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
Updated Feb 16, 2026
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Box office
The Greatest Show on Earth earned $36.0M worldwide on a $4.0M budget — a 800% return on investment.
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.
CAST (20)
Betty Hutton
Holly
Cornel Wilde
The Great Sebastian
Charlton Heston
Brad Braden
Dorothy Lamour
Phyllis
Gloria Grahame
Angel
James Stewart
Buttons
Henry Wilcoxon
FBI Agent Gregory
Lyle Bettger
Klaus
Lawrence Tierney
Mr. Henderson
Emmett Kelly
Himself
C
Cucciola
Cucciola
RC
Robert Carson
The Ringmaster
John Kellogg
Harry
Julia Faye
Birdie
Cecil B. DeMille
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
John Ringling North
Himself
LJ
Lou Jacobs
Himself (clown)
BJ
Brad Jackson
Reporter at RIngside
Frank Wilcox
Doctor
Lillian Albertson
Buttons' mother
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