When the Circus Came to Town is a 1981 American made-for-television drama film directed by Boris Sagal and starring Elizabeth Montgomery, Christopher Plummer, and Eileen Brennan. It originally aired on CBS as a "Movie of the Week" on January 20, 1981. Story When the Circus Came to Town chronicles the life of Mary Flynn (Montgomery), a woman nearing middle age living in a small town. When the circus comes through town, she realizes nothing will ever change unless she does something different, so she leaves her boring sheltered life to run away and join the circus. While adapting to her new life, she finds herself challenged, and in the end, happy with her new life. Cast Elizabeth Montgomery . . . Mary Flynn Christopher Plummer . . . Duke Royal Eileen Brennan . . . Jessy Gretchen Wyler . . . Olivia Probaska Anne Shropshire . . . Aunt Helen Tommy Madden . . . Louie Timothy Hill . . . Schuller Russell Saunders . . . Ivan Probashka Mark Yerkes . . . Sergei Probashka Bob Yerkes . . . Georgi Probashka J. Don Ferguson . . . Andre Probashka Anne Haney . . . Blossom George Ellis . . . Rodriguez Don Devendorf . . . Motel Clerk Charles Lawlor . . . Redneck Nicholas Warf . . . Juggler Production notes Crew Directed by: Boris Sagal Second Assistant Director: Stephen A. Glanzrock Written by: Larry Grusin Executive Producer: Barry Krost Producer: Robert Halmi, Sr. Associate Producer: Robert Halmi, Jr. Original Music: Charles Gross Orchestrator: Gary Anderson Cinematography: Michel Hugo Film Editor: Murray Solomon Production Design: Robert Gundlach Choreographer: Marge Champion Sagal Dialogue Coach: Marge Champion Sagal External links 1981 drama films 1981 television films 1981 films American drama films 1980s English-language films Circus films CBS network films Films directed by Boris Sagal 1980s American films