This news item was reported in the July 10, 1963 edition of Film Daily:
CAPRA GOING BIBLE INSTEAD OF 'CIRCUS'
"Dear and Glorious Physician, the Biblical story of St. Luke, will be given to Frank Capra to direct in place of Circus.since Capra and Samuel Bronston agreed that the version of Circus that Capra wanted to direct was not what the company wanted. Announcement is do on who will direct Circus, although Henry Hathaway is considered first choice."
In fact, Frank Capra did bow out of the film and Henry Hathaway replaced him. The movie was retitled Circus World and was released in 1964 starring John Wayne, Claudia Cardinale and Rita Hayworth. The big budget epic was not a pleasant experience for all involved. Capra quit the project when Wayne insisted that his favorite screenwriter, James Edward Grant be brought in to rewrite Capra's script. Grant had a simplistic outlook on the story and told Capra that all a Wayne movie needed was "some hoyty-toyty dame with big tits" that Duke could end up spanking at the end. Capra viewed this as a serious production and when Wayne refused to back him up, he quit the project. The Biblical epic never materialized and he never directed another film. Circus World was a rare flop for Wayne, who almost perished during the production when a fire in a circus tent raged out of control. The following year he teamed with Hathaay again for The Sons of Katie Elder which restored his box-office clout.