Growing up in the 50's meant kids' TV was filled with scripted show like Circus Boy, Rin Tin Tin, Cisco Kid, and more. It was expected we could pay attention and follow a plot and learn a lesson. In Circus Boy it was Noah Beery, Jr (Joey the Clown) or Robert Lowery (Big Tim Champion) who helped Micky Dolenz (Corky) see the bigger picture: how to get along with people, show kindness, compassion, and understanding. There are times I shake my head at my generation and wonder what happened. We grew up with TV writers and actors trying to show us how to be good people, then we became flower children, but one of the best educated generations ever. And now we are either elites to be despised for working hard to achieve success or frightened selfish strangers who fear the future and expect a wall to be built to save us. What happened? Corky and the circus faced hatred, fear, bankruptcy, but learned to pull together and go on.The show also featured actors on the way up and who Hollywood considered used up. Some were Lee Van Cleef. Tim Considine, Robert Burton, Dean Fredericks, Sheb Wooley, Lyle Talbot, Burt Mustin, Harry Strang, John Hart, Francis McDonald, and Jack Elam. The Hortense the Hippo episode is like a who's who with Harold Peary (The Great Gildersleeve himself) as Al Garson, Frank Jenks (Great character actor in 40's and 50's films) as Flash, William "Billy" Benedict (East Side Kids/Bowery Boys) as Punk, and Rusty Wescoatt (appeared in episodes of almost every kid's TV show from 50's from Captain Video to The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin) as the deputy.

Maybe now Circus Boy is not viewed as a good show, but I love it just the way it is. You cannot get programming like this anymore. Where the people on the series were nice and pleasant to each other. They even pray on the old shows. Something we don't do much of now days. I think there should be more up lifting shows on TV like Circus Boy, Rin Tin Tin, Lassie, etc. They are great. Keep it up Antenna TV. You got my vote. I wish they'd get all the reruns they could and run them at Antenna TV. That is pretty much all I watch now. To many nut jobs on TV now. Cable is way too expensive!!! I buy DVD's with old programs on them and I watch all these great shows. There was a time when actors really acted and were talented. Now days someone is an actor because they made a sex tape.

Loved this program as a youngster. Once had a book based on it too. Had not realized "Corky" went on to star with the Monkees(a vastly underrated group IMO). Good, wholesome entertainment from the "Leave it to Beaver" era. Would love to see it come out on DVD. It was never dull-there were often tense moments. It was drama , not comedy."Big Tim" was the most memorable of the other characters. And then there was a lady who played Corky's real mother, and wanted him to leave the circus in some episodes. And of course there was the circus animals.Are there other "Circus Boy" fans out there? Maybe we can get something going on the Message Board.

CIRCUS BOY, starring future "Monkees" drummer/singer Mickey Dolenz (then as billed as Mickey Braddock)in the title role, spent the 1956-57 Prime Time TV Season on NBC and the next on ABC. I enjoyed it when it re-ran on Saturday mornings thru 1960. There could be 70+ episodes of CIRCUS BOY as back in those days they produced as many as 39 new episodes a season. Nowadays, costs being what they are, you're fortunate to get 20-24. The Circus Boy was Corky, an orphan taken in by Big Tim Champion's turn of the 19th century Circus. He was water boy for Bimbo, a baby Elephant. As a 7 or 8 year old at the time, I found the show quite fascinating and, of course, envied Corky to no end. I mean, who wouldn't want a pet elephant? Coincidently (?) Disney released the popular, similarly-themed TOBY TYLER in 1960. Source Material: THE COMPLETE DIRECTORY TO PRIME TIME NETWORK & CABLE SHOWS.