Produced by Charles Dillingham, it debuted on August 9, 1920 at the Hippodrome in New York City and ran for 456 performances, the longest run for the 1920–21 season.

[2] Featuring among the large cast were Abdullah's Arabian troupe, Nanette Flack, The Poodles Hanneford Family (trick horsemen), Joe Jackson,[6] Joseph Parsons and Belle Story.

A representative blurb on the show in a theatre listing from 1921 stated: "Well, there are elephants, and diving girls, and Joe Jackson – and everything.

"[8] A rave review in The New York Clipper stated that "the show ... is positively the greatest and most worth-while one of its kind this country has ever seen.

"[9][10] A young Cary Grant, just arrived from England, made his American stage debut as a stilt-walker in this production.