May 6, 1985 – The Disney Channel Show Dumbo’s Circus Premieres
“Dumbo’s Circus, flying from town to town, now here’s the part that’s too good to be true: Dumbo’s Circus, Dumbo’s Circus, is coming to visit you!”
On May 6, 1985, the first episode of the combination live action-puppet Disney Channel series Dumbo’s Circus premiered. The premise of the show is that Dumbo has grown up after the events of the film, and now runs his own circus. The circus travels from town to town, flying through the air, thanks to Dumbo. Although the main character was taken from the 1941 film Dumbo, none of the other characters from the film appear in the series. The show used what was called “puppetronics,” which featured cast members in puppet suits with technology by Ken Forsse, the creator of Teddy Ruxpin. The series ran for 120 episodes, and reruns ran until February 28, 1997.
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