The Greatest Show on Earth backdrop
DRAMA . 1952 . 2h 32m . 6.3/10

The Greatest Show on Earth_

"The Heartbeat Story of Circus People, Filmed with the Cooperation of Ringling Bros. - Barnum and Bailey Circus!"

To ensure a full profitable season, circus manager Brad Braden engages The Great Sebastian, though this moves his girlfriend Holly from her hard-won center trapeze spot. Holly and Sebastian begin a dangerous one-upmanship duel in the ring, while he pursues her on the ground.

Starring Betty Hutton, Cornel Wilde, Charlton Heston
Box Office $36.0M
6.3/10
Rating
$36.0M
Box Office
2h 32m
Runtime
1952
Year
MASSIVE HIT
+800% ROI
Profitability
Updated Feb 16, 2026
The Greatest Show on Earth poster
The Heartbeat Story of Circus People, Filmed with the Cooperation of Ringling Bros. - Barnum and Bailey Circus!

To ensure a full profitable season, circus manager Brad Braden engages The Great Sebastian, though this moves his girlfriend Holly from her hard-won center trapeze spot. Holly and Sebastian begin a dangerous one-upmanship duel in the ring, while he pursues her on the ground.

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DROPTHE_ GOSSIP

Box office
The Greatest Show on Earth earned $36.0M worldwide on a $4.0M budget — a 800% return on investment.
Cast
Betty Hutton stars as Holly in The Greatest Show on Earth.
Betty Hutton →
Year context
The Greatest Show on Earth was released 74 years ago in 1952.
The Greatest Show on Earth is a Drama, Romance film with a runtime of 2h 32m.

BOX OFFICE

$4.0M
Budget
$36.0M
Revenue
+800%
ROI
MASSIVE HIT
Verdict

DETAILS

Release
Status
Released
Runtime
152 min (2h 32m)
Country
Rating
6.3/10 (264 votes)
Budget
$4,000,000
Box Office
$36,000,000
Profit
+$32,000,000

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is The Greatest Show on Earth about?
To ensure a full profitable season, circus manager Brad Braden engages The Great Sebastian, though this moves his girlfriend Holly from her hard-won center trapeze spot. Holly and Sebastian begin a dangerous one-upmanship duel in the ring, while he pursues her on the ground.
How long is The Greatest Show on Earth?
The Greatest Show on Earth has a runtime of 152 minutes (2h 32m).
Who stars in The Greatest Show on Earth?
The cast of The Greatest Show on Earth includes Betty Hutton, Cornel Wilde, Charlton Heston, Dorothy Lamour, Gloria Grahame.
How much did The Greatest Show on Earth make at the box office?
The Greatest Show on Earth earned $36,000,000 worldwide at the box office. The production budget was $4,000,000.
What is the rating of The Greatest Show on Earth?
The Greatest Show on Earth has a rating of 6.3 out of 10 based on 264 votes on TMDB.

GENRES (2)

Drama Romance
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