The Public Defender

1931 film

The Public Defender

Film poster

Directed by| J. Walter Ruben
James Anderson (assistant)
Written by| George Goodchild
Bernard Schubert
Produced by| William LeBaron
Louis Sarecky
Starring| Richard Dix
Shirley Grey
Cinematography| Edward Cronjager
Edited by| Archie Marshek
Distributed by| RKO Radio Pictures

Release dates

* July 31, 1931 (1931-7-31) (Premiere-New York City)
* August 1, 1931 (1931-8-1) (U.S.)[1]

Running time

| 69 minutes
Country| United States
Language| English

The Public Defender is a 1931 American pre-Code crime film directed by J. Walter Ruben, starring Richard Dix and featuring Boris Karloff.

## Plot

[edit]

Rich playboy Pike Winslow dons the mantle of 'The Reckoner', a mysterious avenger, when he learns that his lady friend Barbara Gerry's father has been framed in a bank embezzlement scandal. Using meticulous planning and split-second timing, Pike, along with his associates, the erudite 'Professor' and tough-guy scrapper 'Doc', attempt to find proof that will clear Gerry and identify the real culprits.

## Cast

[edit]

* Richard Dix as Pike Winslow
* Shirley Grey as Barbara Gerry
* Purnell Pratt as John Kirk
* Ruth Weston as Rose Harmer
* Edmund Breese as Frank Wells
* Frank Sheridan as Charles Harmer
* Alan Roscoe as Inspector Malcolm O'Neil
* Boris Karloff as 'Professor'
* Nella Walker as Aunt Matilda
* Paul Hurst as 'Doc'
* Carl Gerard as Cyrus Pringle
* Robert Emmett O'Connor as Detective Brady
* Phillips Smalley as Thomas Drake (as Phillip Smalley)

## See also

[edit]

* Boris Karloff filmography

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "The Public Defender: Detail View". American Film Institute. Retrieved April 22, 2014.

## External links

[edit]

* The Public Defender at IMDb

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Films directed by J. Walter Ruben

* The Public Defender  (1931)
* Secret Service (1931)
* The Roadhouse Murder (1932)
* The Phantom of Crestwood (1932)
* No Other Woman (1933)
* The Great Jasper (1933)
* No Marriage Ties (1933)
* Ace of Aces (1933)
* Man of Two Worlds (1934)
* Success at Any Price (1934)
* Where Sinners Meet (1934)
* Java Head (1934)
* Public Hero ﹟1 (1935)
* Riffraff (1936)
* Old Hutch (1936)
* Trouble for Two (1936)
* The Good Old Soak (1937)
* The Bad Man of Brimstone (1937)
* Gold Rush Maisie (1940)

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