The Sons of Hercules
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The Sons of Hercules was a syndicated television show that aired in the United States of America in the 1960s. The series repackaged 14 Italian sword-and-sandal films by giving them a memorable theme song and a standard intro relating the lead character in each film to the Greek demigod Hercules any way they could. Four of the "Sons of Hercules" films were originally Maciste movies in Italy, two of them were originally Ursus movies, two of them were originally Hercules films (strangely enough), and the other six were just isolated gladiator or mythological hero movies that the American distributors didn't feel deserved a full-blown theatrical release in the USA.
Films in the series
(info supplied by Frank Verzyl)There were 14 films in the Sons of Hercules syndication package. The first title listed for each film was its American television title, followed by the original Italian title in parentheses:
- Mole Men versus the Son of Hercules (Maciste, The Strongest Man in the World) starring Mark Forest as Maciste
- The Terror of Rome versus the Son of Hercules (Maciste, Gladiator of Sparta) starring Mark Forest as Maciste
- Fire Monsters Against The Son Of Hercules (Maciste Vs. The Monsters) starring Reg Lewis as Maciste
- Triumph Of The Son Of Hercules (The Triumph Of Maciste) starring Kirk Morris as Maciste
- Son Of Hercules In The Land Of Darkness (Hercules The Invincible) starring Dan Vadis as Hercules
- Ulysses Vs. The Son Of Hercules (Ulysses Against Hercules) starring Mike Lane as Hercules
- Son Of Hercules In The Land Of Fire (Ursus In The Land Of Fire) starring Ed Fury as Ursus
- Ursus, Son Of Hercules (aka Ursus, aka Mighty Ursus) starring Ed Fury as Ursus
- The Tyrant Of Lydia Vs. The Son Of Hercules (Goliath and the Rebel Slave) starring Gordon Scott as Goliath
- Messalina Against the Son Of Hercules (The Last Gladiator) starring Richard Harrison as Glaucus
- The Devil Of The Desert Vs. The Son Of Hercules (Anthar The Invincible) starring Kirk Morris as Anthar
- Medusa Vs. The Son Of Hercules (Perseus The Invincible) starring Richard Harrison as Perseus
- The Beast Of Babylon Versus The Son Of Hercules (Hero Of Babylon) starring Gordon Scott as Prince Nippur
- Venus Against The Son Of Hercules (Mars, God Of War) starring Roger Browne as Mars
Theme song
The lyrics to the catchy theme song go as follows:
- The Mighty Sons of Hercules
- :Once thundered through the years;
- These men of steel could never feel
- :The curse of a coward's fears!
- The Mighty Sons of Hercules
- :Were men as men should be;
- They burned with dreams, and turned their dreams
- :Into history!
- A hundred giants, brave and bold,
- They ruled the world in days of old.
- The Mighty Sons of Hercules
- :Were men as men should be;
- They burned with dreams, and turned their dreams
- :Into history!
- They are there
- :When the need arrives;
- There to show that Might and Right
- :Still survive!
- On land or on the sea
- :As long as there is need;
- There'll be Sons of Hercules!
- :There'll be Sons of Hercules!
External links
- [The Many Faces of Hercules]
- [Santo and Friends] for info on Mexican musclemen and masked wrestlers
- Review: [Fire Mosters Against the Son of Hercules]
- [Sons of Hercules] - Bright Lights Film Journal
- See Wikipedia entries also on Samson, Maciste, Ursus, Sons of Hercules and Goliath
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