Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-03-31
On the Air

sThis is the time Of the year
when every man wonders If he
didn't just possibly make mis-
take when he decided against
running away with the circus,
It is a time than which none
more fitting could be found for
a television visit to the big top
and its wonders, which is just
what NBC-TV provided for us
the other night as respite from
Milton Berle.
1t was nice of the National
Broadcasting Co. to have the
thought, but I'm afraid that this
must be filed in the drawer with
the list Of other ideas that
seemed like good ones at the
time. The circus just isn't the
circus when removed from its
normal environment.
It was doubly out of its en-
vhonment this week on televi-
sion. It was. in the first place, in
Madison Square Garden, an
arena used for everything from
political rallies and basketball
tournaments to rodeos, not to
mention the Harvest Moon Ball.
1t is convenient to transportation
and it is large. Otherwise it is
no place fol a circus, unless you
are a -of-New-York-i s-no-
where New Yorker who thinks
tents are what Indians live in.
Television does not give the
circus a proper environment.
either, not, that is, when the
circus is being staged as a cir
Gus. Television can and does use
circus acts to good advantage.
But it cuts the real thing down
to size and then it isn't the real
thing any more.
"A circus has to be color and
noise and excitement. 1t has to
be taken along with peanuts
and cotton candy and tanbark
and smell. What came out on
the screen on the eve Of the
Ringing Brothers and Barnum
g. Bailey 1855 premiere was
more colorless, noisy and, con-
fusing than anything else Also.
John DAILY appeared just trifle
baff1ed, undoubtedly for the first
time in his broadcasting career.
by his assignment as sort OF
comaster of ceremonies with
John Ringing North.
The show had its moments, of
course. What the cameras missed
of what appears to be a top
notch animal act. they made up
for with some fine shots of
aerialists at work. The chorus
girls danced" prettily in the
air on ropes. The trapeze artists
demonstrated their flawless and
breathtaking timing. The amaZ-
ing Miss Mara proved that she
is indeed amazing by actually
performing that one-heel hang
from a trapeze high in the air.
Another girl went through
some virtually impossible balanc-
ing feats on swinging trapezes.
A third exhibited her high wire
act, which was the more thrill
ing for her interview with Mr.
DAILY Just before she did it. Only
If you were watching do you
know what provides the greatest
peril for a tightrope artist.
It's graSshoppers. They get
entangled with. the wires while
these are coiled on the ground
when the show is being set up.
You never have faced a really
unpleasant situation. the young
lady conf1ded, until you have
been progressing along a high
wire and encountered the slip
perry remains of a grasshopper
where sure footing is something
Of an imperative. Her word for
tits good enough for this craven
grounding.
Despite its bright spots, this
Just wasn't a very circusy circus
after it filtered through televi-
sion. Even so. the show still
served its purpose. 1t cheered
millions of us with at least the
citcumstantial evidence that the
circus is back again. bigger and
better than ever. 1t must have
cheered Mr.. North, too, to get
HIS "a sheets. or rather his 81
inch sheets. planted in more liv-
ing rooms by the millions than
ever before.
aF. n \
BIG SWITCH-"The ~. s.
Steel Hour" (WMAL-TV-alt.
Tuesdays. $3.50 PM will move