The Circus
pbs documentaries

The Circus

Season 1
The Circus explores the history of this popular and American form of entertainment, from the first one-ring show at the end of the 18th century to 1956, when the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey big top was pulled down for the last time.
20182 episodes7+
Documentary
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Episodes

  1. S1 E1 - Episode 1

    October 7, 2018
    1 h 51 min
    TV-PG
    Drawing upon a vast and richly visual archive, and featuring a host of performers, historians and aficionados, The Circus brings to life an era when Circus Day would shut down a town, its stars were among the most famous people in the country, and multitudes gathered to see the improbable and the impossible, the exotic and the spectacular.
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  2. S1 E2 - Episode 2

    October 8, 2018
    1 h 53 min
    TV-PG
    The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus limped through the Great Depression, facing new competition from radio, sporting events and the movies. For more than a century, the circus had brought daily life to a standstill. And then, when day broke, the miracle had vanished. Equestrians, sideshow performers, clowns, roustabouts, curious beasts — all became just figments of a glorious dream.
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