Squareheads of the Round Table is a 1948 short subject directed by Edward Bernds starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Shemp Howard). It is the 106th entry in the series released by Columbia Pictures starring the comedians, who released 190 shorts for the studio between 1934 and 1959.
Squareheads of the Round Table | |
---|---|
Directed by | Edward Bernds |
Written by | Edward Bernds |
Produced by | Hugh McCollum |
Starring | Moe Howard Larry Fine Shemp Howard Christine McIntyre Vernon Dent Philip Van Zandt Jock Mahoney Harold Brauer |
Cinematography | Allen G. Siegler |
Edited by | Henry DeMond |
Production company | Columbia Pictures |
Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 18:17 |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Plot
editThe Stooges are troubadours in medieval times. The villainous Black Prince has designs on marriage to the Princess Elaine. She however is in love with Cedric, the blacksmith. The Stooges try to intervene for Cedric by serenading Elaine; the music is the sextet from Gaetano Donizetti's opera "Lucia di Lammermoor". After breaking free from the dungeon where the good King Arthur Pendragon has condemned them to be beheaded, Moe overhears the Black Prince plotting with a co-conspirator to murder the king after he marries Princess Elaine and has her boyfriend's head so that he can become the new King of England. The Stooges save the day by causing a diversion by dancing in armor to Stephen Foster’s "Old Folks at Home", thus allowing Elaine to free Cedric. Finally, the king realizes the plot and jails the Black Prince and his fellow plotter. Elaine is allowed to marry Cedric, and they all live happily ever after.
Cast
editCredited
edit- Shemp Howard as Shemp
- Larry Fine as Larry
- Moe Howard as Moe
- Christine McIntyre as Princess Elaine
- Jock Mahoney as Cedric the Blacksmith
- Philip Van Zandt as Black Prince
- Vernon Dent as King Arthur
Uncredited
edit- Harold Brauer as Sir Satchel
- Joe Palma as Guard
- Robert Stevens as Guard
- Joe Garcio as Headsman
- Douglas Coppin as King's Personal Guard
- Judy Malcolm as Woman in King's Entourage
Production notes
editSquareheads of the Round Table was the ninth Stooge film released but only the third one filmed after Shemp rejoined the comedy team. Filming occurred on December 9–12, 1946, but was withheld from release until March 1948, approximately 15 months later.[1] It was filmed approximately five months after the last entry, Out West (1947), was filmed.[2]
Squareheads of the Round Table was remade in 1954 as Knutzy Knights, using ample stock footage. Like Fiddlers Three and The Hot Scots, Squareheads of the Round Table was filmed on the existing set of the feature film The Bandit of Sherwood Forest.[3]
Quotes
edit- King Arthur: "My daughter marry a ‘smith?!"
- Shemp: "Take it easy, King; millions of women marry Smiths every year!"
References
edit- ^ Squareheads of the Round Table at threestooges.net
- ^ Out West at threestooges.net
- ^ Solomon, Jon. (2002) The Complete Three Stooges: The Official Filmography and Three Stooges Companion; Comedy III Productions, Inc., ISBN 0-9711868-0-4