Zombies on Broadway

Zombies on Broadway

Year: 1945

Runtime: 69 mins

Language: English

Director: Gordon Douglas

ComedyHorror

Two hapless press agents are tasked by their former gangster boss, now owner of a trendy nightclub, to track down a real zombie for a promotional stunt. With a deadline looming and their jobs on the line, they stumble through chaotic encounters, desperate to secure the undead performer before the boss’s revenge catches up with them.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Zombies on Broadway (1945)

Trace every key event in Zombies on Broadway (1945) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Plan to hire a real zombie for the opening

Broadway press agents Jerry Miles and Mike Strager propose a sensational trick for the Zombie Hut's opening: hire a genuine zombie. They also plan to dress a former boxer as a zombie if no real undead can be found. The stunt is meant to guarantee headlines and audience shock, especially as gangster Ace Miller looms over the event.

Before departure for San Sebastian New York (press agents' office)
2

Walker's threat against Ace Miller

Ace Miller's nemesis, radio celebrity Douglas Walker, vows public humiliation if a real zombie isn't at the opening. He wields his influence to pressure Miller into delivering a genuine undead or risk a media disgrace. The stakes escalate, forcing Miles and Strager to act quickly.

Shortly after planning Ace Miller's club (New York)
3

Lead to Professor Renault

From a museum curator, the duo learns of Professor Renault, a ‘zombie’ expert who operates on a Caribbean island. The tip sets their course toward a dangerous assignment rather than a quick stage prop. They decide to pursue Renault for the real zombie solution.

Before departure for San Sebastian Museum (curator's office)
4

Journey to San Sebastian

Followed by Ace's henchmen, the two men are placed aboard a tramp steamer bound for San Sebastian in the Virgin Islands. They are ordered to bring back a real zombie or face death on the voyage. The voyage sets the tense stage for the island's danger.

En route Caribbean tramp steamer to San Sebastian
5

Meeting Jean La Dance

Upon arrival, the handsome cabaret singer Jean La Dance greets them and offers help in locating Renault in exchange for passage off the island. Miles and Strager weigh the risk of trusting a stranger in their perilous mission. The alliance gives them a glimmer of hope amid danger.

Upon arrival San Sebastian island
6

Alliance solidified

Jean agrees to lead them to Renault, serving as their guide in exchange for a way off San Sebastian. The trio presses deeper into Renault's mysterious operation. The plan becomes more complex as a rescue mission rather than a simple search.

Soon after meeting Jean San Sebastian island
7

Discovery of Renault's lab

Miles, Strager, and Jean locate Professor Renault and his secret laboratory. Renault is presented as a renowned zombie expert who experiments with the living dead. The house and the lab are filled with unsettling science and danger.

Upon locating Renault Renault's secret laboratory, San Sebastian
8

Jean kidnapped by Kalaga

Unbeknownst to them, Renault's zombie Kalaga captures Jean and drags her to the professor's hidden laboratory. The kidnapping heightens the urgency of their mission and sets up a race to rescue her. The lab becomes a crucible for perilous experiments.

During pursuit of Renault Renault's secret laboratory
9

Jean's escape from the lab

Jean wakes to find herself gagged and strapped to a table as Renault prepares another serum test. Her guards fail to notice intruders as she is hurried to a secret dungeon and makes a desperate escape. The escape lightens the danger but leaves the others still in jeopardy.

During the serum test Renault's laboratory and secret dungeon
10

Strager is zombified

Strager succumbs to Renault's secret formula and becomes a 'zombie' under his spell. Miles and Jean watch as their ally is transformed, complicating their mission and allies' trust. The trio must move quickly to return home with a convincing undead figure.

During the transformation Renault's laboratory
11

Return home with a real-looking zombie

Miles, Jean, and a zombified Strager make the perilous journey back home, hoping to keep their secret safe. They arrive to find Miller's henchmen waiting, ready to seize whatever they can from the night's supposed miracle. The homecoming is tense and dangerous.

Return trip Home (likely New York)
12

Miller's henchmen mistake Strager for a real zombie

Believing Strager is the genuine undead, Miller's henchmen haul him to the Zombie Hut and prepare him for the opening night crowd. The deception seems complete, as the club is primed for a sensational spectacle. The danger is far from over, however, as the truth lurks beneath the surface.

Opening night Zombie Hut, nightclub
13

The trance breaks and confrontation starts

When Strager comes out of the trance, the illusion collapses and the real motives behind the night are revealed. Ace Miller's wrath is unleashed, threatening to ruin the press agents and their client. Jean and Miles brace for a dangerous confrontation in the glowing club lights.

Opening night Zombie Hut
14

Climax: the battle with Ace Miller

The trio must deal with Miller's fury as chaos erupts inside the club. The plan to deliver a fake zombie spirals into a crisis where truth, danger, and fame collide. The ending resolves with the protagonists facing the consequences of their risky scheme.

Opening night Zombie Hut

Last Updated: October 07, 2025 at 08:22

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Zombies on Broadway

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