The Greatest Show on Earth (film)

The Greatest Show on Earth
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Cecil B. DeMille
Screenplay by	Fredric M. Frank Theodore St. John Barré Lyndon
Story by	Fredric M. Frank Theodore St. John Frank Cavett
Produced by	Cecil B. DeMille
Starring	Betty Hutton Cornel Wilde Charlton Heston Dorothy Lamour Gloria Grahame Henry Wilcoxon Lyle Bettger Lawrence Tierney Emmett Kelly Cucciola Antoinette Concello James Stewart
Narrated by	Cecil B. DeMille
Cinematography	George Barnes
Edited by	Anne Bauchens
Music by	Victor Young
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release dates	January 10, 1952 (1952-01-10) (New York City, premiere)
Running time	152 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$4 million[1]
Box office	$36 million[1]

The Greatest Show on Earth is a 1952 American drama film produced and directed by Cecil B. DeMille,^[2] shot in Technicolor and released by Paramount Pictures. Set in the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, the film stars Betty Hutton and Cornel Wilde as trapeze artists competing for the center ring and Charlton Heston as the circus manager. James Stewart also stars as a mysterious clown who never removes his makeup, and Dorothy Lamour and Gloria Grahame also play supporting roles.

In addition to the actors, the real Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey's Circus' 1951 troupe appears in the film with its complement of 1,400 people, hundreds of animals and 60 railroad cars of equipment and tents. The actors learned their circus roles and participated in the acts. The film's storyline is supported by lavish production values, actual circus acts and documentary-style views into the complex logistics behind big-top circuses.

The film won two Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Story, and was nominated for Best Costume Design, Best Director and Best Film Editing. It also won Golden Globe Awards for Best Cinematography, Best Director and Best Motion Picture – Drama.