- All-Star Cast: Charlton Heston, Betty Hutton, Cornel Wilde, Jimmy Stewart, among others.
- Irony as She Is Cast: Cornel Wilde played a tightrope walker despite being terrified of heights.
- No Stunt Double: Cecil B. DeMille insisted that everyone truly learn to perform the circus stunts they were supposed to be performing. This meant that Betty Hutton really learned the trapeze and Gloria Grahame had to let an elephant rest its foot an inch from her face.
- Stunt Casting: Jimmy Stewart as a clown who is never seen without his makeup.
- What Could Have Been:
- Lucille Ball was Cecil B. DeMille's first choice for the role of Angel, but she was pregnant with daughter Lucie, and was replaced by Gloria Grahame. Paulette Goddard also campaigned strongly for the role but was turned down owing to her reluctance to perform stunt scenes.
- Burt Lancaster, a former circus acrobat, was denied the role of The Great Sebastian due to his liberal politics. Kirk Douglas was also considered.
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