Dumbo's Circus


Dumbo's Circus is a live action/puppet television series that aired on The Disney Channel beginning on May 6, 1985 to May 25, 1986. and featured the character of Dumbo from the original film. Reruns continued to air until February 28, 1997.
The cast members are human-sized anthropomorphic animals played by people in puppet suits. Many of the show's cast went on to star in the Christian radio series, Adventures in Odyssey. The wagon used in the show was seen in the late 1980s and early 1990s on the vehicle boneyard lot of the Studio Backlot Tour at Disney-MGM Studios in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. When the series started, Sebastian is seen wearing only his hat, vest and short pants. After a few episodes, he is given a white T-shirt to go with it. Some of the puppets used for audience members in the circus were used for The Mother Goose Video Treasury.

Background

In the show, Dumbo has grown up, is finally able to speak, and has struck out on his own to begin his own circus. He and a cast of characters fly from town to town, in a wagon pulled through the air by Dumbo, performing their "greatest little show on earth". Other than Dumbo, none of the characters from the original film appeared in the show. Each character would perform a particular talent, which ranged from dancing and singing to telling knock-knock jokes.

Characters

Main

  • Dumbo, also known as the "World's Only Flying Elephant", – The star of the circus. Dumbo still relies on his magic feather to help him fly. He can usually be seen pulling the Circus wagon from place to place up in the sky. Often breaks the fourth wall towards the viewers, telling them when it's time for a song or the sideshow. Being an elephant, Dumbo's memory is usually very good, his hearing is very sharp and sometimes, his sneezes are often strong - strong enough to cause some wind. Most of all, he now can speak.
  • Lionel – A high-pitched Brooklyn-accented lion who serves as Dumbo's right-hand partner, as well as the Circus's popcorn vendor and ticket taker. A sideshow barker, he has a knot in his tail. Lionel was inspired by the character of Timothy Q. Mouse from the 1941 film and says goodbye to the viewers at the end of several episodes. Lionel's voice is almost similar to Timothy Q. Mouse as well. However, unlike Timothy Q. Mouse, who wears a red drum major's uniform, Lionel wears a blue uniform. Lionel, along with Sebastian, was with Dumbo when he first started on his own.
  • Sebastian – A purple alley cat who is usually reduced to janitorial duties and likes to nap any chance he gets. He sometimes tricks others to do his own work, but sometimes, his tricks backfire on him. In the sideshow, Sebastian has a ventriloquism dummy with him called Sly. Sebastian joined Dumbo and Lionel because Dumbo's mother promised Sebastian's mother that he could travel with them.
  • Fair Dinkum, also known as "Dink" for short, – a koala who serves as ringmaster of the circus. As he is from Australia, he speaks with an Australian accent. There are a few things that Dink is afraid of, including heights and drowning. His name comes from the Australian phrase, "fair dinkum". He was the first to join Dumbo, Lionel and Sebastian when they were just starting out.
  • Barnaby Bowser – A goofy dog who is the clown and magician as "Barnaby the Great", he is known for saying "Ah-hee-ee-ee-ee-ee" whenever he laughs and speaks with a Southern U.S. accent. His magic tricks don't always work out the way he wants them to, and he is good friends with Lionel and Q.T. He also gets scared easily. His signature song is "I'm Just a Lucky Dog", which he often hums. Barnaby comes from a big family - Edison Bowser, Isadoga Bowser, Julia Bowser and his famous uncle, Lattimer Bowser III. Barnaby shares a trait with Rabbit from Welcome to Pooh Corner, as both are gifted magicians. The only difference is that Rabbit's tricks usually work well, whereas Barnaby's don't always work the way he wants them to. Barnaby was the last to join the circus after Q.T., and before Fair Dinkum's twin brother, Rinkum Dinkum, joined up.
  • Lilli – A beautiful cat who serves as a tightrope walker in the circus, and the only female character in the series before Matilda appeared. She sometimes wears glasses because of her bad eyesight - mostly to see things that are very close, like books, signs and to play checkers. She also likes pretty things. Originally from Williamsport, Lilli joined the circus after Fair Dinkum, with her mother, Mrs. Lilli 's blessing. She comes from a long line of high-wire walkers, with Lilli carrying on the family tradition in Dumbo's Circus.
  • Q.T. – A slow-witted, but good-natured orangutan who is the resident strongman and calliope player. In earlier episodes, he was accompanied by a small pink creature while playing the calliope. He makes friends easily and has other talents, like kite making. Sometimes, he doesn't know his own strength. Q.T. joined the circus after Lilli.

Others

  • Flip & Flap – A duo who are usually seen during the sideshow, telling each other jokes. They are identifiable by their appearances - Flip has long rabbit ears, and Flap has a red afro and a pig-like nose & cat-like ears, resembling a vampire bat.
  • Rinkum Dinkum – Fair Dinkum's older twin brother. In contrast to Fair Dinkum, Rinkum is much more brave and doesn't scare easily. Like his brother, Rinkum speaks with an Australian accent. He joins the circus as the resident stunt performer. During the Side Show, Rinkum puts on a show in which the audience has to guess what country he once visited and is pretending to be from.
  • Matilda Dinkum – Rinkum and Fair Dinkum's younger Australian-accented sister and loves to dance. Also known as "Matty". Her name comes from the famous Australian song "Waltzing Matilda". She becomes the honorary circus timekeeper, an idea shared by Lionel and Fair Dinkum.
  • Lattimer Bowser III – Barnaby's English-accented uncle who is a famous explorer. He looks like Barnaby, but is much older, with a moustache, and wears a monocle and a pith helmet.
  • Fira – Lilli's aunt, who speaks with an upper-class accent. She looks like Lilli, but whereas Lilli only wears glasses for reading, she wears glasses all the time. Fira finds Sebastian to be sneaky, even if he is a cat.
  • Mrs. Jumbo – Dumbo's mother, whom he sometimes talks about. She gave Dumbo his circus cart and promised Sebastian's mother that her son could accompany Dumbo and Lionel when they were first starting out.

Side-show acts

  • Sebastian and Sly
  • Flip and Flap
  • *Flip and Flap at the Restaurant
  • Dumbo's Nursery Rhymes
  • Barnaby's Magic Show
  • Q.T.'s Knock-Knock Jokes
  • Lilli's Tongue Twisters
  • Rinkum Dinkum's Make-Believe
  • Lilli's Mystery
Lionel introduces all of the side-show acts.

Cast

Puppeteers

Voices

Recurring songs

  • "Dumbo's Circus"
  • "When the Circus Comes to Town"
  • "The Marching Band Parade"
  • "Clowning Around"
  • "I'm Just a Lucky Dog"
  • ""
  • "I'm an Elephant Song"
  • "I Love a Circus"
  • "Hand Clappin'"
  • ""
  • "Dumbo's Up in the Air"
  • "A Genuine Clown"
  • "Hello, Hello"
  • "One, Two, Three, Pop"
  • "More Fun Than a Barrel of Monkeys"
  • "Gotta Fly"