Frontier Circus

This is an obscure one. "Frontier Circus" ran on CBS for 26 (hour-long) episodes during the 1961-62 broadcast season; I don't recall ever seeing it turn up in syndication. Technically it is a western; shot in black and white two years after Bonanza had begun bringing color westerns into America's living rooms, which gave it little chance for success.

The networks were desperately seeking a gimmick to distinguish their offerings from the mass of television westerns getting air time in 1961. CBS remembered that "Circus Boy" had been a modest success in a 30 minute format for two seasons (1956-1958). And Disney had just done well with their January 1960 theatrical release of "Toby Tyler (or Ten Weeks with a Circus)". So they made a series about a circus traveling around the Old West in the 1880's.

Character actor Chill Wills (who had been the voice of "Francis, The Talking Mule") plays Colonel Casey Thompson who runs the T&T circus with Ben Travis (John Derek before he married Ursula Andress, Linda Evans, and Bo Derek). Richard Jaeckel plays T&T advance man Tony Gentry (sort of a Rowdy Yates of the circus set).

The show was an interesting blend of circus acts, Indian fights, and shootouts with assorted bad hombres.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

At first glance Frontier Circus seemed like an ideal subject for a TV series. A western with a circus setting seemed to open up a whole range of plot ideas. The circus of the series was no Ringling Brothers show, it was a one ring show that had a few acts, both circus and wild west. Not unlike the show John Wayne was the impresario of in Circus World but a smaller version.

Chill Wills was the veteran circus man ably assisted by John Derek and Richard Jaeckel. It was a Revue Production like Wagon Train and like Wagon Train it had a good array of guest stars in each episode.

A couple of years earlier NBC started going for color broadcasting as America scrapped its old black and white sets and went to color. But Frontier Circus was a black and white show and its circus setting practically begged for color.

CBS was the last of the big three networks to go to color. I think Frontier Circus would have lasted longer and been in more demand for syndication.

A good show defeated by circumstances beyond its control.

I was sad when I watched the last episode.

The family feel was there and I was part of it.

I thought an hr didnt drag on at all and just thoroughly enjoyed every episode.

I truly wished there were more episodes, and maybe tie ins with great of that time period Like the president and maybe Annie Oakley, etc.

They could have possibly done more with relationships with some of the characters, and not lose a doctor after one episode. It sometimes take I episode to introduce a character in the first place. Watch it I would rewatch them again.

Much better then most of the crap they put up for tv nowadays.

This show featured plenty of action, good plots, and lots of great guest stars. The circus was still a popular public attraction in 1961-1962. So why didn't "Frontier Circus" last more than one season?

Several things: As other reviewers said, CBS blew it by staying with black and white (a number of shows in this era made the same mistake; it cost them dearly). Western fatigue was taking its toll. And perhaps another issue was the one hour time slot. The stories often dragged in the middle. A 30-minute presentation would have left the viewers wanting more, not wondering when it was going to end.

Even with those shortcomings, Frontier Circus is a good TV show from the waning years of television's Golden Age. All of the episodes are worth a watch.

I rate "Frontier Circus" 8 stars.