'' (1962) was the third feature film to star the Three Stooges after their 1959 resurgence in popularity. By this time, the trio consisted of
Moe Howard ,
Larry Fine , and
Curly Joe DeRita . Released by
Columbia Pictures , ''The Three Stooges Meet Hercules'' was directed by long-time Stooge director
Edward Bernds . Over the years, Moe would cite Bernds as the team's finest director.
This was the most financially successful of the Stooges' feature films and is still highly regarded amongst fans.
The Stooges work at Dimsal's Drug Store where they befriend Schuyler, the owner of the shop next door, who is attempting to build a time machine. With the boys "help", the machine transports the boys, Schuyler and wannabe girlfriend Diane back in time to ancient Greece during the reign of the lecherous King Odius. The King has a yearning for Diane and banishes Schuyler and the boys to the galleys, where Schuyler builds impressive muscles while constantly rowing. After escaping, they start billing Schuyler as Hercules at a local gladiatoral arena. The real Hercules gets wind of their game and confronts them, but the Stooges manage to convince Hercules to help them rescue Diane. The time travelers manage to set history straight by removing the King and dump him off during Indian dominated
America where a band of warriors chase him off into the distance.
- ''Moe Howard and the Three Stooges''; by Moe Howard {Link without Title} , (Citadel Press, 1977).
- ''The Complete Three Stooges: The Official Filmography and Three Stooges Companion''; by Jon Solomon {Link without Title} , (Comedy III Productions, Inc., 2002).
- ''The Three Stooges Scrapbook''; by Jeff Lenburg, Joan Howard Maurer, Greg Lenburg {Link without Title} (Citadel Press, 1994).
- ''The Three Stooges: An Illustrated History, From Amalgamated Morons to American Icons''; by Michael Fleming {Link without Title} (Broadway Publishing, 2002).
- ''One Fine Stooge: A Frizzy Life in Pictures''; by Steve Cox and Jim Terry {Link without Title} , (Cumberland House Publishing, 2006).
