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Pete Kelly's Blues ()

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In 1927, a Kansas City, Missouri cornet player and his band perform nightly at a seedy speakeasy until a racketeer tries to extort them in exchange for protection.
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Writer:
Stars:
Awards:
  • Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 nomination.
  • See more »
Reviews:

Photos and Videos

69 photos | 1 video

Cast verified as complete

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...
Pete Kelly
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Ivy Conrad
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Fran McCarg
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Rose Hopkins
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George Tenell
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Al Gannaway
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Maggie Jackson
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Joey Firestone
Than Wyenn ...
Rudy Shulak
Herbert Ellis ...
Bedido (as Herb Ellis)
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Guy Bettenhouser
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Cigarette Girl
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Cootie Jacobs
Dick Cathcart ...
Trumpet Player (Pet Kelly and Big Seven)
Matty Matlock ...
Clarinetist (Pet Kelly and Big Seven)
Moe Schneider ...
Trombonist (Pet Kelly and Big Seven) (as "Moe" Schneider)
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Saxophonist (Pet Kelly and Big Seven)
George Van Eps ...
Guitarist (Pet Kelly and Big Seven)
Nick Fatool ...
Drummer (Pet Kelly and Big Seven)
Ray Sherman ...
Pianist (Pet Kelly and Big Seven)
Jud De Naut ...
Bassist (Pet Kelly and Big Seven)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Don Abney ...
Piano Player (uncredited)
Cynthia Blaire ...
Roadhouse Party Guest (uncredited)
Nesdon Booth ...
Squat Henchman (uncredited)
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Tuxedo Band Member (uncredited)
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Cornet Soloist (uncredited)
Linda Coleman ...
Roadhouse Party Guest (uncredited)
Roy Damron ...
Party Guest (uncredited)
Jewel Diehl ...
Roadhouse Party Guest (uncredited)
Ingrid Dittmar ...
Roadhouse Party Guest (uncredited)
Shirley Falls ...
Roadhouse Party Guest (uncredited)
Rudy Germane ...
Speakeasy Patron (uncredited)
Harper Goff ...
Tuxedo Band Banjo Player (uncredited)
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Mourner, Pre-Credit Sequence (uncredited)
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Minor Role (uncredited)
Donald Kerr ...
Drunk in Speakeasy (uncredited)
Iris Krasnow ...
Roadhouse Party Guest (uncredited)
Richard LaMarr ...
Gambler (uncredited)
Joan Larkin ...
Roadhouse Party Guest (uncredited)
William Lazeras ...
Dako (uncredited)
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Argumentative Husband in Speakeasy (uncredited)
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Waiter (uncredited)
Herman S. Saunders ...
Pianist at Jazz Club (uncredited)
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Gambler (uncredited)
Winona Smith ...
Roadhouse Party Guest (uncredited)
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Chef (uncredited)
June Valentine ...
Roadhouse Party Guest (uncredited)
Joe Venuti ...
Tuxedo Band Member (uncredited)
Chalky Williams ...
Speakeasy Patron (uncredited)
...
Roadhouse Party Guest (uncredited)

Directed by

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Jack Webb

Written by

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Richard L. Breen ... (screen play by)

Produced by

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Jack Webb ... producer

Music by

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David Buttolph ... (uncredited)
Ray Heindorf ... (uncredited)

Cinematography by

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Harold Rosson ... director of photography (as Hal Rosson)

Editing by

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Robert M. Leeds

Production Design by

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Harper Goff

Art Direction by

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Feild M. Gray ... (as Feild Gray)

Set Decoration by

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John Sturtevant

Costume Design by

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Howard Shoup

Makeup Department

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Gordon Bau ... makeup artist
Stanley E. Campbell ... makeup artist (as Stanley Campbell)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

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Harry D'Arcy ... assistant director

Sound Department

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Leslie G. Hewitt ... sound
Dolph Thomas ... sound

Stunts

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Helen Thurston ... stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department

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James Potevin ... chief set electrician

Costume and Wardrobe Department

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Gene Martin ... wardrober

Location Management

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William Guthrie ... location chief (uncredited)

Music Department

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Matty Matlock ... music arranger: Pete Kelly's Big 7
Teddy Buckner ... musician: cornet (uncredited)
Larry Bunker ... musican: drums (uncredited)
Frank Comstock ... conductor (uncredited)

Additional Crew

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Harry B. Friedman ... publicist (uncredited)
Crew verified as complete

Production Companies

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Distributors

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Special Effects

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Other Companies

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Storyline

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Plot Summary

In 1927 Kansas City, Pete Kelly and his jazz band play nightly at a speakeasy. A local gangster starts to move in on them and when their drummer is killed Kelly gives in, although this also means taking the thug's alcoholic girl as a singer. Kelly soon realizes he has made a big mistake selling out in this way, and that rich girl Ivy is now the only decent thing in his life. Written by Jeremy Perkins {J-26}

Plot Keywords
Taglines All the Drama...Color...Glamor of the Exciting Jazz-Mad 20's!...with its great music, flappers, quick money! See more »
Genres
Parents Guide View content advisory »
Certification

Additional Details

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Also Known As
  • La peau d'un autre (France)
  • Los blues de Pete Kelly (Spain)
  • Rantevou me to thanato (Greece)
  • La taberna del mal (Argentina)
  • Es geschah in einer Nacht (West Germany)
  • See more »
Runtime
  • 95 min
Country
Language
Color
Aspect Ratio
Sound Mix
Filming Locations

Box Office

Budget $2,000,000 (estimated)

Did You Know?

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Trivia "Pete Kelly's Blues" was originally a radio series created by Richard L. Breen and starring Jack Webb. It ran on NBC as a summer replacement series from July 4 to September 19, 1951. It later became a short-lived TV series (Pete Kelly's Blues (1959)), produced by Webb. See more »
Movie Connections Referenced in Tribute to Jerry Ross & Dick Adler (1955). See more »
Soundtracks Just a Closer Walk with Thee See more »
Crazy Credits "In the screenplay by Richard L. Breen" appears before the film's title. See more »
Quotes Maggie Jackson: [singing] They call her Hard Hearted Hannah, The vamp of Savannah, The meanest gal in town; Talk of your cold, refrigeratin' mamas, Brother, she's a polar bear's pajamas! To tease 'em, and thrill 'em, to torture and kill 'em, Is her delight, they say, An evening spent with Hannah sittin' on your knees, Is like travelin' through Alaska in your BVDs...
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