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3 Ring Circus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| 3 Ring Circus | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Directed by | Joseph Pevney |
| Produced by | Hal B Wallis |
| Written by | Don McGuire Joseph Pevney |
| Starring | Jerry Lewis Dean Martin Zsa Zsa Gabor Sig Ruman |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
| Release date(s) | December 25, 1954 |
| Running time | 103 minutes |
| Language | English |
| IMDb profile | |
3 Ring Circus was filmed from February 17 - March 31, 1954. It was released on December 25, 1954 by Paramount.
Pete Nelson (Dean Martin) and Jerry Hotchkiss (Jerry Lewis) have just gotten out of the army. Hotchkiss decides to use the G.I. Bill of Rights to become a lion tamer. He gets a job with the Clyde Brent Circus, whose owner, Jill Brent (Joanne Dru) is in financial difficulties, and Nelson tags along.
Hotchkiss, while learning the lion trade, also does odd jobs at the circus, including filling in for the Human Cannonball. However, his real dream is to become a circus clown.
Nelson, meanwhile, is shown a romantic interest by Saadia, Queen of the Trapeze (Zsa Zsa Gabor), and quickly gets a job as her assistant. Brent, who has also shown interest in Nelson, becomes jealous. Hotchkiss, after finding Puffo the Clown (Gene Sheldon) in a drunken state, finally realizes his dream and fills in for the intoxicated clown. 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 the new star.
- The film was Martin and Lewis' first film in VistaVision, and a clip from the film was shown in the promotional short film Paramount Presents VistaVision.
- An edited version was released by Paramount in 1978 entitled Jerrico The Wonder Clown and shown at children's matinees.
- The circus in the film was a real circus, the Clyde Beatty Circus.
- The clown makeup for Jerrico was devised by Jerry Lewis, and it was reused by Lewis in two of his later solo films, The Family Jewels and Hardly Working.
| Martin and Lewis |
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| 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 Bust |