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The Three Stooges Meet Hercules (1962) movie poster

Timeline

The Three Stooges Meet Hercules (1962) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1962 · 89 mins · English
JustWatch #24,010 1
Directed by
Edward Bernds, Herb Wallerstein
Starring
Quinn K. Redeker, Hal Smith, Lewis Charles, Larry Fine, Moe Howard, Joe DeRita

The Three Stooges tumble into antiquity when they help their friend, scientist Schuyler Davis, test a time‑machine. The mishap lands them, along with Schuyler’s girlfriend Diane, in ancient Ithaca ruled by the lecherous King Odius. The king banishes the Stooges and Schuyler to the galleys, then forces the trio to market Schuyler as “Hercules” in gladiatorial contests. When the genuine Hercules arrives, the Stooges’ outrageous charm convinces him to join their rescue of Diane, resulting in a chaotic, slap‑stick clash of myth and mayhem.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (12)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like The Three Stooges Meet Hercules
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch The Three Stooges Meet Hercules (1962)

Where can you watch The Three Stooges Meet Hercules? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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12 events in order · contains spoilers

The Three Stooges Meet Hercules Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of The Three Stooges Meet Hercules (1962) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Time machine project with Schuyler

    The Stooges agree to help their neighbor Schuyler Davis build a time machine, hoping to test it in a safe, domestic setting. They tinker with gears, bolts, and dubious schematics, dreaming of a gadget that could simplify their daily lives. The project draws the attention of their boss Dimsal and sets the stage for an adventure beyond the present.

    When
    Present day
    Where
    Schuyler Davis' home workshop
  2. Arrival in Ithaca, ancient Greece

    The machine activates and launches them across time to Ithaca in ancient Greece, during the reign of King Odius. They crash into a world of togas, gods, and old rivalries, instantly realizing their device may have altered history. Survival and cleverness become their priorities as they try to understand this strange era.

    When
    During King Odius' reign
    Where
    Ithaca, ancient Greece
  3. Mistaken for gods amid Ulysses' imprisonment

    Their sudden arrival near Ulysses' imprisonment leads locals to mistake them for divine beings. The Stooges must improvise as they navigate superstition, hoping to avoid exposing their ignorance of the era. Their status buys them time to figure out the timeline and their next moves.

    When
    During King Odius' reign
    Where
    Ithaca
  4. King Odius's advances and the need for discretion

    King Odius, a lecherous ruler, fixates on one of the newcomers and makes unwelcome advances. The group endures his schemes while trying to avoid worsening the disruption to history. They decide to keep a low profile while searching for clues to restore the proper order.

    When
    During King Odius' reign
    Where
    King Odius' palace, Ithaca
  5. Planning a repair of the timeline

    With history visibly unravelling, they devise a plan to repair the timeline by re-creating or correcting key events that were disturbed. Every misstep threatens to erase their own present, so they move carefully. They gather allies and information as they edge closer to a solution.

    When
    During King Odius' reign
    Where
    Ithaca, ancient Greece
  6. Escape and perilous shipwreck

    A daring escape carries them to the sea, where a perilous shipwreck tests their teamwork and nerve. They rely on improvisation and Curly Joe's soporific concoction to survive the wreck and keep the group together. The ordeal strengthens their bonds and pushes the mission forward.

    When
    During the voyage
    Where
    Aegean Sea near Ithaca
  7. Vanquishing the Siamese Cyclops

    In the aftermath of the wreck, they confront a Siamese Cyclops and defeat it using Curly Joe's soporific solution and cunning. The victory clears their path and demonstrates their growing competence in this ancient world. They press on toward the arena and the next stage of their quest.

    When
    During their stay in Ithaca
    Where
    Near Ithaca, onshore
  8. Schuyler's strength in the gladiatorial arena

    Schuyler's strength, forged by years of rowing in a galley, is showcased in a brutal gladiatorial arena. He overwhelms opponents with surprising power, earning cheers and the group's cautious respect. The performance marks him as a rising force in this era.

    When
    During their stay in Ithaca
    Where
    Ithaca gladiatorial arena
  9. Meeting Hercules and planning a rescue

    The display attracts the attention of the genuine Hercules, who becomes an ally in their mission. Together they plan a daring rescue for Diane Quigley, Schuyler's disaffected girlfriend, from Odius's clutches. It’s a turning point that blends myth with their own cunning and courage.

    When
    Late in their Ithaca stay
    Where
    Ithaca, with Hercules
  10. Rescue operation and climactic confrontation

    Armed with new camaraderie and improved skills, they execute a risky plan and stage a rescue operation to free Diane and strike at Odius's hold. The events unfold with chases, traps, and strategic moves that tilt the odds in their favor. The group moves closer to restoring history and freeing their companions.

    When
    Late in the mission
    Where
    Odius's fortress, Ithaca
  11. Chariot chase and dispatching Odius to the Wild West

    In a final bid to set history right, they orchestrate a dramatic chariot chase and push Odius toward the Wild West, effectively placing the tyrant outside the Greek epoch. The maneuver restores the proper course of history while keeping the group intact. It blends action, comedy, and time-twisting spectacle to complete the arc.

    When
    Final act
    Where
    Ithaca to Wild West time-displaced setting
  12. Return to present day and surprising pillory scene

    Returning to the present day, they discover their employer Dimsal imprisoned in a pillory for reasons unclear. The trip leaves them to grapple with the consequences of their interference and the cost of time travel. They must decide whether to fix what they've broken and how to explain it to their world.

    When
    Present day
    Where
    Present day, Dimsal's location

Last updated: March 05, 2026 at 18:41

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Timeline questions answered

The Three Stooges Meet Hercules Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of The Three Stooges Meet Hercules (1962): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why did the Stooges end up in ancient Greece?

The Stooges were helping their friend Schuyler Davis test his time machine in his home workshop. During the test launch, the machine malfunctioned and transported them across time to Ithaca, ancient Greece, during King Odius's reign. The experimental time machine was never properly calibrated, causing them to travel much further back in time than intended.

Foreshadowing: The time machine project was introduced early in the film as a hopeful invention that the Stooges were eager to help with.

  • time machine
  • Schuyler Davis
  • test
  • Ithaca
  • ancient Greece
  • malfunction
Q2

Why was King Odius considered a villain?

King Odius was depicted as a lecherous and tyrannical ruler who made unwelcome advances on the women in the group, particularly fixating on Diane. He banished the Stooges and Schuyler to the galleys and forced them into dangerous situations, using his power to control and exploit others throughout their time in Ithaca.

Foreshadowing: The timeline notes King Odius's "lecherous" nature from the moment the Stooges arrive at his palace.

  • King Odius
  • villain
  • tyrant
  • Ithaca
  • palace
  • lecherous
Q3

How did the Stooges defeat the Siamese Cyclops?

After their shipwreck, the Stooges encountered a Siamese Cyclops on the shores of Ithaca. They used Curly Joe's soporific concoction, a sleep-inducing mixture, to drug the creature, defeating it without violence. The solution they had previously used to survive the shipwreck proved effective against the monster.

Foreshadowing: Curly Joe's soporific solution was first used during the shipwreck to keep the group together, foreshadowing its reuse against the Cyclops.

  • Siamese Cyclops
  • Curly Joe
  • soporific
  • solution
  • defeat
  • Ithaca
Q4

Why was Schuyler presented as Hercules in the arena?

King Odius forced the Stooges to market Schuyler as "Hercules" in gladiatorial contests. This was part of the king's scheme to exploit the newcomers for entertainment. Schuyler had gained significant strength from months of rowing in the galleys after being banished, and his impressive physical display in the arena earned him the nickname when the king paraded him as a legendary gladiator.

Foreshadowing: The timeline notes Schuyler's banishment to the galleys as a setup for the strength he would later display.

  • Schuyler
  • Hercules
  • gladiatorial arena
  • King Odius
  • strength
  • galleys
Q5

How did the real Hercules become involved with the Stooges?

Hercules was attracted to the Stooges' display in the gladiatorial arena and their outrageous charm. After witnessing their performance, the legendary hero decided to join their cause. Together, they planned and executed a rescue mission to free Diane Quigley from King Odius's fortress, providing the muscle and mythological expertise needed to confront the tyrant.

Foreshadowing: Schuyler's arena performance was noted as attracting the attention of the genuine Hercules.

  • Hercules
  • ally
  • rescue
  • Diane Quigley
  • gladiatorial arena
  • fortress
Q6

Why did the Stooges send King Odius to the Wild West?

In the final act, the Stooges orchestrated a chariot chase and used their time-travel knowledge to push King Odius into a time-displaced setting that sent him to the Wild West era. This removed the tyrant from ancient Greece and effectively restored the proper course of history. By banishing Odius to a different time period, they solved the problem of his tyranny while correcting the timeline.

Foreshadowing: The earlier time machine technology provided the mechanism for this temporal exile.

  • King Odius
  • Wild West
  • chariot chase
  • time travel
  • restore history
  • timeline
Q7

What happened to Dimsal at the end of the movie?

When the Stooges returned to the present day, they discovered their employer Dimsal was imprisoned in a pillory for reasons that were unclear. The film leaves the exact reason for his punishment ambiguous, but it suggests that the Stooges' interference with the timeline had unexpected consequences that affected their own time period.

Foreshadowing: The timeline earlier noted that Dimsal's interest in the time machine project set the adventure in motion.

  • Dimsal
  • pillory
  • present day
  • return
  • consequences
  • imprisonment
Q8

How did the Stooges escape from the galleys?

After King Odius banished the Stooges and Schuyler to the galleys, they managed to stage a daring escape that led them to the sea. During the escape, they encountered a perilous shipwreck that tested their teamwork. They relied on Curly Joe's soporific concoction to survive the wreck and keep the group together before eventually reaching shore.

Foreshadowing: The banishment to the galleys was a direct result of King Odius's decree after their arrival in Ithaca.

  • galleys
  • escape
  • shipwreck
  • Curly Joe
  • soporific
  • Aegean Sea

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Three Stooges Meet Hercules, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes The Three Stooges Meet Hercules tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Anachronistic comedy chaos like in The Three Stooges Meet Hercules

Modern characters causing hilarious mayhem in historical or unexpected settings. If you enjoyed the hilarious culture shock in 'The Three Stooges Meet Hercules,' you'll love these movies. Discover films where modern characters wreak comedic havoc in historical settings, from ancient Rome to the Wild West. Find your next favorite time-travel comedy or fish-out-of-water adventure here.

  • anachronistic
  • fish out of water
  • slapstick
  • time travel
  • historical comedy
  • chaotic
  • Tone: whimsical, playful
  • Pacing: fast, energetic
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Movies in this thread follow a pattern where characters from the present day (or a modern sensibility) are transported to a historical period. The narrative revolves around their attempts to navigate this unfamiliar world, often misunderstanding customs and inadvertently causing chaos, which drives the plot forward through a series of comedic set pieces.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped together because they share the core comedic premise of a temporal clash. They prioritize laughter over historical accuracy, using the setting as a playground for physical humor, witty anachronisms, and a lighthearted tone where the stakes are comedic rather than genuinely perilous.

Zany ensemble slapstick like in The Three Stooges Meet Hercules

Fast-paced comedies driven by a chaotic group's hilarious misadventures. Love the chaotic energy and physical comedy of the Three Stooges? Explore more movies built around a zany ensemble causing hilarious mayhem. These films feature fast-paced slapstick, a lighthearted mood, and a group of characters whose chemistry drives the comedy. Perfect for fans of classic and modern physical humor.

  • slapstick
  • ensemble cast
  • zany
  • chaotic
  • physical comedy
  • fast-paced
  • Tone: whimsical, comedic
  • Pacing: fast, frantic
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative in these films is often simple, providing a loose framework for a series of comedic sequences. The journey is less about a deep plot and more about watching a lovable, chaotic group bounce off each other and their environment, leading to escalatingly absurd and humorous situations.

Why they belong together: These films are united by their commitment to ensemble-driven physical humor. They share a fast pace, a light emotional weight, and a tone that is more whimsical than cynical. The enjoyment comes from the group dynamic and the inventive, often slapstick, comedy that arises from their misadventures.

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Every angle

The Three Stooges Meet Hercules (1962) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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