Bullets or Ballots (Warner Bros.) (1936)

Below is the official billing for “Bullets or Ballots.” It is important that this be followed without change or variation. First National Pictures, Inc. 25 % and the Vitaphone Corp. present EDWARD G. ROBINSON 100. “BULLETS OR BALLOTS © 100 % with JOAN BLONDELL and 90 % Barton MacLane—Humphrey Bogart—Frank McHugh 60 % Joseph King—Richard Purcell—George E. Stone 20% Joseph Crehan—Henry O’Neill 20% Directed by William Keighley 20 % A FIRST NATIONAL 40 % Productions Corporation 5% Picture 25 %__ Johnny Blake, Robinson) former detective and (Edward @. head of New York’s famous strong-arm squad, due to political bungling, was relegated to a patrolman’s beat in the Bronx. He was resigned to his fate and was marking time until his best friend, Captain Dan McLaren (Joseph King) should be made police commissioner. Blake’s girl friend, Lee Morgan (Joan Blondell) owns a night-club and operates a “numbers” game in Harlem. A Grand Jury finally has McLaren appointed police commissioner when he says he can clean up the racketeering. Instead of reinstating Blake, as has been a foregone conclusion, McLaren discharges him. This is a bitter dose for Blake to swallow, and when Blake meets McLaren in Madison Square Garden, Blake knocks the police commissioner down. This convinces Kruger (Barton MacLane), chief of the racketeers, that McLaren and Blake are washed up and that Blake is through with the police department. Kruger needs a man like Blake to show him how to defeat the law. So, Kruger hires Blake. “Bugs” Fenner, (Humphrey Bogart), another of the racketeers, always has hated Blake. He refuses to accept the former detective as an ally, suspecting him from the start of working with the police department. His trigger finger is trembling to write finis over Blake’s body. But he is afraid of Kruger, who is the only one who knows the identities of the higher-ups. All of Blake’s friends, including Lee Morgan, are disgusted because the former detective has turned racketeer. When a policeman makes a derogatory remark to him, Blake attacks him and is jailed for it. In the jail he and McLaren meet, and it is discov Running Time Length of Film 7342 ft. === == 81 min. ered for the first time that Blake is an undercover man for the police department. The public attack on McLaren was for the effect. McLaren wants to know how Blake is progressing, and Blake admits that he is having no luck learning who the real bosses are. Only Kruger knows. Meanwhile, the Grand Jury is bearing down on McLaren, urging him to complete his coup before they disband. Fenner is suspicious of Kruger and kills him. Blake has taken over the numbers game for the syndicate, and this puts the finishing touches to his association with Lee. With Kruger gone, the bosses send for Blake, who has made good in a big way, and make him head of the gang. Having found out who are the men back of the racket, Blake gives orders to raid the strongrooms of the gang and to follow him to the offices of the higherups when he goes to deliver the week’s receipts. But Fenner, discovering that Blake is working with the police, finds out through Lee Morgan, who unwittingly tells him, where Blake is. He goes to his room to shoot it out. Fenner is killed in the exchange of shots and Blake mortally wounded. Meanwhile, Lee discovers that she has sent Blake to his doom, and races to warn him. She is too late. But having learned that he is no traitor to the police department, she is anxious to have him forgive her. . She finds him walking along the sidewalk, satchel in hand, and drives him to the offices of the supreme council of the rackets. There, when Blake enters through the series of strong doors, which are open only for him, the police rush in and arrest the board of directors as a whole, with the money as evidence in their hands. Blake dies in McLaren’s arms. ILHOUETTE E ROBINSON Considered one of the finest actors in America and having undoubtedly played more widely different roles than any other actor, Edward G. Robinson is one of the screen’s most versatile stars and cultured members— He has a Master of Arts degree from Columbia University and speaks fluently, Spanish, Italian, French, German, Hebrew, Yiddish, Roumanian and other Balkan tongues — He is greatly interested in the theatre and intends to continue on the stage as well as the screen—Next to acting, his favorite art interest is music, which he declares is the basis of all art—His favorite composer is Richard Wagner—He collects rare first editions, paintings of old masters — pipes — antique miniatures and cartoons of himself—He smokes cigars but toys with pipe mixtures which he blends himself—Has enough symphonic records to stock a music store—His pet antipathy is early rising, writing letters and answering early morning telephone calls —His pet enthusiasms are Eddie G. Robinson, Jr. aged 3, Mrs. Robinson, who was Gladys Lloyd, the actress, his mother, and a few cherished friends—He is five feet eight inches tall, weighs 158 pounds, has brown eyes and black hair—His face is round and his cheerful grin is almost always evident, except when playing one of his “tough guy” roles—He has 300 pipes—He presents his men callers with pipes from his collection —Ladies get perfume—He is constantly buying things for his wife and son—Refuses to talk about business or the movies—Has no special diet and does not go in for physical training, but takes long walks, fishes, plays golf and chops wood when at his camp—Refuses to attend Hollywood soirees and dislikes being stared at in public places—His first big picture hit was “Little Caesar”—Now he has another and more important role in “Bullets or Ballots”, the First National picture opening LEM Csctsscteecsctsst ENEMENC ON a ctreseserisseses Mat No. 110—10c BARTON MACLANE He was born in Columbia, S. C. on Christmas day, 1902—He was educated in the schools of Cromwell, Conn., and at Wesleyan Uni_ versity where : he was an outstanding football and basketball star— His prowess as a_ football player won him a chance Mat No. 109—10c to go into pictures with Richard Dix in the football movie “Quarterback” — His work in “G Men” established him as the screen’s No. 1 Public Enemy—He is a playwright and has already authored one Broadway production “Rendezvous”—He plays golf for exercise and works about the small ranch he owns at Encino— He has formed, and captains, a basketball team composed of film actors—Has recently appeared in “Frisco Kid”, “Dr. Socrates” and “Man of Iron”’—Now appearing with Edward G. Robinson in “Bullets or Ballots” at the.......... theatre. BOGART His first experience in motion pictures, some time ago, resulted 3 ‘ in disaster, but now Humphrey Bogart has returned to Hollywood to become _ overnight one of the leading “bad men” of the screen — He had played ithe killer, “Duke ManMat No. 108—10ec tee”, with Leslie How ard in the stage production of “The Petrified Forest” and was signed for the screen version. Immediately after it was released, his success was assured—A thorough. ly experienced actor, he likes the simple things of life, including ice cream, slacks, flannels and sweaters—He likes the climate of California but dislikes the fogs—He particularly dislikes the policemen, whom he believes have over developed egos—He prefers French and Italian wines to the California product, he doesn’t like California driving, night clubs, bleached hair —hboosters or the native speech— He does like his working hours and his weekly check—He misses New York, its newspapers, its crowds, its noise and its dirt, but says he’ll probably remain in Hollywood, grouch about conditions and miss New York as long as his services are in demand by motion picture producers—He was born in New York City, joined the navy when the war broke out and started his theatrical career as business manager for William A. Brady in Newark, N. J.—Became an actor by accident when a juvenile supporting Grace George in “A Ruined Lady” became suddenly ill—His first Broadway appearance was in “Swifty”—Is now one of a triumvirate of “tough guys” in “Bullets or Ballots”, the First National picture starring Edward G. Robinson now showing abe UG secteesececsaaesereceses theatre. A) il!) 7 ee eee ere er PR i | Peer Sree et TEIN osc « ondaes egestas teins seein “BGS FORME G vcasinaas ciptnise-cveucaeees iil, 0 Se oes oe ree ee Grand Jury Spokesman...........000+ PI OMNE sornssticgsdscogermeceniesessaneg Hollister aikido wean 6M deeemenneren cot rare reeerer Ce O opaise schon Sis iaaroapin centers b DYNA) eer ATR ane Screen Play OY......csrcccssocsorersorers HUMPHREY ~ Peewee eee eeeeseneseenees Se eeeeesesesesersesesccesseees BLONDELL A born “trouper”, which is the highest praise the acting profession can_ bestow upon a player— Joan Blondell was ; christened “Rose” when , she was born ? in New York * City in 1909— Her father and _ mother were trouper and a prop} erty trunk was her first cYadlie— At the age of four months she made her first stage appearance —Has been on the stage ever since—She has played in repertory all over the globe, tank towns in China, split weeks in Australia, one night stands in Germany, and has crossed the continent of the United States 56 times while playing in vaudeville—Between times she has been a circus hand, a waitress, and for 15 minutes, a clerk in a New York department store—Is now one of the outstanding film stars in Hollywood — Never attends Hollywood parties but likes to dance—Prefers to buy her clothes in New York, but thinks Hollywood the ideal place in which to live—Takes long hikes and is a champion swimmer—Is a good tennis player—Goes to prize fights once a week and likes football matches—Does not care for golf—Doesn’t bother with beauty formulas — Believes in lots of baths—Likes to read and loves music—Has never been in an airplane and doesn’t want to—Dislikes bridge, diets, mashers and jewelry—Hates to answer a telephone—Loves pop and cider—Is generous to a fault and is one of the most popular stars in Hollywood—Has one son, Norman Scott Barnes, born in 1934—Is five feet four inches tall, weighs 115 pounds has grey eyes and blonde hair—is now playing with Edward G. 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Jack Killifer Page Twenty Nine