At first glance Frontier Circus seemed like an ideal subject for a TV series. A western with a circus setting seemed to open up a whole range of plot ideas. The circus of the series was no Ringling Brothers show, it was a one ring show that had a few acts, both circus and wild west. Not unlike the show John Wayne was the impresario of in Circus World but a smaller version.
Chill Wills was the veteran circus man ably assisted by John Derek and Richard Jaeckel. It was a Revue Production like Wagon Train and like Wagon Train it had a good array of guest stars in each episode.
A couple of years earlier NBC started going for color broadcasting as America scrapped its old black and white sets and went to color. But Frontier Circus was a black and white show and its circus setting practically begged for color.
CBS was the last of the big three networks to go to color. I think Frontier Circus would have lasted longer and been in more demand for syndication.
A good show defeated by circumstances beyond its control.
