Unidentified Flying Oddball

"Unidentified Flying Oddball", also known as "The Spaceman and King Arthur", (1979) is Walt Disney’s movie adaptation of Mark Twain’s "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court". Subsequently re-released in the United States under the titles "The Spaceman and King Arthur" and "A Spaceman in King Arthur’s Court", and directed by Russ Mayberry, the film starred Dennis Dugan as astronaut Tom Trimble who unintentionally travels back in time with his look-alike android Hermes. Trimble’s NASA spacecraft travels faster than the speed of light, landing him and the android near King Arthur’s Camelot, where – with the aid of their 20th century technology – they must defeat a plot by the evil Sir Mordred and Merlin to oust King Arthur from the throne.

In a quite unusual fashion, Merlin is presented as an evil character, intent on dethroning Arthur.

Taglines:
*(as "Unidentified Flying Oddball") "Chaos in the Cosmos!"
*(as "The Spaceman and King Arthur") "A Sixth Century Space Adventure"

Cast

*Dennis Dugan*...Tom Trimble/Hermes
*Jim Dale...Sir Mordred
*Ron Moody...Merlin
*Kenneth More...King Arthur
*John Le Mesurier...Sir Gawain
*Rodney Bewes...Clarence
*Sheila White...Alisande
*Robert Beatty...Senator Milburn
*Cyril Shaps...Dr. Zimmerman
*Kevin Brennan...Winston
*Ewen Solon...Watkins
*Pat Roach...Oaf
*Reg Lye...Prisoner

* Credited on-screen only as Tom Trimble.

Another Disney adaptation

*Walt Disney’s "A Kid in King Arthur’s Court" (1995), likewise based on the aforementioned novel, has a similar premise: a person from the 20th century travels back in time to King Arthur’s Camelot and impresses the inhabitants with technology from the distant future. Moody reprised his role as Merlin in the film, on this occasion in a more sympathetic light.

External links

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