81     April 28, 1954
Bill, Jayne, Henry, Polly Bergen

A circus ringmaster introduces the show, and Garry quickly tells us that all the contestants from this episode come from the Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus, which is currently performing in New York.   Also see E132

Chandu the Magician: “I’m going to lock Henry Morgan in a trunk with me”
Chandu the Magician was a fictional character originally created for a radio series which ran from 1931 until 1936 and again from 1948 to 1950.  Though little remembered today, the character served as the inspiration for the comic book hero Doctor Strange.  Whether this circus performer has any legitimate connection to the character is unknown.  Whatever the case, there is little documentation to suggest that this particular 'Chandu' was with the circus long, at least under that name.

Gloria Bale: "I have a live leopard in this bag"
Nine-year-old Gloria is a member of a family of circus people that include parents Trevor and Irene, siblings Elvin, Dawnita and Bonnie, and future generations of performers, some of whom are still circus folks today.  At her tender age, Gloria currently works with the animals, but she would eventually graduate to acrobatic, trapeze and cycling acts.  Gloria and her sisters continued to work with various circuses for decades.  Gloria herself would oversee an equestrian act as late as 2003.  Dad Trevor also appears in this segment.

Special guests Emmett Kelly and Felix Adler:  “We’re going to take every kid under 16 in the audience back to the circus with us”
Both Kelly and Adler were already legendary circus clowns by this time.  Adler, who was known as the "King of Clowns" would perform with the Ringling circus for twenty years before his death in 1960.  Emmett Kelly's fame would transcend the circus world.  Long after his circus years, he would bring his "Weary Willie" character to Broadway, to films and especially to television, where new generations who may not have grown up with the circus discovered his talents.