Daredevil O’Dare – a clueless young man runs away to join the circus, despite having no discernible skills. Can he find true love there? Starring Ben Blue, Shemp Howard
Comedy highlights
- Shemp and another sideshow worker scamming Elmer with the “pick a number” routine. Very reminiscent of Bud Abbott fleecing Lou Costello.
- Shemp trying to fire Elmer from the cannon.
- In the conclusion, where Elmer’s trying to imitate Houdini’s handcuff escape. Where real police officers show up, use real handcuffs, and he can’t get out! “Stretch it out!” A very funny example of the rule of three, as circus workers keep going to Elmer’s tent with hacksaw, then hammer and spike, and finally … explosives!
Synopsis
Daredevil O’Dare is a 1934 American comedy short film (about 18 minutes long) directed by Ralph Staub and produced by Vitaphone (a Warner Bros. division). It stars comedian Ben Blue as Elmer O’Dare, a naive and clumsy farmboy who fancies himself a skilled circus performer despite having no real talent.
The plot follows Elmer as he arrives at a circus, where he gets exploited by a carny named Butch (played by Shemp Howard). Elmer’s overconfidence leads to a series of slapstick mishaps and failed attempts at daring circus acts, all while he tries to impress others and prove his “expertise.” The film is a classic example of 1930s Vitaphone comedy shorts, relying on physical humor and exaggerated performances.
Note: This is an obscure vintage short, not related to the Marvel superhero Daredevil films or series. It’s part of the “Big V Comedies” series and features early appearances by actors like Shemp Howard.
Cast
- Ben Blue (The Big Broadcast of 1938) … Elmer O’Dare
- Shemp Howard (Vitaphone Comedy Collection Volume 2 – Shemp Howard) … Butch
- Vicki Cummings … Laura Gilbert
- Joseph Vitale (The Paleface) … Kovack Tomar(as Joe Vitale)
- Owen Martin … Owney
Additional cast
- Milton Frome (Please Don’t Eat the Daisies) … Policeman(uncredited)
- Charles Howard … Rube(uncredited)
- Charles Judels (Marry the Girl) … Pa O’Dare(uncredited)
- Maude Odell … Ma O’Dare(uncredited)
Trivia
- Film debut of Milton Frome.
- Released August 11, 1934.