3 Ring Circus
| 3 Ring Circus | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Joseph Pevney |
| Produced by | Hal B Wallis |
| Written by |
Don McGuire Joseph Pevney |
| Starring |
Dean Martin Jerry Lewis Joanne Dru Zsa Zsa Gabor Sig Ruman |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
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Release date
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Running time
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103 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $4 million (US) 1,679,919 admissions (France) |
3 Ring Circus is a 1954 American comedy film starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. The picture was shot from February 17 to March 31, 1954 and released on December 25 by Paramount Pictures. The supporting cast includes Joanne Dru, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Wallace Ford, Sig Ruman, Nick Cravat, and Elsa Lanchester.
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.
Pete Nelson, a smooth operator who has just been discharged from the Army, joins forces with his old buddy, the loud Jerome X. Hotchkiss, and together they join a circus. The Clyde Brent Circus, to be exact. Jerry has taken a job as apprentice lion tamer. Pete is set on being a circus clown, but his plans are squandered when they meet the circus manager Sam Morley and owner Jill Brent, who is also ringmaster. The circus has financial problems, so the only way that both Pete and Jerry can be hired if they help out wherever needed.
Jerry dutifully reports to the designated lion tamer, Colonel Schlitz, but is terrified when Schlitz forces him into the lions' cage with only a whip and chair for protection. Schlitz keeps calling at him to behave coolly and to show no fear, but all Jerry can do is to nervously try to befriend the beasts. Schlitz pulls him out of the cage.
Later in the day Jerry and Pete are washing the elephants when Jill stops by to chat. Pete starts flirting, which she finds both attractive and annoying. Jerry sneaks into Puffo the Wonder Clown's tent and tries on his hats. Morley catches him red-handed and scolds him.
One night while working in a custard stand. Pete and Jerry are overwhelmed by the crowd and lose control of the machine. Morley sends Jerry to help Puffo dress for his performance. The arrogant clown rejects Jerry’s help. Jerry's next assignment is to hand Nero, the tightrope walker, a unicycle. The audience roars with laughter at Jerry's fumbling attempts to climb a rope ladder while holding the bike. When Jerry accidentally ends up riding the unicycle on the tightrope, the crowd hushes. Pete and the clowns rush in with a net and catch him when he falls.
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Wikipedia