Bullets or Ballots (1936)
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- Passed
- 1h 22min
- Crime, Drama
- 06 Jun 1936 (USA)
- Movie
When a crusader against rackets is murdered, a grand jury battles the rackets by promoting McLaren to be in charge of the cleanup. He fires NYPD Detective Blake, who punches him and joins the racket.
Director:
Writers:
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| Edward G. Robinson | ... |
Johnny Blake
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| Joan Blondell | ... |
Lee Morgan
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| Barton MacLane | ... |
Al Kruger
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| Humphrey Bogart | ... |
'Bugs' Fenner
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| Frank McHugh | ... |
Herman
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| Joe King | ... |
Capt. Dan McLaren
(as Joseph King)
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| Dick Purcell | ... |
Ed Driscoll
(as Richard Purcell)
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| George E. Stone | ... |
Wires Kagel
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| Joseph Crehan | ... |
Grand Jury Spokesman
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| Henry O'Neill | ... |
Ward Bryant
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| Henry Kolker | ... |
Mr. Hollister
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| Gilbert Emery | ... |
Mr. Thorndyke
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| Herbert Rawlinson | ... |
Mr. Caldwell
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| Louise Beavers | ... |
Nellie LaFleur
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| Norman Willis | ... |
Louie Vinci
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Harry Adams | ... |
Clerk (uncredited)
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Russell Beach | ... |
Prizefighter (uncredited)
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Wilda Bennett | ... |
Grand Jury Woman (uncredited)
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| George Beranger | ... |
Waiter (uncredited)
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| Edward Biby | ... |
Hotel Guest (uncredited)
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| Tom Brower | ... |
Police Captain (uncredited)
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Raymond Brown | ... |
Proprietor in Newsreel (uncredited)
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Frank Bruno | ... |
Ben - Henchman with Wires (uncredited)
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Eddie Butler | ... |
Garber (uncredited)
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Vance Carroll | ... |
Policeman (uncredited)
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| Eddy Chandler | ... |
Policeman (uncredited)
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Tom Coleman | ... |
Sports Commentator (uncredited)
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Bing Connolly | ... |
Garage Man (uncredited)
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Joe Connors | ... |
Eddie - Headwaiter (uncredited)
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Hal Craig | ... |
Policeman (uncredited)
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Oliver Cross | ... |
Boxing Match Spectator (uncredited)
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| Virginia Dabney | ... |
Mary - Dancer for Lee (uncredited)
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| Mildred Dixon | ... |
Dancer (uncredited)
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Don Downen | ... |
Usher (uncredited)
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| Ralph Dunn | ... |
Policeman Getting Papers from Fire (uncredited)
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| Jay Eaton | ... |
Man Sitting with Lee (uncredited)
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| Oliver Eckhardt | ... |
Grand Jury Member (uncredited)
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| Bill Elliott | ... |
Hunter - Bank Worker (uncredited)
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| Frank Faylen | ... |
Gatley - Pinball Racketeer (uncredited)
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Jerry Fletcher | ... |
Elevator Operator (uncredited)
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Jack Gardner | ... |
Man (uncredited)
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Jack A. Goodrich | ... |
Cigar Clerk (uncredited)
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Eddie Graham | ... |
Eddie #1 (uncredited)
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Harrison Greene | ... |
Numbers Player (uncredited)
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Wallace Gregory | ... |
Lambert (uncredited)
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Edna Mae Harris | ... |
Rose - Lee's Maid (uncredited)
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| Eddie Hart | ... |
Policeman (uncredited)
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| Lew Harvey | ... |
Gangster Muscling in on Lee (uncredited)
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Ben Hendricks Jr. | ... |
Mounted Police Sgt. Donlan (uncredited)
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| Al Hill | ... |
Pinball Distributor (uncredited)
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| Stuart Holmes | ... |
Doorman (uncredited)
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John Lester Johnson | ... |
Timothy - Nellie's Boyfriend (uncredited)
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| Kenner G. Kemp | ... |
Pedestrian (uncredited)
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| Milton Kibbee | ... |
Jury Foreman in Newsreel (uncredited)
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Guy Kingsford | ... |
Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
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| Paul Kruger | ... |
Juror (uncredited)
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| Alma Lloyd | ... |
Woman in Curlers Who Won (uncredited)
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| George Lloyd | ... |
Man (uncredited)
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Shirley Lloyd | ... |
Waitress (uncredited)
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Alice Lyndon | ... |
Old Lady (uncredited)
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| Jerry Madden | ... |
Kid Playing Pinball (uncredited)
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| Frank Marlowe | ... |
Kruger's Chauffeur (uncredited)
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| Rosalind Marquis | ... |
Specialty (uncredited)
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Henry Martin | ... |
Black Chauffeur (uncredited)
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Larry McGrath | ... |
Referee (uncredited)
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| Frank McLure | ... |
Club Patron (uncredited)
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| Charles Meakin | ... |
Juror (uncredited)
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| Harold Miller | ... |
Club Patron (uncredited)
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| Howard M. Mitchell | ... |
Police Official (uncredited)
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| Carlyle Moore Jr. | ... |
Kruger's Secretary (uncredited)
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| Frances Morris | ... |
Beauty Attendant (uncredited)
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| Anne Nagel | ... |
Bank Secretary (uncredited)
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| Garry Owen | ... |
The Spotter (uncredited)
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| William Pawley | ... |
Crail - Ex Con (uncredited)
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| Lon Poff | ... |
Grand Jury Member (uncredited)
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Paul Power | ... |
Club Patron (uncredited)
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James Rafferty | ... |
Second (uncredited)
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Ralph Remley | ... |
Captain Kelly (uncredited)
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Sam Rice | ... |
Grand Jury Member (uncredited)
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| Addison Richards | ... |
William Kennedy - Newsreel Narrator (uncredited)
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Ernie Ripfer | ... |
Second (uncredited)
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Bert Ross | ... |
Vendor (uncredited)
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| John Roy | ... |
Police Officer (uncredited)
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Dick Rush | ... |
Policeman (uncredited)
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| Cy Schindell | ... |
Bookie Who Throws Bag (uncredited)
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Harold Schlickenmayer | ... |
Man (uncredited)
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| Charles Sherlock | ... |
Detective (uncredited)
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| Eddie Shubert | ... |
Truck Driver with Steaks (uncredited)
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| Edwin Stanley | ... |
Judge in Newsreel (uncredited)
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| Bee Stevens | ... |
Chorus Girl (uncredited)
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| John Tyrrell | ... |
Red (uncredited)
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| Victoria Vinton | ... |
Theater Ticket Seller (uncredited)
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| Max Wagner | ... |
Actor Impersonating Kruger in Newsreel (uncredited)
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Harry Watson | ... |
Kid Playing Pinball (uncredited)
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Freddy Welsh | ... |
Prizefighter (uncredited)
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Huey White | ... |
Gangster Muscling in on Lee (uncredited)
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| Leo White | ... |
Waiter (uncredited)
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Lottie Williams | ... |
Mrs. Woodward - Grand Jury Member (uncredited)
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| Tom Wilson | ... |
Jailer (uncredited)
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Jack Wise | ... |
Waiter (uncredited)
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Directed by
| William Keighley | ||
Written by
| Seton I. Miller | ... | (screen play) |
| Martin Mooney | ... | (story) and |
| Seton I. Miller | ... | (story) |
Produced by
| Louis F. Edelman | ... | producer (uncredited) |
| Hal B. Wallis | ... | executive producer (uncredited) |
| Jack L. Warner | ... | executive producer (uncredited) |
Music by
| Bernhard Kaun | ... | (uncredited) |
Cinematography by
| Hal Mohr | ... | (photography by) |
Film Editing by
| Jack Killifer | ... | film editor |
Art Direction by
| Carl Jules Weyl | ||
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Chuck Hansen | ... | assistant director (uncredited) |
| Arthur Lueker | ... | second assistant director (uncredited) |
Sound Department
| Oliver S. Garretson | ... | sound (uncredited) |
Special Effects by
| Fred Jackman Jr. | ... | special effects (uncredited) |
| Warren Lynch | ... | special effects (uncredited) |
Stunts
| Harvey Parry | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
Music Department
| Leo F. Forbstein | ... | conductor: Vitaphone Orchestra |
| M.K. Jerome | ... | composer: stock music (uncredited) |
| Heinz Roemheld | ... | composer: stock music (uncredited) |
Production Companies
Distributors
- Warner Bros. (1936) (United States) (theatrical)
- Vitagraph Limited (1936) (Canada) (theatrical)
- Warner Brothers Pictures (1936) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Warner Bros First National (1936) (France) (theatrical)
- Warner Bros. First National Films (1936) (Belgium) (theatrical)
- Warner Brothers First National Films (1936) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Warner Bros. First National Films (1936) (Austria) (theatrical)
- Warner Brothers First National Films (1936) (Norway) (theatrical)
- Associated Artists Productions (AAP) (1956) (United States) (theatrical)
- MGM Home Entertainment (1998) (United States) (VHS)
- MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1998) (Barbados) (video)
- Warner Home Video (2006) (United States) (theatrical) (included in 'Warner Bros. Pictures Tough Guys Collection')
- Warner Home Video (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
- Warner Home Video (2008) (United States) (DVD) (included in 'Warner Bros. Pictures Gangster Collection Vol. 2')
Special Effects
Other Companies
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
After police captain, McLaren becomes commissioner, former detective Johnny Blake knocks him down convincing rackets boss Al Kruger that Blake's sincere in his effort to join the mob. "Buggs" Fenner thinks Blake is a police agent.
Written by Ed Stephan |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | WHO Rules The Rackets ? This picture puts the finger on the political higher-ups! See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | Add content advisory for parents » |
| Certification |
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Additional Details
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Did You Know?
| Trivia | Johnny Blake, played by Edward G. Robinson, was based on real-life New York City policeman Johnny Broderick (c.1896-1966) aka "The Duke" or "the toughest cop on Broadway", while Al Kruger, played by Barton MacLane, was based on notorious gangster Dutch Schultz. See more » |
| Goofs | When Fenner and Kruger are in the theatre watching Ward Bryant's newsreel re-creation of mobsters collecting money from the nickel game machines, there are school children playing the machines. Later on in the real-world, when the police raid Schultz Drug Store and confiscate the nickel game machines, school children are also shown playing the machines. But the school children in the real world are the same ones used in the re-creation including wearing the same clothes. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in Breakdowns of 1936 (1936). See more » |
| Soundtracks | The Lady in Red See more » |
| Quotes |
Lee Morgan:
You're gonna take it away from Blake? 'Bugs' Fenner: Yeah. Lee Morgan: Go ahead and take it. [Bugs moves in for a long kiss and gets slapped by Lee] Lee Morgan: The numbers game. See more » |