Duke of Chicago
Cast & Crew
George Blair
Tom Brown
Audrey Long
Grant Withers
Paul Harvey
Skeets Gallagher
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
In Chicago, at the offices of Cunningham and Brody Publishers, ex-championship fighter Jim Brody tells his partner and future father-in-law, Chester "Chet" Cunningham that he will soon accompany his fiancée Helene on a cruise of the world. Sadly, Chet explains that their company has become bankrupt and they owe $75,000. The news convinces Jim that he can not afford to go on the cruise, even though he knows that Helene will insist on going. Helene and her sister Jane, a newspaper reporter, take their chauffeur-driven car to the restaurant where they are meeting Jim for dinner. He tries to talk Helene out of the cruise, but is afraid to tell her his company's financial situation. Helene becomes angry and leaves on the S. S. Queen Irene alone, while Jim finds his old trainer, Gus Weller, at the gym where Jim trained before Helene forced him to give up boxing. Gus suggests that Jim take advantage of Helene's absence and return to the ring to fight Steve "Killer" Bronski for the middle-weight championship. When gangster Tony Russo learns of the fight, he offers to back it, and tells one of his men, a reporter, to give the fight a big press build-up. Meanwhile, Jim, who was known in the fighting world as "The Duke of Chicago," begins training for the fight. When Jane sees Terry Shea, the family chauffeur, driving away from the house, she follows him to the camp where Jim trains, and he makes her promise not to tell Helene about the fight. Jane covers the story for her paper, and publishes an article about the fight before Tony's reporter has had the chance. When news of the fight reaches Helene on board the ship, she writes a letter breaking her engagement to Jim before returning. Chet intercepts the letter before it reaches Jim and writes a letter to her saying that it is his fault that Jim has returned to the ring. At Jane's office, reporter Ace Martin says that he has heard rumors that Jim might succumb to pressure from Tony to throw the fight. Later, when Jane questions Jim, he maintains his innocence, but she does not believe him. After Tony realizes that Jim may win the fight, he offers him $100,000 to "take a dive," saying that some of his friends have bet money on Bronski. Jane, who overhears Tony threaten Jim if he will not comply, begs him not to fight. She goes to the police, but they say they can not arrest Tony for simply threatening Jim. After she confides in Ace, they decide to warn Tony that they will both give him bad press coverage if anything should happen to Jim. Some time later, because Tony's men have killed Ace, Jane fears that Tony will carry out his threats against Jim and begs him to throw the fight. The day of the fight arrives, and although he is repeatedly knocked out by Bronski, he continues to fight. Finally, even though his hand is broken, Jim manages to knock Bronski out before collapsing himself. After Tony's men severely beat Jim, his doctor says that Jim must stay in the hospital. There, a police detective visits him, and when one of Tony's men enters the room with a knife, he hides and captures the man. Later, the District Attorney prosecutes Tony and his gang, and Jane and Jim become engaged.
Director
George Blair
Cast
Tom Brown
Audrey Long
Grant Withers
Paul Harvey
Skeets Gallagher
Lois Hall
Matt Mchugh
Joseph Crehan
Harvey Parry
George Beban
Keith Richards
Deforest Kelley
Frankie Van
Dan Tobey
Dale Van Sickel
Tristram Coffin
Michael Ferro
Harold Miller
Billy Snyder
Teddy Mangean
Neil Dowd
Jimmy Casino
Joan Gladding
Sam Bernard
Charlie Sullivan
Jack Daley
Mike Lally
Crew
Frank Arrigo
Stephen Auer
Cliff Bell
Lyle Dawn
Albert Demond
Joan Eremin
Frankie Garcia
Don Keyes
Jack Lacey
C. B. Lawrence
Lynn Lawrence
John Macburnie
Bob Mark
Enzo Martinelli
John Mccarthy Jr.
George Milo
Adele Palmer
Morton Scott
Sid Swaney Jr.
Dick Tyler
Stanley Wilson
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
Republic filmed an earlier version of Lucien Cary's novel in 1937, under the title The Duke Comes Back. That film was directed by Irving Pichel and starred Allan Lane (see AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1931-40; F3.1146).
