Fireman
Greta Granstedt	Woman
Mary Field	Woman,Truesdale
Kathleen Freeman	Woman,People in Grandstand
Ross Bagdasarian	Man
Edmond O'Brien	Midway Barker
Jimmie Dundee	Utility man
Dale Van Sickel	Man in Train Wreck
Bing Crosby	People in Grandstand
Bob Hope	People in Grandstand
Tuffy Genders	Tuffy
Brad Hatton	Osborne
Ethan Laidlaw	Hank
Stanley Andrews	Man
Lydia Clarke	Circus Girl
John Merton	Chuck
Bradford Hatton	Osborne
Herbert Lytton	Foreman
Everett Glass	Board Member
Lee Aaker	Boy
Nancy Gates	Spectator
Ken Christy	Spectator
Clarence Nash	Spectator
Bess Flowers	Spectator
Lou Jacobs	Circus Act
Felix Adler	Circus Act
Paul Jung	Circus Act
Robert St. Angelo	Actor
Davison Clark	Actor
Dorothy Adams	Actor
Ottola Nesmith	Actor
Josephine Whittell	Actor
David Newell	Actor
Emmett Kelly	Himself
John Ringling North	Himself
Cucciola	Actor
Antoinette Concello	Actor
Victor Young	Composer

Technical Credits

Fredric M. Frank

Barré Lyndon

Theodore St. John

Frank Cavett

Jack Gariss

Cecil B. DeMille	Director,Producer
Gordon Jennings	Special Effects,Special Effects
Paul K. Lerpae	Special Effects
Fredric M. Frank	Screenwriter
Barré Lyndon	Screenwriter
Theodore St. John	Screenwriter
Frank Cavett	Screenwriter
Jack Gariss	Screenwriter
Henry Wilcoxon	Producer

Editorial Reviews

The Greatest Show on Earth is often ridiculed as the worst Oscar-winning Best Picture of all time, but that is unfair -- Cimarron and Cavalcade are both a considerable chore to sit through, and The Greatest Show on Earth is at least watchable trash. As is often the case when a questionable Best Picture winner is announced, external circumstances played a major role in determining the Academy's choice. John Huston's Moulin Rouge was seen as glorifying a dissipated lifestyle, and High Noon, written by blacklist victim Carl Foreman, was clearly an attack on Hollywood's cravenness in capitulating to the hysteria of the McCarthy era. On the other hand, there is at least some charm in noting that the Academy's family-friendly Best Picture selection was a movie about a killer clown (James Stewart) who hides out in a circus while being chased by the police. Despite its diminished reputation, The Greatest Show on Earth is not without merits. Producer/director Cecil B. De Mille fills the screen with admirable production values, and Charlton Heston gives a star-making performance that maintains interest between the circus acts and train shots.