Kill the Umpire (1950): Cast & Plot
Kill the Umpire is a 1950 comedy directed by Lloyd Bacon, starring William Bendix as Bill 'Two Call' Johnson, Connie Marshall and Gloria Henry. It runs 1 hour 18 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 18m (78 min)
- Director
- Lloyd Bacon
- Genre
- Comedy
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Columbia Pictures
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Kill the Umpire About?
The premise of Kill the Umpire without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Bill Johnson, a former baseball player struggling after his playing days, heeds his retired‑umpire father‑in‑law Jonah Evans and enrolls in umpire school. Assigned to the Texas League he does well until a championship game sparks a riot over his call. A player is knocked out, unable to confirm the decision, and a mob threatens him. With the help of his wife Betty and their daughters, Bill escapes danger and makes it safely back to the ballpark.
Kill the Umpire Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- male police officer
- police
- police officer
- business
- umpire
- baseball
- ballpark
- baseball game
- lynch mob
- baseball player
- texas
- losing a job
+38 more Show fewer
- family relationships
- stock footage
- road trip
- cigarette smoking
- chorus girl
- chewing tobacco
- bartender
- doctor
- electrician
- three word title
- baseball field
- telephone
- train conductor
- hotel porter
- hotel
- training school
- husband wife relationship
- fireman
- sportscaster
- tv announcer
- radio announcer
- hot dog
- slang
- secretary
- indian
- dispute
- minor league
- texan
- grandfather granddaughter relationship
- father in law son in law relationship
- mother daughter relationship
- father daughter relationship
- brooklyn accent
- baseball cap
- b movie
- 1940s
- baseball umpire
- title spoken by character
Kill the Umpire Cast & Characters
William Bendix leads the cast as Bill 'Two Call' Johnson, with Connie Marshall as Suzie Johnson and Gloria Henry as Lucy Johnson. Directed by Lloyd Bacon; 20 actors are credited in all.
- Director Lloyd Bacon
- William Bendix as Bill 'Two Call' Johnson
- Connie Marshall as Suzie Johnson
- Gloria Henry as Lucy Johnson
- Ray Collins as Jonah Evans
Also Starring in Kill the Umpire
· 16 more- Una Merkel Betty Johnson
- William Frawley Jimmy O'Brien
- Chief Yowlachie Indian (uncredited)
- Chester Clute Man Using Telephone (uncredited)
- Harry Hayden Hotel Manager (uncredited)
- Al Thompson Minor Role (uncredited)
- Alan Hale Jr. Harry Shea (uncredited)
- Almira Sessions Baseball Spectator (uncredited)
- Billy Gray Boy Playing Baseball (uncredited)
- Jeff York Panhandle Jones (uncredited)
- Jackie Jackson Boy (uncredited)
- Jeff Richards Bob Landon
- Tommy Ivo Boy Playing Baseball (uncredited)
- Tom D'Andrea Roscoe Snooker
- Larry Olsen Johnny (uncredited)
- Lyn Thomas Pretty Wife (uncredited)
More from Lloyd Bacon
More films directed by Lloyd Bacon, best-rated first: Footlight Parade, 42nd Street, She Couldn’t Say No and The French Line.
Kill the Umpire Plot Summary
What happens in Kill the Umpire from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 10 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 1-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Bill Johnson is a former baseball player whose fanatical devotion to the game has cost him several jobs. He remains steadfast in one thing: he hates umpires. Matters are complicated by the fact that his father-in-law Jonah Evans is a retired umpire.
During a period of unemployment, needing a job to support his loyal wife Betty Johnson and two daughters, Johnson is forced by his father-in-law to attend an umpire school. Johnson initially tries to force himself to be expelled by school director Jimmy O’Brien, but after being asked to umpire a children’s game, he comes to dedicate himself to his new job. He becomes an umpire in the minor leagues, where he develops double vision, earning him the nickname Two-Call Johnson.
Full summary
The whole story of Kill the Umpire, scene by scene
Kill the Umpire Trailers & Videos
The trailer of Kill the Umpire.
How Well Do You Know Kill the Umpire?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What was Bill Johnson's connection to baseball before he became an umpire?
Seen Kill the Umpire?
Movies Like Kill the Umpire
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Kill the Referee, Death on the Diamond and The Killers.
Kill the Umpire FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date
Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of Kill the Umpire, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Kill the Umpire?
Kill the Umpire runs 1 hour 18 minutes (78 minutes).
When was Kill the Umpire released?
Kill the Umpire was released on April 27, 1950.
Who directed Kill the Umpire?
Kill the Umpire was directed by Lloyd Bacon.
More films by Lloyd Bacon Who is in the cast of Kill the Umpire?
Kill the Umpire stars William Bendix as Bill 'Two Call' Johnson, Connie Marshall as Suzie Johnson and Gloria Henry as Lucy Johnson, among 20 credited actors.
Does Kill the Umpire have a post-credit scene?
No. Kill the Umpire has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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