- 3 Ring Circus
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3 Ring Circus
Theatrical release posterDirected by Joseph Pevney Produced by Hal B Wallis Written by Don McGuire
Joseph PevneyStarring Dean Martin
Jerry Lewis
Joanne Dru
Zsa Zsa Gabor
Sig RumanDistributed by Paramount Pictures Release date(s) December 25, 1954 Running time 103 minutes Country United States Language English 3 Ring Circus is a 1954 film comedy starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. It was shot from February 17 to March 31, 1954 and released on December 25 by Paramount Pictures.
The film was the first starring Martin and Lewis to be shot in VistaVision. A clip from it was shown in a promotional short film, Paramount Presents VistaVision.
Contents
Plot
Pete Nelson and Jerry Hotchkiss have just gotten out of the army. Hotchkiss decides to use the G.I. Bill to become a lion tamer. He gets a job with the Clyde Brent Circus (in reality the Clyde Beatty Circus), whose owner, Jill Brent, is in financial difficulties. Nelson tags along.
Hotchkiss, while learning the lion trade, also does odd jobs at the circus, including filling in for the Human Cannonball. His real dream is to become a circus clown.
Nelson, meanwhile, is shown a romantic interest by Saadia, Queen of the Trapeze, and quickly gets a job as her assistant. Brent has also shown interest in Nelson and becomes jealous.
Hotchkiss finds Puffo the Clown in a drunken state, so he seizes the opportunity and fills in for Puffo. He takes the name "Jerrico the Wonder Clown" and becomes the new star of the circus.
In the end, Nelson and Brent get together, and the circus is in better shape than ever thanks to its new clown.
Cast
- Dean Martin as Peter "Pete" Nelson
- Jerry Lewis as Jerome F. "Jerry" Hotchkiss
- Joanne Dru as Jill Brent
- Zsa Zsa Gabor as Saadia
- Wallace Ford as Sam Morley
- Sig Ruman as Colonel Fritz Schlitz, Lion Tamer
- Gene Sheldon as Puffo the Clown
- Nick Cravat as Timmy
- Elsa Lanchester as The Bearded Lady
Alternate versions
An edited version was released by Paramount in 1978 entitled Jerrico The Wonder Clown and shown at children's matinees.
DVD release
Due to unspecified reasons, this film remains the only Martin and Lewis film without a home release.
External links
Martin and Lewis My Friend Irma · My Friend Irma Goes West · At War with the Army · That's My Boy · Sailor Beware · Jumping Jacks · Road to Bali (cameos) · The Stooge · Scared Stiff · The Caddy · Money from Home · Living It Up · 3 Ring Circus · You're Never Too Young · Artists and Models · Pardners · Hollywood or BustCategories:- American films
- English-language films
- 1954 films
- 1950s comedy films
- Films shot in VistaVision
- Circus films
- Films directed by Joseph Pevney
- 1950s comedy film stubs
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