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Inherit the Wind ()

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Based on a real-life case in 1925; two great lawyers argue the case for, and against, a Tennessee science teacher accused of the crime of teaching Darwin's theory of evolution.
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Writers:
Stars:
Awards:
  • Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 7 nominations.
  • See more »
Reviews:

Photos and Videos

73 photos | 1 video

Cast verified as complete

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Henry Drummond
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Matthew Harrison Brady
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E. K. Hornbeck
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Bertram T. Cates
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Rachel Brown
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Judge Mel Coffey
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Rev. Jeremiah Brown
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Prosecutor Tom Davenport
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Bailiff Mort Meeker
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Mayor Jason Carter
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Howard
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John Stebbins
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WGN Radio Technician
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George Sillers
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Mrs. Krebs - Righteous Townswoman
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Jessie H. Dunlap
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Mrs. Stebbins
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Sarah Brady
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Alban ...
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
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Townsman (uncredited)
Don Ames ...
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
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Courtroom Reporter (uncredited)
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Courtroom Reporter (uncredited)
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Townsman (uncredited)
John Barton ...
Townsman (uncredited)
Brandon Beach ...
Townsman (uncredited)
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Fundamentalist Woman (uncredited)
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Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Brad Brown ...
Courtroom Photographer (uncredited)
Buck Bucko ...
Townsman (uncredited)
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Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Dick Cherney ...
Townsman (uncredited)
Oliver Cross ...
Courtroom Reporter (uncredited)
Jack Daly ...
Eskimo Pie Vendor in Courtroom (uncredited)
Jack Deery ...
Townsman (uncredited)
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Dr. John (uncredited)
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Banker / Critic at Town Meeting (uncredited)
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Bollinger (uncredited)
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Courtroom Reporter (uncredited)
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Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Raoul Freeman ...
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
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Threatening Spectator (uncredited)
Kay Garrett ...
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Richard George ...
Young Farmer Carrying Burning Effigy (uncredited)
Helen Gereghty ...
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
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Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
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Scientist (uncredited)
Signe Hack ...
Townswoman (uncredited)
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Dr. Amos Keller (uncredited)
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Man Yelling at Brady Welcome (uncredited)
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Townsman (uncredited)
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Dr. Britton's Tonic Spieler with Chimp (uncredited)
Tex Holden ...
Townsman (uncredited)
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Banker - Critic at City Meeting (uncredited)
Shep Houghton ...
Townsman (uncredited)
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Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
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Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Perk Lazelle ...
Townsman (uncredited)
King Lockwood ...
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
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Townsman (uncredited)
Sandee Marriott ...
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Thomas Martin ...
Reporter in Courtroom (uncredited)
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Harry Esterbrook (uncredited)
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Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
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Townsman (uncredited)
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Sam - Deputy Arresting Cates (uncredited)
Stephen Paylow ...
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
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Courtroom Reporter (uncredited)
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Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
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Townsman (uncredited)
Paul Power ...
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Waclaw Rekwart ...
Courtroom Reporter (uncredited)
John Rice ...
Townsman (uncredited)
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Townsman (uncredited)
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Woman Diner (uncredited)
Robert Robinson ...
Townsman (uncredited)
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Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Leslie Sketchley ...
Bailiff (uncredited)
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Townsman (uncredited)
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Courtroom Reporter (uncredited)
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Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Hal Taggart ...
Juror (uncredited)
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Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
George Tracy ...
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
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Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
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Hillsboro Salesman (uncredited)
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Bible Salesman (uncredited)

Directed by

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Stanley Kramer

Written by

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Nedrick Young ... (screenplay)
Harold Jacob Smith ... (screenplay)
 
Jerome Lawrence ... (play)
Robert E. Lee ... (play)

Produced by

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Stanley Kramer ... producer

Music by

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Ernest Gold

Cinematography by

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Ernest Laszlo ... (photographed by)

Editing by

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Frederic Knudtson

Casting By

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James Lister ... (uncredited)
Lynn Stalmaster ... (uncredited)

Production Design by

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Rudolph Sternad

Makeup Department

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Larry Germain ... hair stylist
Bud Westmore ... makeup artist

Production Management

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Clem Beauchamp ... production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

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Ivan Volkman ... assistant director
Leonard Kunody ... second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department

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Art Cole ... property master
Jack Kirston ... second property master (uncredited)

Sound Department

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Walter Elliott ... sound editor
Joe Lapis ... sound engineer

Camera and Electrical Department

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Martin Kashuk ... assistant company grip
Roy Roberts ... chief gaffer
Morris Rosen ... company grip
Charles F. Wheeler ... camera operator (as Charles Wheeler)
William N. Clark ... assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department

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Joe King ... wardrobe

Script and Continuity Department

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Sam Freedle ... script supervisor

Additional Crew

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Anne P. Kramer ... assistant to producer
Stanley Kramer ... presenter
Thomas R. Marshall ... technical advisor (as The Reverend Thomas R. Marshall)
Herman Shumlin ... stage director / stage producer
Harold J. Samelson ... publicity campaign coordinator (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

Teacher B.T. Cates is arrested for teaching Darwin's theories. Famous lawyer Henry Drummond defends him; fundamentalist politician Matthew Brady prosecutes. This is a very thinly disguised rendition of the 1925 "Scopes monkey trial" with debates between Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryan taken largely from the transcripts. Written by Ed Stephan

Plot Keywords
Taglines It's all about the monkey trial that rocked America. See more »
Genres
Parents Guide View content advisory »
Certification

Additional Details

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Also Known As
  • Procès de singe (France)
  • Wer den Wind sät (Germany)
  • La herencia del viento (Spain)
  • Wer den Wind sät... (Austria)
  • Procesul maimuțelor (Romania)
  • See more »
Runtime
  • 128 min
Country
Language
Color
Aspect Ratio
Sound Mix
Filming Locations

Box Office

Budget $2,000,000 (estimated)
Cumulative Worldwide Gross $4,360,000

Did You Know?

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Trivia To heighten the tension of Spencer Tracy's final summation to the jury, the scene was filmed in a single take. See more »
Goofs During the voir dire phase of the trial concerning jury selection, Henry Drummond is forced to use his limited number of peremptory challenges to disallow prospective jurors who are obviously not interested in being impartial in any way to the point where one likens Prosecutor Matthew Brady to God. In that situation, Drummond should have called for such obviously biased prospective jurors to be struck for cause, a motion that can used an unlimited number of times with the permission of the court. If the court, which itself has obvious signs of partiality itself in the story, had rejected such a motion, Drummond could have resorted to using his peremptory challenges. See more »
Movie Connections Featured in Can We Bury the Hatchet? (1960). See more »
Soundtracks (Gimme Dat) Old Time Religion See more »
Quotes Matthew Harrison Brady: We must not abandon faith! Faith is the most important thing!
Henry Drummond: Then why did God plague us with the capacity to think? Mr. Brady, why do you deny the one faculty of man that raises him above the other creatures of the earth, the power of his brain to reason? What other merit have we? The elephant is larger, the horse is swifter and stronger, the butterfly is far more beautiful, the mosquito is more prolific. Even the simple sponge is more durable. But does a sponge think?
Matthew Harrison Brady: I don't know. I'm a man, not a sponge!
Henry Drummond: But do you think a sponge thinks?
Matthew Harrison Brady: If the Lord wishes a sponge to think, it thinks!
Henry Drummond: Do you think a man should have the same privilege as a sponge?
Matthew Harrison Brady: Of course!
Henry Drummond: [Gesturing towards the defendant, Bertram Cates] Then this man wishes to have the same privilege of a sponge, he wishes to think!
See more »
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