Bernie Ohls Character Analysis in The Big Sleep

Chief investigator at the L.A. police department, Bernie Ohls is a long-time contact of private detective Philip Marlowe. Ohls puts Marlowe him in touch with General Sternwood. He also offers Marlowe information about and receives his assistance in investigating the deaths of Sternwood’s blackmailer Arthur Gwynn Geiger, Sternwood’s driver Owen Taylor, and the grifter Joe Brody. Chandler portrays Ohls as a competent and straight cop, focused on his cases.

Bernie Ohls Quotes in The Big Sleep

The The Big Sleep quotes below are all either spoken by Bernie Ohls or refer to Bernie Ohls. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

). Note: all page numbers and citation info for the quotes below refer to the Vintage edition of The Big Sleep published in 1939.

“You ought to stop some of that flash gambling,” I said.

“With the syndicate we got in this county? Be your age, Marlowe.”

Related Characters: (speaker), (speaker)

Page Number and Citation: 62

Explanation and Analysis:

I’m kind of glad that Taylor kid went off the pier. I’d hate to have to help send him to the deathhouse for rubbing that skunk.

Related Characters: (speaker), , ,

Page Number and Citation: 104

Explanation and Analysis:

Bernie Ohls Character Timeline in The Big Sleep

The timeline below shows where the character Bernie Ohls appears in The Big Sleep. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...it to the papers, suggesting the police don’t know about it yet. Chief Investigator Bernie Ohls—the man who had initially put General Sternwood in contact with Marlowe—calls the detective on his... (full context)

Ohls informs Marlowe that one of the Sternwoods’ Buicks has been found in the sea, with... (full context)

Marlowe meets Ohls at the Hall of Justice, where the policeman confirms the body is not Regan—it’s a... (full context)

Ohls and Marlowe drive down to the pier on the coast highway, about 30 miles away.... (full context)

Ohls asks the men on the scene for an update. The boy had driven the car... (full context)

The policemen, Ohls, and Marlowe are unsure whether it is suicide or murder, as the boy has a... (full context)

Ohls and Marlowe decide to head back into town. As they drive, Marlowe tells Ohls the... (full context)

Ohls says he must go tell the Sternwoods now. Marlowe asks him to “leave the old... (full context)

Alone, Marlowe calls Ohls on his office phone. Ohls has told the Sternwood butler, Norris, about Owen, and checked... (full context)

Marlowe calls chief investigator Bernie Ohls. The private detective asks the cop if they had found a gun on Owen Taylor’s... (full context)

Ohls stands in Geiger’s house, looking at Lundgren. They don’t need a confession from the boy,... (full context)

Ohls tells Marlowe they will all have to drive over to District Attorney Taggart Wilde’s place.... (full context)

Wealth, Status, and Social Mobility Theme Icon

...is smoking a cigar and drinking coffee as “cold-eyed” Captain Cronjager looks at the group. Ohls introduces the captain and Marlowe. (full context)

Ohls asks Cronjager how he’s progressing on finding Joe Brody’s murderer. The police have picked up... (full context)

Ohls tells Cronjager he has the suspect in his car right outside, and puts the gun... (full context)

Helping Cronjager catch up on the situation, Ohls explains the dead man was a driver for a wealthy family who were being blackmailed,... (full context)

Ohls explains further that the dead man (Owen Taylor) had killed Geiger the night before. Lundgren,... (full context)

...police if the whole story came to light. Cronjager takes that moment to leave, and Ohls follows him to hand over Lundgren. (full context)

...Attorney Wilde. Marlowe explains he’s an ex-cop who used to work for Wilde, and knows Ohls well. Gregory calls Ohls’s office and confirms this, and asks for a physical description of... (full context)