Leo Gorcey’s name may not ring a bell for modern audiences, but for two decades he was one of Hollywood’s busiest actors, fronting a series of popular comedy films that made him a household name. Born in New York City on June 3, 1917, Gorcey was the son of Josephine Condon, an Irish Catholic immigrant, and Bernard Gorcey, a Russian Jewish immigrant. Both parents performed in vaudeville. In 1935, after losing his job as a plumber’s apprentice and watching his brother David and their father succeed in show business, Gorcey decided to try acting.
He was cast as a tough, trouble-making kid in the play Dead End. When Samuel Goldwyn turned the play into a film in 1937, he moved the six rowdy young actors to Hollywood, launching what became known as the Dead End Kids. Gorcey went on to appear in seven Dead End Kids films between 1937 and 1939, playing Mugs McKinnus. He then starred in 21 East Side Kids films from 1940 to 1945.
His most famous role came next: Terrence Aloysius “Slip” Mahoney in 41 Bowery Boys films from 1946 to 1956. Slip was known for his malapropisms—mangling words in phrases such as “I depreciate it” instead of “I appreciate it,” or calling something an “optical delusion” instead of an “optical illusion. ” Gorcey’s own father, Bernard, played Louie Dumbrowski, the diminutive owner of the sweet shop where the Bowery Boys hung out. Gorcey’s trademark hat was always pinned up in the front.
Gorcey also appeared in the 1938 classic Angels with Dirty Faces alongside James Cagney and Humphrey Bogart. In 1944, he had a recurring role on the radio show Pabst Blue Ribbon Town, hosted by Groucho Marx. In 1955, after his father died from injuries sustained in an automobile accident, Gorcey’s life began to unravel. He started abusing alcohol, became violent, and trashed a film set in a rage.
When the studio refused his demand for a pay raise, he quit the Bowery Boys. He was replaced by Stanley Clements for the final seven films in the series. Gorcey’s brother David remained with the series until it ended in early 1958. During the 1960s, Gorcey acted sparingly.
He had a cameo in the 1963 comedy It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and appeared with his old sidekick Huntz Hall in two low-budget films: Second Fiddle to a Steel Guitar in 1966 and The Sphinx in 1970. He also made an appearance in a 1969 television commercial for Pontiac. Gorcey was married five times and had three children. His first wife later married Groucho Marx.
The Beatles once considered using Gorcey’s photograph on the cover of their album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, but when they contacted him, he reportedly demanded payment. His image was dropped, though his longtime co-star Huntz Hall did make the cut. Leo Gorcey died of liver failure due to his alcoholism on June 2, 1969.
He was 51 years old and was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Los Angeles. Henry Richard “Huntz” Hall was born on August 15, 1920, in New York City. His nickname came from his large nose. He was the 14th of 16 children.
After attending Catholic schools, Hall began performing on the radio at age five. He appeared on Broadway in Dead End in 1935 and in the 1937 film version with most of the original cast. Hall also appeared in other films, including The Return of Dr. X in the late 1930s, A Walk in the Sun in 1945, and Herbie Rides Again in 1974.
He joined the other Dead End Kids in Angels with Dirty Faces. During World War II, he served in the United States Army, working in the training film division. In the 48 Bowery Boys films he appeared in, Hall played Horace “Sach” Jones, the dim-witted comic sidekick to Gorcey’s Slip. His rubber-faced reactions and goofy mannerisms made him a favorite with young audiences.
When Gorcey quit the series, Hall received top billing in the final few films. Hall also worked in television, appearing as a villain on an episode of Flipper and guest-starring on shows such as The Chicago Teddy Bears, Barefoot in the Park, CHiPs, and Diff’rent Strokes. His last film appearance was in 1993 in Auntie Lee’s Meat Pies. Huntz Hall died of congestive heart failure on January 30, 1999, at the age of 78.
He was interred at All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena, California.
