Circus Boy is based on the adventures of young orphan Corky (Micky Dolenz nee Braddock) who along with his Uncle, Joey the Clown (Noah Beery Jr.) work for the Burke and Walsh Circus owned by 'Big' Tim Champion (Robert Lowery). Other regulars are Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams as the cantankerous general handyman Pete and as himself Bimbo the Elephant, who actually gets top billing over Williams. There are also a few recurring characters that generally bring mayhem with each appearance. Set in the Pre-Automobile Age, the circus travels from town to town along the dusty roads of the West setting the stage for a new drama each week. Episodes are a blend of action, humor and family conflict.After watching Circus Boy again after these many years, there are several takeaways to be had.(1) Burke and Walsh should invest in fireproof tents. (2) If you are a Circus Act looking for long term employment Burke and Walsh is probably not for you. A large number of episodes have Big Tim Champion, always pleased to pick up performers for a discount, hiring a new act (often with personal problems) to replace a previous act. Big Tim goes through high wire performers like a pair of cheap socks. (3) If the Burke and Walsh circus comes to your town turn and run the other way. Townspeople looking for entertainment are instead usually treated to a large dose of pandemonium. Incidents such as forest fires, stampedes and water reservoir poisoning are not uncommon. The circus is also somewhat lax in keeping the wild animals secured.But things typically turn out pretty well and in the end the victims usually have a good laugh at the misadventures. Running for two seasons then released into syndication, Circus Boy was one of the iconic Saturday Morning Fare of the 1950's. Any resemblance to programming peers Rin-Tin-Tin and Fury was purely intentional, but all managed to capture a sense of adventure for kids of that era.

Circus Boy was a really great show. All shows done back then were. How they were made and how technology has improved doesn't matter. The show like others made in the 50's, 60's & 70's were great FAMILY programming. They taught lessons/morals that are very much needed in this time & age. The shows were also just plain good. That can't be said of most shows (& cartoon shows) done mainly in the last 20 years (but really since about 1980). T.V. Shows these days have too much sex and violence; Immorally corrupt. Early example: Roseanne. People should be ashamed of the work they do in the entertainment industry. They should bring more shows back instead of making new shows or remakes of the originals. (Remakes are NEVER as good as the originals.) So keep bringing back the good shows.

I never knew this 50s' TV series existed until I saw it for the first time on the "Antenna TV" channel several weeks ago. Well, all I can say is that over the years, I hadn't missed much.In my opinion, the only interesting aspect of this show is seeing Mickey Dolenz in the title role playing an orphan working in a circus as an animal trainer. (Dolenz of course would go on to achieve much greater fame as an adult as the drummer for the 60s' rock group the Monkees.) Aside from seeing Dolenz as a small child, this series doesn't offer much else. As with most TV sitcoms from the 50s, time has done a great deal of harm to "Circus Boy." Many of the story lines of various episodes are overly sentimental and, by today's standards, ludicrously naive. It's really no wonder that this short-lived series only lasted two seasons."Antenna TV" should up its game by providing better quality programming.

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.