In the early 20th century, circuses crossed the land. My kids grew up only knowing Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey. But going back to the 1920s, 1930s etc., there were many other players. Sells-Floto, Hagenbeck-Wallace, Al G. Barnes, and Clive Beatty-Coles Brothers, were some of the major shows of the time. Even film star Tom Mix had a touring circus.
Before that, smaller tent shows rolled through the country. Early circuses (1860s) like those of John Ricketts and Dan Rice made their way though towns, showing feats of daring, unimagined at the time. Rice, for instance, had the world's first trained rhinoceros. Who could compete with that?
Enter Screen Gems with the idea for a series, which they called "Circus Boy". It includes a boy named Corky, whose circus performer parents die. He is adopted by Joey the Clown and raised by his circus family. Corky learns the ways of life in the Old West as a performer. Helping Corky is his companion, Bimbo the Elephant.
The film company purchased a defunct circus from South Carolina and brought it to California for filming. But who would play Corky?
That was answered by newcomer Mickey Braddock. Braddock is a stage name. His real last name is Dolenz! His father is George Dolenz, who played TV's "Count of Monte Cristo". His mother, Janelle, is a Chickasaw Indian, related to the first full-bloodied Native American elected to the US Senate.
Mickey is athletic, both a swimmer and a little leaguer. His father had taught him how to fence. He learns to juggle and walk a tightrope. He also learns how to ride a horse bareback. That comes in handy when he spend so much time on the back of Bimbo the elephant. Not only that, but he got to ride other exotic creatures like a hippo and a rhino.
Add to this that he also learned how to play the guitar and sing, as well as going on tour with Bimbo. What better way to prepare for another show...
All 49 episodes included Corky, Joey the Clown, played by Noah Beery, Jr., who was the nephew of film great Wallace Beery; and Big Tim Champion, owner of the circus, played by Robert Lowery, who played Batman in 1949. Bimbo the Elephant was only in 48 episodes.
Throughout the series, people tried to run away with the circus, an aunt tried to take Corky away from the circus, other just tried to destroy the circus. Many of these themes reoccurred. Through Corky and his circus family, their lifestyle was saved from marauders, the aunt realized that Corky belonged in the circus and people decided to go home to their families or their Board of Directors, whatever the case would be. But any trouble was faced with a smile and positive attitude from the title character.
Some guest stars dotted the show as well. They included Sterling Holloway (character actor and original voice of Winnie the Pooh), Billy Barty (actor seen on everything from "The Spike Jones Show" to "Sigmund and the Sea Monsters" to Weird Al's "UHF"), and other notable names like Russell (The Professor) Johnson, "Three Stooges" alums Philip Van Zandt and Emil Sitka, Slim Pickens, Barton MacLane, Harold (The Great Gildersleeve) Peary, and boxer Buddy Baer. Mickey's own sister, Coco, was in two episodes as well.
The show would last two seasons before being cancelled in 1958. Although no longer in production, Circus Boy would be found in syndication into the 1960s. Braddock would make some minor appearances on other shows, including a couple of uncredited roles on Peyton Place. In 1966, he would again don the name of Micky Dolenz and become the Monkee that we all love.
Thanks to IMBd for all the cast information. References also include some newspaper articles found through Newspapers.com, namely The Pittsburgh Press, 23 June 1957 & The Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph, 15 September 1956. Lastly, Micky Dolenz's book,
"I'm a Believer", can be found on Google Books as well as on Amazon.com.
As a bonus, here is a scene from Circus Boy, where Corky says he "
can't play the drums". I follow it with the video for "
Randy Scouse Git" (or "Alternate Title" as it is sometimes called), showing Micky playing some drums.
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Thanks, Gill!
