Abe Reles — Murder, Inc. Character Profile

About Abe Reles

A ruthless Brooklyn mob enforcer hired by Louis "Lepke" Buchalter to commit contract killings. After murdering resort owner Walter Sage, Reles terrorizes his associate Joey and his wife Eadie. Despite his initial dominance, he is arrested and coerced into testifying against the syndicate. He is later assassinated in his protective custody room, with his death staged to appear as a jailbreak attempt.

Character Facts

Played by

Peter Falk

Appears in

Murder, Inc. (1960)

Role

Supporting

Relationships (6)

• Abe Reles — Professional Teammate — Bug Workman (Warren Finnerty)

  They operate as a paired hit squad within the syndicate.

• Abe Reles — Conflict Victim — Walter Sage (Morey Amsterdam)

  Reles orchestrates and executes Sage's murder for withheld profits.

• Abe Reles — Conflict Coercer — Joey Collins (Stuart Whitman)

  Reles forces Joey into complicity through intimidation and threats.

• Abe Reles — Professional Client — Lazlo (Vincent Gardenia)

  Lazlo legally secures Reles' freedom from police custody.

• Abe Reles — Conflict Prosecutor — Burton Turkus (Henry Morgan)

  Turkus leads the legal prosecution that ultimately arrests Reles.

• Abe Reles — Conflict Extortion Target — Joe Rosen (Eli Mintz)

  Rosen is a targeted victim of the syndicate Reles serves.

Explore the full interactive character relationship map of Murder, Inc.

More characters from Murder, Inc.

• Joey Collins (Stuart Whitman)
• Eadie Collins (May Britt)
• William Tobin (Simon Oakland)
• Burton Turkus (Henry Morgan)
• Louis "Lepke" Bucholter (David J. Stewart)
• Bug Workman (Warren Finnerty)
• Walter Sage (Morey Amsterdam)
• Mendy Weiss (Joseph Bernard)
• Singer (Sarah Vaughan)
• Joe Rosen (Eli Mintz)
• Eadie's Killer (Bill Bassett)
• Betty Shaw (Dorothy Stinnette)