THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH (1952) Daybill Movie Poster, RR1960's
Size AU Daybill Post-War (13" x 30")
THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH (1952) Daybill ReRelease from 1960s, Movie Poster, Original Vintage Daybill, James Stewart, Dorothy Lamour, Charlton Heston, Betty Hutton, Directed by Cecil B. DeMille is in Very Fine...
THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH (1952) Daybill ReRelease from 1960s, Movie Poster, Original Vintage Daybill, James Stewart, Dorothy Lamour, Charlton Heston, Betty Hutton, Directed by Cecil B. DeMille is in Very Fine condition.
Movie Poster and Condition.
Condition: This Re-release poster is presented in Very Fine condition with 2 Daybill folds as issued, pin holes in each corner, Small foxing spot of right hand side, and additional folds which have been flattened out otherwise in excellent condition.
This authentic Australian RR60's Daybill poster for THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH (1952) is an outstanding example of vintage cinema advertising from Hollywood’s golden era. Featuring strong colour presentation and exceptionally well-preserved paper stock, this highly collectible poster represents one of the most celebrated epic films ever produced by legendary filmmaker Cecil B. DeMille. Original Australian Daybill posters from this period are increasingly scarce in such impressive condition, especially unused examples without pinholes. This piece would make an exceptional addition to any serious movie poster collection, particularly for collectors of classic circus films, Academy Award winners, or vintage Hollywood memorabilia.
Movie Synopsis
THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH (1952) is a spectacular Hollywood epic directed and produced by legendary filmmaker Cecil B. DeMille. Combining drama, romance, suspense, and breathtaking circus performances, the film remains one of the grandest entertainment productions of the 1950s and stands as one of the defining achievements of large-scale studio filmmaking during Hollywood’s golden age.
Set within the colourful and demanding world of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, the story follows circus manager Brad Braden, portrayed by Charlton Heston. Braden is responsible for keeping the massive travelling circus operating smoothly while dealing with financial pressures, dangerous performances, and complex personal relationships among the performers. Determined to maintain the circus as “The Greatest Show on Earth,” he recruits world-famous aerialist Sebastian, played by Cornel Wilde, to boost ticket sales and audience excitement.
Sebastian’s arrival creates immediate tension with trapeze star Holly, played by Betty Hutton, who feels threatened by the newcomer’s popularity and talent. As professional rivalry grows into emotional conflict, the film explores themes of ambition, jealousy, loyalty, sacrifice, and love beneath the glamorous circus atmosphere. The romantic triangle between Braden, Holly, and Sebastian forms the emotional backbone of the story while the spectacular circus acts provide constant visual excitement.
Adding further intrigue is the mysterious clown Buttons, portrayed by Hollywood legend James Stewart in one of his most unusual performances. Buttons never removes his clown makeup and secretly hides from a troubled past, creating one of the film’s most memorable subplots. Stewart’s restrained and emotional performance adds depth and humanity to the film’s larger-than-life spectacle.
One of the most remarkable aspects of THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH is its extraordinary production scale. Director Cecil B. DeMille worked closely with the actual Ringling Bros. circus to create an authentic cinematic experience. Real circus performers, animals, train sequences, and live performances were incorporated throughout the production, giving audiences an unprecedented behind-the-scenes look into circus life. The production travelled extensively across the United States, using enormous sets and real circus equipment to capture the excitement and danger of the travelling big top.
The film became a major commercial success and won the Academy Award for Best Picture at the 25th Academy Awards. It was praised for its ambitious scope, elaborate production values, and thrilling action sequences, including one of the most famous train crash scenes in classic Hollywood cinema. The dramatic disaster sequence required extensive planning and remains an impressive achievement in pre-digital filmmaking.
Charlton Heston delivers a commanding performance as the determined circus manager, while Betty Hutton brings energy and charisma to the role of Holly. The film also features appearances from several real-life circus stars and celebrity cameos, adding authenticity and excitement for audiences of the era.
Today, THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH (1952) continues to be admired as a landmark achievement in classic Hollywood filmmaking and remains highly sought-after by collectors of original movie posters, Academy Award-winning films, and vintage circus memorabilia. Authentic Australian Daybill posters from this iconic release are increasingly difficult to obtain in such well-preserved condition, making this an exceptional collector’s piece.
To find out more about THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH (1952) click here to go to IMDB.com.
Special Notes.
Images may have a small 'MPA' digital watermark and this does not appear on the poster. Posters are being held by magnets in the corners to take photographs, so you may see some magnet and shadows from the magnets in these areas. The magnets are not included in the sale of the item.
Postage, Insurance & Your Country Taxes
Postage costs are quoted for this item, include insurance up to AUD$100, but if you reside outside of Australia, the price does not include any import taxes/fees that you may be required to pay when the item reaches your borders. Please check with your local authorities for any additional taxes or fees. If you would like full insurance coverage for your purchase, please message me and I would be happy to quote the additional cost (estimate is AUD$2.50 p/AUD$100 or 2.5% of the item value, up to a maximum item value of AUD$5,000).
FAQ
At Movie Posters Australia, the love and conservation of movie posters comes first, and we like to share this passion. Our commitment to quality means we will provide high quality memorabilia to our customers. Posters are carefully chosen and authenticated to ensure originality and value. We want our customers to trust MPA, so we always try to be as open and transparent as we can, provide detailed condition information and images, to ensure customers are comfortable and confident in their purchase.
While the industry does have a few condition rating standards, there is no movie poster condition rating system that has become the accepted standard world wide. This unfortunately makes condition terms vary from movie poster dealer to movie poster dealer. Terms like Mint, Near Mint, Very Fine, Fine, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor, seem to be universal to most condition rating standards, but most standards still lack definition about what and how many flaws/defects/damage defines a specific condition level. For more information on how Movie Posters Australia grades the condition of its movie posters, daybills, lobby cards and other ephemera please see out Movie Poster Condition and Grading page.
In the early days of cinema, posters were primarily hand-drawn and printed in various sizes, often tailored to fit the available space in theaters or promotional areas. In the United States, the "One Sheet" size (some times called '1 Sheet' or '1SH' approximately 27" x 41", became the standard during the 1930s. This size was manageable for theater display and suited the needs of a growing film industry.
Different countries developed their own poster sizes and styles, which also changed sometimes over the decades, and were influenced by local preferences and practical considerations, like available paper sheet sizes and how many posters could be printed on one sheet.
In Australia, the most popular size, the Daybill, has evolved over the decades. Australian Daybills sizes in chronological order are:
- Long Daybills (15" x 40"), from 1920's to pre-WW2 or pre-1941, were printed two to a sheet, longer than current Daybill versions. There were size variances in width from 14.5" to 15" and in height from 39.5" to 40".
- War Time Daybill (10" x 30"), during WW2, for a short time to conserve paper during a war time shortage, four Daybills were printed on one sheet. Information from Press Sheets also referred to these War-Time sizes as "New Size Daybills".
- Post-War Daybill (13" x 30"), this 13" x 30" Post-War size carried through until the 1980's, but also varied in size from 13"-14" x 29.75"-30.25".
- Post-80's Daybill (33cm x 66cm, or 13" x 26"), over a few years in the late 80's, the size changed again to a metric 33cm x 66cm, although these have also varied from 32-33cm x 64.5-66cm. New sizes from the late 80's were created, sometimes called a Mini Daybill or Mini Poster, in 9" x 12", 11" x 17" and 13" x 20".
In the UK, the somewhat unique 'Quad' poster, measuring 30" x 40", became popular, offering a larger landscape format that allowed for more elaborate designs.
In Japan, movie poster sizes were smaller, such as the "B2" (20" x 28"), which suited the more compact living environment of larger cities, smaller advertising spaces, and unique aesthetic sensibilities.
The 1970s and 1980s, witnessed the rise of the "six-sheet" (81" x 81") format, reflecting a trend towards larger and more visually impactful advertising.
Overall, the variation in movie poster sizes across different countries and decades highlights the interplay between technological printing advancements, paper resource availability, paper sheet size changes, cultural preferences, and the evolving nature of movie marketing.
At Movie Posters Australia we tag each poster we sell with a 'size' and 'condition' description at the very top of the page for our customers to easily see. There may however be some slight variations to sizes by up one inch due to variations in production and guillotine methods by printers over the decades.