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
The Circus Comes to Town!
Everyone in Dodge City is excited when the Harry Elko's Varieties Show arrives. However, Mr. Elko and some of the performers have nefarious plans in mind to use the distraction of the circus show as cover for their criminal activity. Fortunately for the Dodge City citizens, Marshal Dillon quickly catches on to their scheme, as he has heard reports of bank robberies in the same cities where the circus performs.
There are some truly great performances in this episode, which work with a non-conventional plot that offers few surprises. Walter Burke, who seemingly appeared in every television show made during this time period, plays the leader of the circus, Harry Elko. Ken Scott makes his only Gunsmoke appearance in this episode as the circus strong man who develops a crush on Festus's girlfriend, April. Scott appeared in many television shows over the years, often in smaller roles.
Isabel Jewell plays the fortune teller Madame Ahr. In the 1930s and early 1940s, Jewell was a highly-regarded actress. She played the part of Emmy Slattery in Gone With the Wind. As the years went by, she found it more and more difficult to find work. She was arrested for passing bad checks and DUI in the late 1950s. By the time this episode was made, her acting career was almost non-existent.
Warren Oates was great in pretty much everything he did. He plays one of the circus troupe named Speeler here. Oates appeared in a total of 10 different Gunsmoke episodes over the years.
Elizabeth MacRae makes her fourth and final appearance as Festus Haggen's on-again, off-again girlfriend April Clomely. This is the first and only appearance April makes during Season 10, with all of her other appearances coming during the previous season.
Burt Reynolds makes one of his few remaining appearances as Quint Asper in this episode, although he is only present briefly.
There are some truly great performances in this episode, which work with a non-conventional plot that offers few surprises. Walter Burke, who seemingly appeared in every television show made during this time period, plays the leader of the circus, Harry Elko. Ken Scott makes his only Gunsmoke appearance in this episode as the circus strong man who develops a crush on Festus's girlfriend, April. Scott appeared in many television shows over the years, often in smaller roles.
Isabel Jewell plays the fortune teller Madame Ahr. In the 1930s and early 1940s, Jewell was a highly-regarded actress. She played the part of Emmy Slattery in Gone With the Wind. As the years went by, she found it more and more difficult to find work. She was arrested for passing bad checks and DUI in the late 1950s. By the time this episode was made, her acting career was almost non-existent.
Warren Oates was great in pretty much everything he did. He plays one of the circus troupe named Speeler here. Oates appeared in a total of 10 different Gunsmoke episodes over the years.
Elizabeth MacRae makes her fourth and final appearance as Festus Haggen's on-again, off-again girlfriend April Clomely. This is the first and only appearance April makes during Season 10, with all of her other appearances coming during the previous season.
Burt Reynolds makes one of his few remaining appearances as Quint Asper in this episode, although he is only present briefly.
helpful•91
- wdavidreynolds
- Jan 5, 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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