Medfield College science majors Dexter Reilly (Kurt Russell) and Richard Schuyler (Michael McGreevey) are trying to find a vitamin formula to cure a cow of malnutrition but don’t realise that Dexter’s chemical solution has accidentally spilt into Richard’s vitamin compound.
They pour the mixture into a cereal box, and the next morning after Dexter eats a bowl of cereal he becomes so strong that a lamp post topples over when he leans on it.
He takes the formula to Dean Higgins (Joe Flynn), who sells it to a cereal company president (Eve Arden) who plans to use it as a secret weapon to wipe out a rival cereal maker (Phil Silvers).
Harry Crumply (Dick Van Patten) is an industrial spy and AJ Arno (Cesar Romero) and Cookie (Dick Bakalyan) are the ex-cons who try to help him steal the formula.
The film is at its funniest during a weightlifting match between Dexter’s unmuscular colleagues who have mistakenly eaten cereal without the compound and hulking champion weightlifters.
Joe Flynn is hilarious as the college dean who eats the special cereal and performs acrobatics from a chandelier while wearing long johns. This was his final film. He died of a heart attack a year before it was released.
The Strongest Man in the World is a bland, capably-made movie with some good special effects. But kids loved it – and that’s what Disney is all about.
This was the third film in the ‘Dexter Reilly’ series, following on from The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969) and Now You See Him, Now You Don’t (1972).
Dexter Reilly
Kurt Russell
Dean Higgins
Joe Flynn
Harriet Crumply
Eve Arden
AJ Arno
Cesar Romero
Kirwood Krinkle
Phil Silvers
VP Harry Crumply
Dick Van Patten
Regent Dietz
Harold Gould
Richard Schuyler
Michael McGreevey
Cookie
Dick Bakalyan
Prof. Quigley
William Schallert
Ah Fong
Benson Fong
Chief Blair
James Gregory
Debbie
Ann Marshall
Gilbert
Don Carter
Cris
Christina Anderson
Peter ‘Porky’ Peterson
Paul Linke
Slither Roth
Jack David Walker
Melissa
Melissa Caffey
John
John Debney
Hector
Derrel Maury
Matthew
Matthew Conway
Pat
Pat Fitzpatrick
David
David R. Ellis
Larry
Larry Franco
Mr Roberts
Roy Roberts
Uncle Frederick
Fritz Feld
Regent Burns
Raymond Bailey
Mr Roscoe
John Myhers
Cousin Edward
James Brodhead
Mr Secretary
Dick Patterson
Irwin
Irwin Charone
Roger
Roger Price
Jack
Jack Bailey
Larry
Larry Gelman
Eric
Eric Brotherson
Officer Hurley
Kathleen Freeman
Mr Becker
Iggie Wolfington
Mr Parsons
Ned Wertimer
Mr Lufkin
Milton Frome
Mr Reedy
Laurie Main
Mercedes
Mary Treen
Mr Willoughby
Eddie Quillan
Mr Rogers
Jeff DeBenning
Mr Slate
Henry Slate
Mr Webster
Byron Webster
Regent Appleby
Burt Mustin
Regent Shaw
Arthur Space
Pete
Larry J Blake
Director
Vincent McEveety