Hoodlum Empire (1952)
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The Kefauver Committee's ongoing investigation of organized crime spawned several "Torn from Today's Headlines!" films in the early 1950s. Republic's Hoodlum Empire concerns the efforts by gangster Joe Gray (John Russell) to get out of the rackets after WW II. Part of Gray's "reclamation" is to testify at a public hearing, prompting a series of flashbacks. Part of the fun is to guess who all the "fictional" criminals are really supposed to be: Luther Adler's character may be called "Nicky Mancini," for example, but for all intents and purposes Adler is playing Frank "Fifth Amendment" Costello. Other famous underworld personages are impersonated by Claire Trevor, Forrest Tucker and Roy Barcroft, while the steadfast Estes Kefauver counterpart is portrayed by Brian Donlevy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Complete Cast:
- Brian Donlevy - Sen. Bill Stephens
- Forrest Tucker - Charley Pignatalli
- Luther Adler - Nicky Mansani
- Gene Lockhart - Sen. Tower
- Taylor Holmes - Benjamin Lawton
- William Murphy - Pete Dailey
- Don Beddoe - Sen. Blake
- Richard Benedict - Tanner
- Damian O'Flynn - Foster
- Gil Herman - Officer O'Neil
- Francis Pierlot - Uncle Jean
- Dick Wessel - Keiller
- Charles Trowbridge - Commissioner Garrison
- Lee Shumway - US Marshal
- Sam Scar - Sporty
- Thomas Brown Henry - Cmdr. Mermant
- Don Haggerty - Mark Flynn
- Elizabeth Flournoy - Miss Adams
- Tony Dante - Tommy
- Whit Bissell - Filby
- George Volk - Finter
- Andy Brennan - Taxi Driver
- Jack Pennick - Tracey
- John M. Pickard - Man
- Tom Monroe - Rocco
- Fred Kohler, Jr. - German Soldier
- Claire Trevor - Connie Williams
- Vera Ralston - Marte Dufour
- John Russell - Joe Gray
- Grant Withers - Rev. Andrews
- Roy Barcroft - Louie Draper
- Richard Jaeckel - Ted Dawson
- Roy Roberts - Chief Tayls
- Phillip Pine - Louis Barretti
- Pat Flaherty - Mikkelson
- Dick Paxton - Elevator Operator
- Mervin Williams - Floyd, the Servant
- Stanley Waxman - Lonnie
- Sid Tomack - Meyers
- William Schallert - Inquiry Clerk
- Ric Roman - Fergus
- John Halloran - Inspector Willard
- Eddie Foster - Doorman
- Matty Fain - Eddie Fostie
- Mikel Conrad - Chunce
- John Phillips - Radio Commander
- Sarah Spencer - Mrs. Stephens
- Joe Bailey - Eckert of the FBI
- Richard Reeves - Rollins
- Sydney Mason - Burns
- Douglas Kennedy - Brinkley
- Paul Livermore - Mike
- Director(s):
- Joseph Kane
- Writer(s):
- Bob Considine, Bruce Manning
- Producer(s):
- Joseph Kane, Herbert J. Yates
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