Talk:The Big Circus

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Film: American

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Circus Low‑importance

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What happened to the intended casting of dancer "Crazy Legs" Rowena?

During the 1959 season-ending edition of "You Bet Your Life", an attractive young blonde by the name of Rowena made a special, second-time-that-season appearance with Groucho, after she dazzled the audience some weeks prior with a Charleston-style rock'n'roll dance demonstration. For her second appearance on the popular NBC talk&quiz series, Marx also booked a showbiz acquaintance of his (and an MGM producer) to witness her dancing encore, after which (on camera and in front of the audience) he pledged her an MGM contract to be signed the very next morning, for the then-in-production "The Big Circus". He also assured her that her scene wouldn't just be some quicky cameo, but that her dancing would be prominently featured in the film.

As a huge fan of the under-rated Victor Mature, I've of course seen "The Big Circus" many times, and am confident Rowena didn't make the final cut. But I wonder:

Was she indeed ever signed and filmed for the film, only to have her work deleted before the Irwin Allen full-color picture was released? Or rather, did something happen, and that producer (or other MGM brass working on the project) and/or Rowena herself have second thoughts and thus end up not going through with her appearance in the film?

Anyone know the full backstory here? [signed] FLORIDA BRYAN 2600:1700:B9B0:4500:F1C7:6832:E4D2:C222 (talk) 12:21, 13 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]