Jerry of the Circus facts for kids

In the late 1930s this book cover was used to help promote the radio show and its sponsor.

Jerry of the Circus was a popular radio show from 1937. It was made for young people, like you! The show told exciting stories in 130 short episodes, each about 15 minutes long. Today, 128 of those episodes still exist.

The series followed the adventures of a boy named Jerry Dougan and his loyal dog, Rags. Their journey began when Jerry's father passed away in the spring. Jerry and Rags then joined the Randall Brothers Circus. The show covered their adventures until the circus season ended that same year. Jerry's adventures continued in another radio show from 1937 called Jerry at Fair Oaks.

Meet the Characters

Here are some of the main characters you would have heard in Jerry of the Circus:

• Jerry Dougan – He is an orphan boy who joins the Randall Brothers Circus after his father dies.
• Rags – This is Jerry's faithful dog.
• Mr. Randall – He is the owner of the Randall Brothers Circus. Lindsay McHarrie played his voice.
• Bumps – He is a clown who shares his living space with Jerry. Bumps also helps Jerry's dog, Rags, become part of his circus act. Howard McNear was the voice of Bumps.
• Patsy – She is a talented trapeze artist in the circus. Elvia Allman played Patsy.
• Jason – He is the brave trainer for the large cats, like lions and tigers.
• Carmen Bandini – She is a skilled tightrope walker. Carmen later leaves the circus to try her luck in Hollywood.
• Major Mike – He is a little person who believes he is the biggest star on the circus midway. Buddy Duncan was his voice.
• Decker/Dan Dougan – He is a kind circus performer. It turns out he is Jerry's uncle, a big-game hunter who has lost his memory.
• Lorenz – He is a knife-throwing performer. Lorenz has a way of controlling Decker and making him do things.
• Clara – She is the person in charge of making all the circus costumes.
• Johnny Bradley – He is another clown in the circus.