Dumbo's Circus

Dumbo's Circus
Starring	Patty Maloney Mark Sawyer Van Snowden Joe Giamalava Sharon Baird Norman Merrill, Jr. Caleb Chung Ron Mangham
Voices of	Katie Leigh Walker Edmiston Patricia Parris Jim Cummings Will Ryan Hal Smith Ron Gans
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	120
Production
Running time	30 Minutes
Production companies	Asked Questions Productions ELP Communications The Disney Channel Originals
Original release
Network	The Disney Channel
Release	May 6, 1985 – 1989

Dumbo's Circus was a live action/puppet television series that aired on The Disney Channel beginning on May 6, 1985, and featured the character of Dumbo from the original film. The series was in production for three and a half seasons, and reruns continued to air until February 28, 1997.

Many of the show's cast went on to star in the popular Christian radio series, Adventures in Odyssey.

Background

In the show, Dumbo has grown up, is able to speak, and has struck out on his own to begin his own circus. He and a cast of characters fly from town to town, in a wagon pulled through the air by Dumbo, performing their "greatest little show on earth". Other than Dumbo, none of the characters from the original film appeared in the show. Each character would perform a particular talent, which ranged from dancing and singing to telling knock knock jokes.

Characters

• Dumbo: Also known as the "World's Only Flying Elephant". Star of the circus, Dumbo still relies on his magic feather to help him fly. He can usually be seen pulling the Circus wagon from place to place up in the sky. Often talks to the camera (breaking the fourth wall) towards the boys and girls watching the show, telling them when it's time for a song or for the sideshow. Being an elephant, Dumbo's memory is usually very good (based on the expression "An elephant never forgets."), his hearing is very sharp and sometimes his sneezes are often strong - strong enough to cause some wind.
• Lionel: A Brooklyn accented lion who serves as Dumbo's right-hand partner, popcorn server, ticket taker and sideshow barker. Has a knot in his tail. Lionel was inspired by the character of Timothy Q. Mouse from the 1941 film. Lionel's voice is almost similar to Mickey Mouse.
• Fair Dinkum: Also known as "Dink" for short, he is a koala who serves as ringmaster of the circus. As he is from Australia, he has the accent they have as well. There are a few things that Dink is afraid of - heights (so he's scared of flying) and drowning in the water being a few of them. His name comes from the Australian phrase, "fair dinkum".
• Barnaby Bowser: A goofy dog who is the circus clown/magician as "Barnaby the Great". Known for saying "Ah-hee-ee-ee-ee-ee" whenever he laughs, and sounds like he's from the south. His magic tricks don't always work out the way he wants them to. Good friends with Lionel and Q.T. He also gets scared easily. Often hums his signature song "I'm Just a Lucky Dog". Comes from a big family - Edison Bowser (who invented flea powder), Isadoga Bowser (a famous dancer who perfected the "Dog trot"), Julia Bowser (Barnaby's favorite as she invented the hot dog) and his famous Uncle Lattimer Bowser, III.
• Lilli: The only female character before Matilda appeared, Lilli is a beautiful cat who serves as a tightrope artist in the circus. Sometimes wears glasses because of her bad eyesight - mostly to see things that are very close like books, signs and to play checkers. Likes pretty things.
• Q.T.: A slow-witted, but good-natured orangutan who is the resident strongman and calliope player (in earlier episodes he was accompanied by a small pink creature while playing the calliope). He makes friends easily, and has other talents, like kite making. Sometimes doesn't know his own strength.
• Sebastian: A purple alley cat who is usually reduced to janitorial duties and likes to nap any chance he gets. Sometimes tricks others (usually Q.T.) to do his own work, but sometimes his tricks backfire on him. In the side show, Sebastian has a ventriloquist dummy with him called Sly.

Other characters

• Flip & Flap: A duo who are usually seen during the side show, telling each other jokes. They are identifiable by their appearances - Flip has long rabbit ears, and Flap has a red afro and a pig-like nose.

• Rinkum Dinkum: A later addition to the series, Rinkum is Fair Dinkum's older brother. In contrast to Fair Dinkum, Rinkum is much more brave and doesn't scare easily. Like his brother, Rinkum speaks in an Australian accent. During the Side Show, Rinkum puts on a show in which the audience has to guess what country he once visited and is pretending to be from.

• Matilda Dinkum: Another later addition to the series, Matilda is Rinkum and Fair Dinkum's younger sister and loves to dance. Also known as "Matty". Like her brothers, she speaks with an Australian accent. Her name comes from the famous Australian song "Waltzing Matilda".

• Lattimer Bowser, III: Barnaby's uncle who is a famous explorer. He looks like Barnaby, but is much older, with a moustache (which he occasionally brushes with his hands), and wears a monocle and a pith helmet. Speaks with an English accent.

• Fira: Lilli's aunt, who speaks with an upper class accent. Looks like Lilli, but whereas Lilli only wears glasses for reading, she wears glasses all the time. Finds Sebastian to be sneaky, even if he is a cat.

• Mrs. Jumbo: Dumbo's mother, whom he sometimes talk about.

Voices

• Katie Leigh - Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Misc. others
• Walker Edmiston - Q.T. the Orangutan
• Patricia Parris - Lilli the Cat, Misc. others
• Jim Cummings - Lionel the Lion, Aunt Fira, Misc. others
• Will Ryan - Barnaby Bowser the Goofy Dog, Misc. others
• Hal Smith - Fair Dinkum and Rinkum Dinkum the Koala Bear brothers, Misc. others
• Ron Gans - Sebastian the Alley Cat, Misc. others
• Laurie Main - Uncle Lattimer Bowser, III
• Mona Marshall - Misc. others
• Phil Baron - Misc. others

Songs

• "Dumbo's Circus" (Opening theme song)
• "The Big Parade" (Dumbo, Lionel, Barnaby and the Chorus)
• "Clowning Around" (Chorus)
• "I'm Just a Lucky Dog" (Barnaby)
• "I'm an Elephant Too" (Fair Dinkum) (Some episodes plays it during the closing credits instead of "Gotta Fly")
• "I Love the Circus" (Chorus) (Some episodes plays it during the closing credits instead of "Gotta Fly")
• "Hand Clappin'" (Barnaby and Lionel)
• "March to the Music" (Lionel)
• "Dumbo's Up in the Air" (Chorus)
• "A Genuine Clown" (Barnaby)
• "Gotta Fly" (Regular Closing theme song)

Side-show acts

• Sebastian and Sly
• Flip and Flap
  • Flip and Flap at the Restaurant
• Dumbo's Nursery Rhymes
• Barnaby's Magic Show
• Q.T.'s Knock-Knock Jokes
• Lilli's Tongue Twisters
• Rinkum Dinkum's Make-Believe
• Lilli's Mystery

Episodes

1. The Long Walk
2. All 'Bout Hats
3. Never Trust a Stranger
4. Teaching a Bird to Fly
5. Farmer's Circus
6. Lilli's Surprise Birthday
7. Finding the Perfect Gift
8. Blue Glass Contest
9. Lilli Come's Home
10. The Annual Summer Parade
11. Welcome to Melody Land
12. A Lion Needs a Mane
13. She's Really Something Special
14. Tiny Town
15. Yippi-ki-bow-wow
16. Sandwich Hero
17. Elephant
18. Bye Bye Birdie
19. Lilli's Hat Dance
20. A Taste of Medicine
21. Scratch, Scratch
22. One Size Fits All
23. Ragweed Rag
24. A Present for Lionel
25. All in a Day's Play
26. A Better Bet
27. The Perfect Peanut
28. Lionel Goes to Town
29. Stingman Contest
30. Tricky Sebastian
31. 40 Winks for Dinks
32. Home Sweet Home
33. Hide and Seek
34. Ear Trouble
35. Horsin' Around
36. Barnaby Takes a Hike
37. Quartet for Five
38. The Big Switch
39. Nine Lucks of Sebastion
40. Barnaby's Magic Coat
41. Dear Diary
42. Sports Town
43. Bluegrass
44. Dumbolina
45. Rinkum's Return
46. Concertina for Two
47. Invisible Box
48. Barnaby Cries Uncle
49. Uncle Lattimer says "Merci"
50. Sebastian's Little Helper
51. Ring Around the Circus
52. Dink's Double
53. Masquerade
54. Perfect Weather
55. The Magical Musical Machine
56. If I Ran the Circus
57. Calliope Calamity
58. Friends Time Three
59. Lionel's Bubble Machine
60. Quiet Please
61. Sticky Fingers
62. Sebastian's Treasure
63. The Race
64. Meet Me at the Fair
65. Over the Rainbow
66. Eyeglasses
67. Whoops-a-daisy
68. Everybody's Doing It
69. Dink's New Job
70. A Day at the Circus
71. Luckville
72. Budgadumbo
73. Circus Sweeties
74. The Odd Couple
75. Magic B-day Cake
76. Lionel's Weather Machine
77. A Very Special Place
78. The Treasure
79. Christmas at the Circus
80. Here's Matty
81. Lionel's Singing Lesson
82. The Five Wishes
83. All Abroad
84. Birthday, Birthday
85. Helo's Dink
86. Circus Trainer
87. Help Wanted
88. Dancing Matilda
89. Everyone Should Have a Song
90. Clowning Around
91. My Fair Everybody
92. Stormy Night
93. Catchy Tune
94. Matty's Beautiful Doll
95. Tell Me a Story
96. Adventures Through Reading
97. Goldie
98. Matty's Magical Mystery Tour
99. Music, Maestro Please
100. The Gang's All Here
101. Adventure, Adventure
102. Think of All the Times

Trivia

• The cast members are human-sized anthropomorphic animals played by people in puppet suits using technology developed by Ken Forsse, the creator of Teddy Ruxpin. The same production technique was used for Welcome to Pooh Corner.

• The costumes and the wagon used in the show are both on display in the walk-in prop warehouse of the Studio Backlot Tour at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

• Barnaby shares a trait with Rabbit from Welcome to Pooh Corner (also voiced by Will Ryan) - both are gifted magicians. The only difference being that Rabbit's tricks usually work well, whereas Barnaby's doesn't always work the way he wants them to.

• When the series first started, Sebastian is seen wearing only his hat, vest and short pants. After a few episodes, he is given a white t-shirt to go with it.

• Unlike Welcome to Pooh Corner, the show never had any VHS, DVD or Blu-ray releases.

• Some of the puppets that were used for audience members in the circus were used for Mother Goose's Treasury.

External links

• Dumbo's Circus at IMDb
• Template:Tv.com show