King of the Carnival
Encyclopedia
King of the Carnival is a Republic
movie serial. It contains a substantial amount of stock footage
from the earlier Republic serial Daredevils of the Red Circle
. This was the last serial ever made by Republic and is often considered to be one of the worst produced by that company. The plot concerns Treasury
Agents investigating a Cold War
counterfeit
ing operation believed to be connected to a circus.
Agents Art Kerr and Jim Haynes are investigating a global counterfeit
ing operation believed to be linked to the circus. Acrobat
Bert King agrees to help his old friend Art (they were both paratrooper
s in the war) in searching for the counterfeiters; his acrobatic partner "June Edwards" assists him actively. From the start of their involvement, they find themselves repeatedly threatened by two thugs, "Daley" and "Travis". Early evidence leads Bert and June to a cave which leads to an isolated beach, and contains gear belonging to the gang. They are unaware, however, that in a minisub of this beach's shoreline hides Zorn, the counterfeiter who is printing the phoney bills. Ultimately, however, the evidence points to an unknown, higher authority directing the operations of these men, and apparently indeed someone connected with the circus. Among the most suspicious-acting of the circus staff are Burton the clown, and any of three "rubes", at least one of whom seems to be lurking by when something threatens the life of Bert or June.
was $177,050 (a $4,055, or 2.3%, overspend). It was the cheapest Republic serial of 1955.
It was filmed between 8 March and 25 March 1955 under the working title
King of the Circus. At seventeen days this is the joint-shortest, with Zombies of the Stratosphere
, filming period of all Republic serials. The serial's production number was 1800.
Republic liked calling their heroes "King" in order to use the title "King of..." The studio had found success with this naming scheme following the adaptation of Zane Gray's King of the Royal Mounted
.
.
This was the last new serial released by Republic. However the studio continued with a release schedule of re-released serials until 1958, beginning with a re-release of Dick Tracy's G-Men
and ending with Zorro's Fighting Legion
.
Source:
) is a Republic
movie serial. It contains a substantial amount of stock footage
from the earlier Republic serial Daredevils of the Red Circle
. This was the last serial ever made by Republic and is often considered to be one of the worst produced by that company. The plot concerns Treasury
Agents investigating a Cold War
counterfeit
ing operation believed to be connected to a circus.
Agents Art Kerr and Jim Haynes are investigating a global counterfeit
ing operation believed to be linked to the circus. Acrobat
Bert King agrees to help his old friend Art (they were both paratrooper
s in the war) in searching for the counterfeiters; his acrobatic partner "June Edwards" assists him actively. From the start of their involvement, they find themselves repeatedly threatened by two thugs, "Daley" and "Travis". Early evidence leads Bert and June to a cave which leads to an isolated beach, and contains gear belonging to the gang. They are unaware, however, that in a minisub of this beach's shoreline hides Zorn, the counterfeiter who is printing the phoney bills. Ultimately, however, the evidence points to an unknown, higher authority directing the operations of these men, and apparently indeed someone connected with the circus. Among the most suspicious-acting of the circus staff are Burton the clown, and any of three "rubes", at least one of whom seems to be lurking by when something threatens the life of Bert or June.
was $177,050 (a $4,055, or 2.3%, overspend). It was the cheapest Republic serial of 1955.
It was filmed between 8 March and 25 March 1955 under the working title
King of the Circus. At seventeen days this is the joint-shortest, with Zombies of the Stratosphere
, filming period of all Republic serials. The serial's production number was 1800.
Republic liked calling their heroes "King" in order to use the title "King of..." The studio had found success with this naming scheme following the adaptation of Zane Gray's King of the Royal Mounted
.
.
This was the last new serial released by Republic. However the studio continued with a release schedule of re-released serials until 1958, beginning with a re-release of Dick Tracy's G-Men
and ending with Zorro's Fighting Legion
.
Source:
) is a Republic
movie serial. It contains a substantial amount of stock footage
from the earlier Republic serial Daredevils of the Red Circle
. This was the last serial ever made by Republic and is often considered to be one of the worst produced by that company. The plot concerns Treasury
Agents investigating a Cold War
counterfeit
ing operation believed to be connected to a circus.
Agents Art Kerr and Jim Haynes are investigating a global counterfeit
ing operation believed to be linked to the circus. Acrobat
Bert King agrees to help his old friend Art (they were both paratrooper
s in the war) in searching for the counterfeiters; his acrobatic partner "June Edwards" assists him actively. From the start of their involvement, they find themselves repeatedly threatened by two thugs, "Daley" and "Travis". Early evidence leads Bert and June to a cave which leads to an isolated beach, and contains gear belonging to the gang. They are unaware, however, that in a minisub of this beach's shoreline hides Zorn, the counterfeiter who is printing the phoney bills. Ultimately, however, the evidence points to an unknown, higher authority directing the operations of these men, and apparently indeed someone connected with the circus. Among the most suspicious-acting of the circus staff are Burton the clown, and any of three "rubes", at least one of whom seems to be lurking by when something threatens the life of Bert or June.
was $177,050 (a $4,055, or 2.3%, overspend). It was the cheapest Republic serial of 1955.
It was filmed between 8 March and 25 March 1955 under the working title
King of the Circus. At seventeen days this is the joint-shortest, with Zombies of the Stratosphere
, filming period of all Republic serials. The serial's production number was 1800.
Republic liked calling their heroes "King" in order to use the title "King of..." The studio had found success with this naming scheme following the adaptation of Zane Gray's King of the Royal Mounted
.
.
This was the last new serial released by Republic. However the studio continued with a release schedule of re-released serials until 1958, beginning with a re-release of Dick Tracy's G-Men
and ending with Zorro's Fighting Legion
.
Source:
Republic Pictures
Republic Pictures was an independent film production-distribution corporation with studio facilities, operating from 1934 through 1959, and was best known for specializing in westerns, movie serials and B films emphasizing mystery and action....
movie serial. It contains a substantial amount of stock footage
Stock footage
Stock footage, and similarly, archive footage, library pictures and file footage are film or video footage that may or may not be custom shot for use in a specific film or television program. Stock footage is of beneficial use to filmmakers as it is sometimes less expensive than shooting new...
from the earlier Republic serial Daredevils of the Red Circle
Daredevils of the Red Circle
Daredevils of the Red Circle is a 12-Chapter Republic Movie Serial starring Charles Quigley, David Sharpe, Herman Brix and Charles Middleton. It was directed by William Witney and John English and is often considered one of the better serials produced by Republic...
. This was the last serial ever made by Republic and is often considered to be one of the worst produced by that company. The plot concerns Treasury
United States Department of the Treasury
The Department of the Treasury is an executive department and the treasury of the United States federal government. It was established by an Act of Congress in 1789 to manage government revenue...
Agents investigating a Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
counterfeit
Counterfeit
To counterfeit means to illegally imitate something. Counterfeit products are often produced with the intent to take advantage of the superior value of the imitated product...
ing operation believed to be connected to a circus.
Plot
TreasuryUnited States Department of the Treasury
The Department of the Treasury is an executive department and the treasury of the United States federal government. It was established by an Act of Congress in 1789 to manage government revenue...
Agents Art Kerr and Jim Haynes are investigating a global counterfeit
Counterfeit
To counterfeit means to illegally imitate something. Counterfeit products are often produced with the intent to take advantage of the superior value of the imitated product...
ing operation believed to be linked to the circus. Acrobat
Acrobatics
Acrobatics is the performance of extraordinary feats of balance, agility and motor coordination. It can be found in many of the performing arts, as well as many sports...
Bert King agrees to help his old friend Art (they were both paratrooper
Paratrooper
Paratroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and generally operate as part of an airborne force.Paratroopers are used for tactical advantage as they can be inserted into the battlefield from the air, thereby allowing them to be positioned in areas not accessible by land...
s in the war) in searching for the counterfeiters; his acrobatic partner "June Edwards" assists him actively. From the start of their involvement, they find themselves repeatedly threatened by two thugs, "Daley" and "Travis". Early evidence leads Bert and June to a cave which leads to an isolated beach, and contains gear belonging to the gang. They are unaware, however, that in a minisub of this beach's shoreline hides Zorn, the counterfeiter who is printing the phoney bills. Ultimately, however, the evidence points to an unknown, higher authority directing the operations of these men, and apparently indeed someone connected with the circus. Among the most suspicious-acting of the circus staff are Burton the clown, and any of three "rubes", at least one of whom seems to be lurking by when something threatens the life of Bert or June.
Principal players
- Harry LauterHarry LauterHerman Arthur "Harry" Lauter was an American character actor originally from White Plains, New York....
as Bert King, acrobatAcrobaticsAcrobatics is the performance of extraordinary feats of balance, agility and motor coordination. It can be found in many of the performing arts, as well as many sports...
and former paratrooperParatrooperParatroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and generally operate as part of an airborne force.Paratroopers are used for tactical advantage as they can be inserted into the battlefield from the air, thereby allowing them to be positioned in areas not accessible by land... - Fran BennettFran BennettFran Bennett is an American actress born in Malvern, Arkansas. From 1996 to 2003, she was head of the performance program in the School of Theater at the California Institute of the Arts...
as June Edwards, acrobatAcrobaticsAcrobatics is the performance of extraordinary feats of balance, agility and motor coordination. It can be found in many of the performing arts, as well as many sports... - Keith RichardsKeith RichardsKeith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
as Daley, HenchmanHenchmanHenchman referred originally to one who attended on a horse for his employer, that is, a horse groom. Hence, like constable and marshal, also originally stable staff, henchman became the title of a subordinate official in a royal court or noble household... - Terry FrostTerry Frost (actor)Terry Frost was an American actor who appeared in dozens of Western films during the 1940s and 1950s.-Biography:...
as Travis, HenchmanHenchmanHenchman referred originally to one who attended on a horse for his employer, that is, a horse groom. Hence, like constable and marshal, also originally stable staff, henchman became the title of a subordinate official in a royal court or noble household... - Robert ShayneRobert ShayneRobert Shayne , born Robert Shaen Dawe, was an American actor.-Career:Shayne played many character roles in movies and television, such as a 1943 movie entitled Wagon Wheels West, but he is best remembered for his portrayal of the recurring character Police Inspector William "Bill" Henderson on the...
as Jess Carter, CircusCircusA circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists...
ringmasterRingmasterThe term ringmaster may refer to numerous things:*Ringmaster , the leader of a circus* Ringmaster , the manager of a horse show ring*Ringmaster , a film starring Jerry Springer and Jaime Pressly...
Supporting players
- Rick VallinRick VallinRick Vallin was an actor who appeared in over 150 films between 1938 and 1966.Born Eric Efron in Russia, Vallin came to America while still young. He started his Hollywood career with an uncredited part in the film Freshman Year...
as Agent Art Kerr, a T-Man (TreasuryUnited States Department of the TreasuryThe Department of the Treasury is an executive department and the treasury of the United States federal government. It was established by an Act of Congress in 1789 to manage government revenue...
Agent) and former paratrooperParatrooperParatroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and generally operate as part of an airborne force.Paratroopers are used for tactical advantage as they can be inserted into the battlefield from the air, thereby allowing them to be positioned in areas not accessible by land... - Robert ClarkeRobert ClarkeRobert Irby Clarke was an American actor best known for his cult classic science fiction films of the 1950s.-Early life:...
as Agent Jim Hayes, a T-Man (TreasuryUnited States Department of the TreasuryThe Department of the Treasury is an executive department and the treasury of the United States federal government. It was established by an Act of Congress in 1789 to manage government revenue...
Agent) - Gregory Gay as Zorn, agent of a foreign power
- Lee RobertsLee RobertsLee Roberts was a film actor during the Hollywood Golden Age. Sometimes he is credited as Robert Allen or Lee J. Roberts.-Career:Little is known about this man who appeared in over 100 films between 1943 and 1959, according to the Internet Movie Data Base...
as Hank
Small role players
- Mauritz Hugo as Sam, Sideshow barkerBarker (occupation)A barker is a person who attempts to attract patrons to entertainment events, such as a circus or funfair, by exhorting passing public, describing attractions of show and emphasizing variety, novelty, beauty, or some other feature believed to incite listeners to attend entertainment...
and HenchmanHenchmanHenchman referred originally to one who attended on a horse for his employer, that is, a horse groom. Hence, like constable and marshal, also originally stable staff, henchman became the title of a subordinate official in a royal court or noble household... - Chris MitchellChris MitchellChris Mitchell is an Australian journalist and is editor-in-chief of The Australian. He began his career on the former afternoon tabloid, The Telegraph, in 1973 and after working on The Townsville Bulletin, The Daily Telegraph and the Australian Financial Review, became editor of The Australian in...
as Bill - Stuart WhitmanStuart WhitmanStuart Maxwell Whitman is an American actor.Stuart Whitman is arguably best-known for playing Marshal Jim Crown in the western television series Cimarron Strip in 1967...
as Mac, AcrobatAcrobaticsAcrobatics is the performance of extraordinary feats of balance, agility and motor coordination. It can be found in many of the performing arts, as well as many sports... - Tom SteeleTom Steele (stuntman)Tom Steele was a stunt man and actor, best remembered for appearing in serials, especially those produced by Republic Pictures, in both capacities.-Early life:...
as Matt Winston, AcrobatAcrobaticsAcrobatics is the performance of extraordinary feats of balance, agility and motor coordination. It can be found in many of the performing arts, as well as many sports... - George DeNormand as Garth
Production
King of the Carnival was budgeted at $172,995 although the final negative costNegative cost
Negative cost is the cost of actually producing and shooting a film. It does not include such costs as distribution and promotion.Low-budget movies, for example The Blair Witch Project, can have promotional expenses that are much larger than the negative cost.The term comes from the costs up to the...
was $177,050 (a $4,055, or 2.3%, overspend). It was the cheapest Republic serial of 1955.
It was filmed between 8 March and 25 March 1955 under the working title
Working title
A working title, sometimes called a production title, is the temporary name of a product or project used during its development, usually used in filmmaking, television production, novel, video game, or music album.-Purpose:...
King of the Circus. At seventeen days this is the joint-shortest, with Zombies of the Stratosphere
Zombies of the Stratosphere
Zombies of the Stratosphere was intended as the second serial featuring "new hero" Commando Cody and the third 12-chapter serial featuring the rocket-powered flying suit introduced in King of the Rocket Men...
, filming period of all Republic serials. The serial's production number was 1800.
Republic liked calling their heroes "King" in order to use the title "King of..." The studio had found success with this naming scheme following the adaptation of Zane Gray's King of the Royal Mounted
King of the Royal Mounted
King of the Royal Mounted is a fictional series featuring the character Dave King, created by Stephen Slesinger in 1936. Slesinger licensed popular Western writer Zane Grey's byline and marketed the character as Zane Grey's King of the Royal Mounted....
.
Stunts
- Tom SteeleTom Steele (stuntman)Tom Steele was a stunt man and actor, best remembered for appearing in serials, especially those produced by Republic Pictures, in both capacities.-Early life:...
. Whereas Republic serials traditionally employed a small army of stuntmen, Steele was the only stuntman required for "King of the Carnival."
Special effects
Special effects created by the Howard and Theodore LydeckerLydecker brothers
-Partial filmography:*Darkest Africa *Women in War - Oscar nominated*Adventures of Captain Marvel *Flying Tigers - Oscar nominated*Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe...
.
Theatrical
King of the Carnivals official release date is 27 June 1955, although this is actually the date the sixth chapter was made available to film exchanges.This was the last new serial released by Republic. However the studio continued with a release schedule of re-released serials until 1958, beginning with a re-release of Dick Tracy's G-Men
Dick Tracy's G-Men
Dick Tracy's G-Men is a 15-Chapter Republic Movie Serial based on the Dick Tracy comic strip by Chester Gould. It was directed by William Witney and John English....
and ending with Zorro's Fighting Legion
Zorro's Fighting Legion
Zorro's Fighting Legion is a 1939 Republic Pictures film serial consisting of twelve chapters. It features Reed Hadley as Zorro. The plot revolves around his alter-ego Don Diego's fight against the evil Don Del Oro....
.
Chapter titles
- Daredevils of the Air (20 min)
- Death Takes the Wheel (13 min 20s)
- The Trap that Failed (13 min 20s)
- Operation Murder (13 min 20s)
- The Mechanical Bloodhound (13 min 20s)
- Undersea Peril (13 min 20s)
- High Hazard (13 min 20s)
- Death Alley (13 min 20s)
- Cave of Doom (13 min 20s)
- The Masked Executioner (13 min 20s) -- Re-Cap Chapter
- Undersea Warfare (13 min 20s)
- Vengeance Under the Big Top (13 min 20s)
Source:
External links
King of the Carnival (19551955 in film
The year 1955 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* November 3 - The musical Guys and Dolls, starring Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra, debuts.* June 27 - The last ever Republic serial, King of the Carnival, is released....
) is a Republic
Republic Pictures
Republic Pictures was an independent film production-distribution corporation with studio facilities, operating from 1934 through 1959, and was best known for specializing in westerns, movie serials and B films emphasizing mystery and action....
movie serial. It contains a substantial amount of stock footage
Stock footage
Stock footage, and similarly, archive footage, library pictures and file footage are film or video footage that may or may not be custom shot for use in a specific film or television program. Stock footage is of beneficial use to filmmakers as it is sometimes less expensive than shooting new...
from the earlier Republic serial Daredevils of the Red Circle
Daredevils of the Red Circle
Daredevils of the Red Circle is a 12-Chapter Republic Movie Serial starring Charles Quigley, David Sharpe, Herman Brix and Charles Middleton. It was directed by William Witney and John English and is often considered one of the better serials produced by Republic...
. This was the last serial ever made by Republic and is often considered to be one of the worst produced by that company. The plot concerns Treasury
United States Department of the Treasury
The Department of the Treasury is an executive department and the treasury of the United States federal government. It was established by an Act of Congress in 1789 to manage government revenue...
Agents investigating a Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
counterfeit
Counterfeit
To counterfeit means to illegally imitate something. Counterfeit products are often produced with the intent to take advantage of the superior value of the imitated product...
ing operation believed to be connected to a circus.
Plot
TreasuryUnited States Department of the Treasury
The Department of the Treasury is an executive department and the treasury of the United States federal government. It was established by an Act of Congress in 1789 to manage government revenue...
Agents Art Kerr and Jim Haynes are investigating a global counterfeit
Counterfeit
To counterfeit means to illegally imitate something. Counterfeit products are often produced with the intent to take advantage of the superior value of the imitated product...
ing operation believed to be linked to the circus. Acrobat
Acrobatics
Acrobatics is the performance of extraordinary feats of balance, agility and motor coordination. It can be found in many of the performing arts, as well as many sports...
Bert King agrees to help his old friend Art (they were both paratrooper
Paratrooper
Paratroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and generally operate as part of an airborne force.Paratroopers are used for tactical advantage as they can be inserted into the battlefield from the air, thereby allowing them to be positioned in areas not accessible by land...
s in the war) in searching for the counterfeiters; his acrobatic partner "June Edwards" assists him actively. From the start of their involvement, they find themselves repeatedly threatened by two thugs, "Daley" and "Travis". Early evidence leads Bert and June to a cave which leads to an isolated beach, and contains gear belonging to the gang. They are unaware, however, that in a minisub of this beach's shoreline hides Zorn, the counterfeiter who is printing the phoney bills. Ultimately, however, the evidence points to an unknown, higher authority directing the operations of these men, and apparently indeed someone connected with the circus. Among the most suspicious-acting of the circus staff are Burton the clown, and any of three "rubes", at least one of whom seems to be lurking by when something threatens the life of Bert or June.
Principal players
- Harry LauterHarry LauterHerman Arthur "Harry" Lauter was an American character actor originally from White Plains, New York....
as Bert King, acrobatAcrobaticsAcrobatics is the performance of extraordinary feats of balance, agility and motor coordination. It can be found in many of the performing arts, as well as many sports...
and former paratrooperParatrooperParatroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and generally operate as part of an airborne force.Paratroopers are used for tactical advantage as they can be inserted into the battlefield from the air, thereby allowing them to be positioned in areas not accessible by land... - Fran BennettFran BennettFran Bennett is an American actress born in Malvern, Arkansas. From 1996 to 2003, she was head of the performance program in the School of Theater at the California Institute of the Arts...
as June Edwards, acrobatAcrobaticsAcrobatics is the performance of extraordinary feats of balance, agility and motor coordination. It can be found in many of the performing arts, as well as many sports... - Keith RichardsKeith RichardsKeith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
as Daley, HenchmanHenchmanHenchman referred originally to one who attended on a horse for his employer, that is, a horse groom. Hence, like constable and marshal, also originally stable staff, henchman became the title of a subordinate official in a royal court or noble household... - Terry FrostTerry Frost (actor)Terry Frost was an American actor who appeared in dozens of Western films during the 1940s and 1950s.-Biography:...
as Travis, HenchmanHenchmanHenchman referred originally to one who attended on a horse for his employer, that is, a horse groom. Hence, like constable and marshal, also originally stable staff, henchman became the title of a subordinate official in a royal court or noble household... - Robert ShayneRobert ShayneRobert Shayne , born Robert Shaen Dawe, was an American actor.-Career:Shayne played many character roles in movies and television, such as a 1943 movie entitled Wagon Wheels West, but he is best remembered for his portrayal of the recurring character Police Inspector William "Bill" Henderson on the...
as Jess Carter, CircusCircusA circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists...
ringmasterRingmasterThe term ringmaster may refer to numerous things:*Ringmaster , the leader of a circus* Ringmaster , the manager of a horse show ring*Ringmaster , a film starring Jerry Springer and Jaime Pressly...
Supporting players
- Rick VallinRick VallinRick Vallin was an actor who appeared in over 150 films between 1938 and 1966.Born Eric Efron in Russia, Vallin came to America while still young. He started his Hollywood career with an uncredited part in the film Freshman Year...
as Agent Art Kerr, a T-Man (TreasuryUnited States Department of the TreasuryThe Department of the Treasury is an executive department and the treasury of the United States federal government. It was established by an Act of Congress in 1789 to manage government revenue...
Agent) and former paratrooperParatrooperParatroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and generally operate as part of an airborne force.Paratroopers are used for tactical advantage as they can be inserted into the battlefield from the air, thereby allowing them to be positioned in areas not accessible by land... - Robert ClarkeRobert ClarkeRobert Irby Clarke was an American actor best known for his cult classic science fiction films of the 1950s.-Early life:...
as Agent Jim Hayes, a T-Man (TreasuryUnited States Department of the TreasuryThe Department of the Treasury is an executive department and the treasury of the United States federal government. It was established by an Act of Congress in 1789 to manage government revenue...
Agent) - Gregory Gay as Zorn, agent of a foreign power
- Lee RobertsLee RobertsLee Roberts was a film actor during the Hollywood Golden Age. Sometimes he is credited as Robert Allen or Lee J. Roberts.-Career:Little is known about this man who appeared in over 100 films between 1943 and 1959, according to the Internet Movie Data Base...
as Hank
Small role players
- Mauritz Hugo as Sam, Sideshow barkerBarker (occupation)A barker is a person who attempts to attract patrons to entertainment events, such as a circus or funfair, by exhorting passing public, describing attractions of show and emphasizing variety, novelty, beauty, or some other feature believed to incite listeners to attend entertainment...
and HenchmanHenchmanHenchman referred originally to one who attended on a horse for his employer, that is, a horse groom. Hence, like constable and marshal, also originally stable staff, henchman became the title of a subordinate official in a royal court or noble household... - Chris MitchellChris MitchellChris Mitchell is an Australian journalist and is editor-in-chief of The Australian. He began his career on the former afternoon tabloid, The Telegraph, in 1973 and after working on The Townsville Bulletin, The Daily Telegraph and the Australian Financial Review, became editor of The Australian in...
as Bill - Stuart WhitmanStuart WhitmanStuart Maxwell Whitman is an American actor.Stuart Whitman is arguably best-known for playing Marshal Jim Crown in the western television series Cimarron Strip in 1967...
as Mac, AcrobatAcrobaticsAcrobatics is the performance of extraordinary feats of balance, agility and motor coordination. It can be found in many of the performing arts, as well as many sports... - Tom SteeleTom Steele (stuntman)Tom Steele was a stunt man and actor, best remembered for appearing in serials, especially those produced by Republic Pictures, in both capacities.-Early life:...
as Matt Winston, AcrobatAcrobaticsAcrobatics is the performance of extraordinary feats of balance, agility and motor coordination. It can be found in many of the performing arts, as well as many sports... - George DeNormand as Garth
Production
King of the Carnival was budgeted at $172,995 although the final negative costNegative cost
Negative cost is the cost of actually producing and shooting a film. It does not include such costs as distribution and promotion.Low-budget movies, for example The Blair Witch Project, can have promotional expenses that are much larger than the negative cost.The term comes from the costs up to the...
was $177,050 (a $4,055, or 2.3%, overspend). It was the cheapest Republic serial of 1955.
It was filmed between 8 March and 25 March 1955 under the working title
Working title
A working title, sometimes called a production title, is the temporary name of a product or project used during its development, usually used in filmmaking, television production, novel, video game, or music album.-Purpose:...
King of the Circus. At seventeen days this is the joint-shortest, with Zombies of the Stratosphere
Zombies of the Stratosphere
Zombies of the Stratosphere was intended as the second serial featuring "new hero" Commando Cody and the third 12-chapter serial featuring the rocket-powered flying suit introduced in King of the Rocket Men...
, filming period of all Republic serials. The serial's production number was 1800.
Republic liked calling their heroes "King" in order to use the title "King of..." The studio had found success with this naming scheme following the adaptation of Zane Gray's King of the Royal Mounted
King of the Royal Mounted
King of the Royal Mounted is a fictional series featuring the character Dave King, created by Stephen Slesinger in 1936. Slesinger licensed popular Western writer Zane Grey's byline and marketed the character as Zane Grey's King of the Royal Mounted....
.
Stunts
- Tom SteeleTom Steele (stuntman)Tom Steele was a stunt man and actor, best remembered for appearing in serials, especially those produced by Republic Pictures, in both capacities.-Early life:...
. Whereas Republic serials traditionally employed a small army of stuntmen, Steele was the only stuntman required for "King of the Carnival."
Special effects
Special effects created by the Howard and Theodore LydeckerLydecker brothers
-Partial filmography:*Darkest Africa *Women in War - Oscar nominated*Adventures of Captain Marvel *Flying Tigers - Oscar nominated*Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe...
.
Theatrical
King of the Carnivals official release date is 27 June 1955, although this is actually the date the sixth chapter was made available to film exchanges.This was the last new serial released by Republic. However the studio continued with a release schedule of re-released serials until 1958, beginning with a re-release of Dick Tracy's G-Men
Dick Tracy's G-Men
Dick Tracy's G-Men is a 15-Chapter Republic Movie Serial based on the Dick Tracy comic strip by Chester Gould. It was directed by William Witney and John English....
and ending with Zorro's Fighting Legion
Zorro's Fighting Legion
Zorro's Fighting Legion is a 1939 Republic Pictures film serial consisting of twelve chapters. It features Reed Hadley as Zorro. The plot revolves around his alter-ego Don Diego's fight against the evil Don Del Oro....
.
Chapter titles
- Daredevils of the Air (20 min)
- Death Takes the Wheel (13 min 20s)
- The Trap that Failed (13 min 20s)
- Operation Murder (13 min 20s)
- The Mechanical Bloodhound (13 min 20s)
- Undersea Peril (13 min 20s)
- High Hazard (13 min 20s)
- Death Alley (13 min 20s)
- Cave of Doom (13 min 20s)
- The Masked Executioner (13 min 20s) -- Re-Cap Chapter
- Undersea Warfare (13 min 20s)
- Vengeance Under the Big Top (13 min 20s)
Source:
External links
King of the Carnival (19551955 in film
The year 1955 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* November 3 - The musical Guys and Dolls, starring Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra, debuts.* June 27 - The last ever Republic serial, King of the Carnival, is released....
) is a Republic
Republic Pictures
Republic Pictures was an independent film production-distribution corporation with studio facilities, operating from 1934 through 1959, and was best known for specializing in westerns, movie serials and B films emphasizing mystery and action....
movie serial. It contains a substantial amount of stock footage
Stock footage
Stock footage, and similarly, archive footage, library pictures and file footage are film or video footage that may or may not be custom shot for use in a specific film or television program. Stock footage is of beneficial use to filmmakers as it is sometimes less expensive than shooting new...
from the earlier Republic serial Daredevils of the Red Circle
Daredevils of the Red Circle
Daredevils of the Red Circle is a 12-Chapter Republic Movie Serial starring Charles Quigley, David Sharpe, Herman Brix and Charles Middleton. It was directed by William Witney and John English and is often considered one of the better serials produced by Republic...
. This was the last serial ever made by Republic and is often considered to be one of the worst produced by that company. The plot concerns Treasury
United States Department of the Treasury
The Department of the Treasury is an executive department and the treasury of the United States federal government. It was established by an Act of Congress in 1789 to manage government revenue...
Agents investigating a Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
counterfeit
Counterfeit
To counterfeit means to illegally imitate something. Counterfeit products are often produced with the intent to take advantage of the superior value of the imitated product...
ing operation believed to be connected to a circus.
Plot
TreasuryUnited States Department of the Treasury
The Department of the Treasury is an executive department and the treasury of the United States federal government. It was established by an Act of Congress in 1789 to manage government revenue...
Agents Art Kerr and Jim Haynes are investigating a global counterfeit
Counterfeit
To counterfeit means to illegally imitate something. Counterfeit products are often produced with the intent to take advantage of the superior value of the imitated product...
ing operation believed to be linked to the circus. Acrobat
Acrobatics
Acrobatics is the performance of extraordinary feats of balance, agility and motor coordination. It can be found in many of the performing arts, as well as many sports...
Bert King agrees to help his old friend Art (they were both paratrooper
Paratrooper
Paratroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and generally operate as part of an airborne force.Paratroopers are used for tactical advantage as they can be inserted into the battlefield from the air, thereby allowing them to be positioned in areas not accessible by land...
s in the war) in searching for the counterfeiters; his acrobatic partner "June Edwards" assists him actively. From the start of their involvement, they find themselves repeatedly threatened by two thugs, "Daley" and "Travis". Early evidence leads Bert and June to a cave which leads to an isolated beach, and contains gear belonging to the gang. They are unaware, however, that in a minisub of this beach's shoreline hides Zorn, the counterfeiter who is printing the phoney bills. Ultimately, however, the evidence points to an unknown, higher authority directing the operations of these men, and apparently indeed someone connected with the circus. Among the most suspicious-acting of the circus staff are Burton the clown, and any of three "rubes", at least one of whom seems to be lurking by when something threatens the life of Bert or June.
Principal players
- Harry LauterHarry LauterHerman Arthur "Harry" Lauter was an American character actor originally from White Plains, New York....
as Bert King, acrobatAcrobaticsAcrobatics is the performance of extraordinary feats of balance, agility and motor coordination. It can be found in many of the performing arts, as well as many sports...
and former paratrooperParatrooperParatroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and generally operate as part of an airborne force.Paratroopers are used for tactical advantage as they can be inserted into the battlefield from the air, thereby allowing them to be positioned in areas not accessible by land... - Fran BennettFran BennettFran Bennett is an American actress born in Malvern, Arkansas. From 1996 to 2003, she was head of the performance program in the School of Theater at the California Institute of the Arts...
as June Edwards, acrobatAcrobaticsAcrobatics is the performance of extraordinary feats of balance, agility and motor coordination. It can be found in many of the performing arts, as well as many sports... - Keith RichardsKeith RichardsKeith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
as Daley, HenchmanHenchmanHenchman referred originally to one who attended on a horse for his employer, that is, a horse groom. Hence, like constable and marshal, also originally stable staff, henchman became the title of a subordinate official in a royal court or noble household... - Terry FrostTerry Frost (actor)Terry Frost was an American actor who appeared in dozens of Western films during the 1940s and 1950s.-Biography:...
as Travis, HenchmanHenchmanHenchman referred originally to one who attended on a horse for his employer, that is, a horse groom. Hence, like constable and marshal, also originally stable staff, henchman became the title of a subordinate official in a royal court or noble household... - Robert ShayneRobert ShayneRobert Shayne , born Robert Shaen Dawe, was an American actor.-Career:Shayne played many character roles in movies and television, such as a 1943 movie entitled Wagon Wheels West, but he is best remembered for his portrayal of the recurring character Police Inspector William "Bill" Henderson on the...
as Jess Carter, CircusCircusA circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists...
ringmasterRingmasterThe term ringmaster may refer to numerous things:*Ringmaster , the leader of a circus* Ringmaster , the manager of a horse show ring*Ringmaster , a film starring Jerry Springer and Jaime Pressly...
Supporting players
- Rick VallinRick VallinRick Vallin was an actor who appeared in over 150 films between 1938 and 1966.Born Eric Efron in Russia, Vallin came to America while still young. He started his Hollywood career with an uncredited part in the film Freshman Year...
as Agent Art Kerr, a T-Man (TreasuryUnited States Department of the TreasuryThe Department of the Treasury is an executive department and the treasury of the United States federal government. It was established by an Act of Congress in 1789 to manage government revenue...
Agent) and former paratrooperParatrooperParatroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and generally operate as part of an airborne force.Paratroopers are used for tactical advantage as they can be inserted into the battlefield from the air, thereby allowing them to be positioned in areas not accessible by land... - Robert ClarkeRobert ClarkeRobert Irby Clarke was an American actor best known for his cult classic science fiction films of the 1950s.-Early life:...
as Agent Jim Hayes, a T-Man (TreasuryUnited States Department of the TreasuryThe Department of the Treasury is an executive department and the treasury of the United States federal government. It was established by an Act of Congress in 1789 to manage government revenue...
Agent) - Gregory Gay as Zorn, agent of a foreign power
- Lee RobertsLee RobertsLee Roberts was a film actor during the Hollywood Golden Age. Sometimes he is credited as Robert Allen or Lee J. Roberts.-Career:Little is known about this man who appeared in over 100 films between 1943 and 1959, according to the Internet Movie Data Base...
as Hank
Small role players
- Mauritz Hugo as Sam, Sideshow barkerBarker (occupation)A barker is a person who attempts to attract patrons to entertainment events, such as a circus or funfair, by exhorting passing public, describing attractions of show and emphasizing variety, novelty, beauty, or some other feature believed to incite listeners to attend entertainment...
and HenchmanHenchmanHenchman referred originally to one who attended on a horse for his employer, that is, a horse groom. Hence, like constable and marshal, also originally stable staff, henchman became the title of a subordinate official in a royal court or noble household... - Chris MitchellChris MitchellChris Mitchell is an Australian journalist and is editor-in-chief of The Australian. He began his career on the former afternoon tabloid, The Telegraph, in 1973 and after working on The Townsville Bulletin, The Daily Telegraph and the Australian Financial Review, became editor of The Australian in...
as Bill - Stuart WhitmanStuart WhitmanStuart Maxwell Whitman is an American actor.Stuart Whitman is arguably best-known for playing Marshal Jim Crown in the western television series Cimarron Strip in 1967...
as Mac, AcrobatAcrobaticsAcrobatics is the performance of extraordinary feats of balance, agility and motor coordination. It can be found in many of the performing arts, as well as many sports... - Tom SteeleTom Steele (stuntman)Tom Steele was a stunt man and actor, best remembered for appearing in serials, especially those produced by Republic Pictures, in both capacities.-Early life:...
as Matt Winston, AcrobatAcrobaticsAcrobatics is the performance of extraordinary feats of balance, agility and motor coordination. It can be found in many of the performing arts, as well as many sports... - George DeNormand as Garth
Production
King of the Carnival was budgeted at $172,995 although the final negative costNegative cost
Negative cost is the cost of actually producing and shooting a film. It does not include such costs as distribution and promotion.Low-budget movies, for example The Blair Witch Project, can have promotional expenses that are much larger than the negative cost.The term comes from the costs up to the...
was $177,050 (a $4,055, or 2.3%, overspend). It was the cheapest Republic serial of 1955.
It was filmed between 8 March and 25 March 1955 under the working title
Working title
A working title, sometimes called a production title, is the temporary name of a product or project used during its development, usually used in filmmaking, television production, novel, video game, or music album.-Purpose:...
King of the Circus. At seventeen days this is the joint-shortest, with Zombies of the Stratosphere
Zombies of the Stratosphere
Zombies of the Stratosphere was intended as the second serial featuring "new hero" Commando Cody and the third 12-chapter serial featuring the rocket-powered flying suit introduced in King of the Rocket Men...
, filming period of all Republic serials. The serial's production number was 1800.
Republic liked calling their heroes "King" in order to use the title "King of..." The studio had found success with this naming scheme following the adaptation of Zane Gray's King of the Royal Mounted
King of the Royal Mounted
King of the Royal Mounted is a fictional series featuring the character Dave King, created by Stephen Slesinger in 1936. Slesinger licensed popular Western writer Zane Grey's byline and marketed the character as Zane Grey's King of the Royal Mounted....
.
Stunts
- Tom SteeleTom Steele (stuntman)Tom Steele was a stunt man and actor, best remembered for appearing in serials, especially those produced by Republic Pictures, in both capacities.-Early life:...
. Whereas Republic serials traditionally employed a small army of stuntmen, Steele was the only stuntman required for "King of the Carnival."
Special effects
Special effects created by the Howard and Theodore LydeckerLydecker brothers
-Partial filmography:*Darkest Africa *Women in War - Oscar nominated*Adventures of Captain Marvel *Flying Tigers - Oscar nominated*Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe...
.
Theatrical
King of the Carnivals official release date is 27 June 1955, although this is actually the date the sixth chapter was made available to film exchanges.This was the last new serial released by Republic. However the studio continued with a release schedule of re-released serials until 1958, beginning with a re-release of Dick Tracy's G-Men
Dick Tracy's G-Men
Dick Tracy's G-Men is a 15-Chapter Republic Movie Serial based on the Dick Tracy comic strip by Chester Gould. It was directed by William Witney and John English....
and ending with Zorro's Fighting Legion
Zorro's Fighting Legion
Zorro's Fighting Legion is a 1939 Republic Pictures film serial consisting of twelve chapters. It features Reed Hadley as Zorro. The plot revolves around his alter-ego Don Diego's fight against the evil Don Del Oro....
.
Chapter titles
- Daredevils of the Air (20 min)
- Death Takes the Wheel (13 min 20s)
- The Trap that Failed (13 min 20s)
- Operation Murder (13 min 20s)
- The Mechanical Bloodhound (13 min 20s)
- Undersea Peril (13 min 20s)
- High Hazard (13 min 20s)
- Death Alley (13 min 20s)
- Cave of Doom (13 min 20s)
- The Masked Executioner (13 min 20s) -- Re-Cap Chapter
- Undersea Warfare (13 min 20s)
- Vengeance Under the Big Top (13 min 20s)
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