Santa's Christmas Circus

(1966, U.S.) color 60 minutes
Gold Star Productions / Mercury Productions
Music: Harry Jenks
Produced by Byers Jordan
Directed by Frank Wizarde

With Frank Wizarde (Whizzo the Clown), John Bilyeu (Santa Claus)

Plot Outline: Whizzo the clown takes a bunch of kids on a magic carpet ride to the North Pole to see Santa Claus, but not before the kids (members of the Johnny Miller Dance Studio) perform as circus animals in "Whizzoland."

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An utterly bizarre concept yields an undoubtedly surreal experience. This film was more of a legend than a reality until the theatrical trailer turned up on Something Weird Video’s great Kiddie Matinee DVD for THE WONDERUL LAND OF OZ plus JACK AND THE BEANSTALK. Kansas City, Missouri Kiddie TV show host Whizzo the Clown (Frank Wizarde) stars in this regional Kiddie Matinee feature, which appears to be filmed entirely in a tiny TV studio set. The "Circus" animals appear to be small girls in dancing costumes. The film looks like nothing more than an expanded episode of the obviously claustrophobic TV show. Can this micro-budget wonder NOT be a classic badfilm? The film itself is among the missing, but from the trailer, it appears that the whole film is shot on a tiny TV set, and the "Circus" may be nothing more than mechanical Holiday window displays shot close-up! In fact, SCC may turn out to be another Kiddie Ripoff ala SANTA VISITS THE MAGIC LAND OF MOTHER GOOSE!