Web Site Logo

This website is made possible, in part, by displaying a few online advertisements to our visitors.
Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker for this site.
Released June 27, 1941
Featuring Shemp Howard (Solo)
Universal
61 min. (Feature Film)

The Dead End Kids / Little Tough Guys (Billy Halop, Huntz Hall, Gabe Dell and Bernard Punsly) are paroled from an orphanage for delinquents, into the wardship of James J. Ryan. Joining them is tagalong Pesky, an orphaned youngster. Mr. Ryan was once 'Valentine,' a mobster whose gang included the Tough Guys' fathers, killed by rival gangster Spike (aka "The Butcher") during a botched job. Ryan served his time, went straight, married well to a horse breeder's daughter, and became a millionaire. Spike kept an eye on Ryan over the years, and when he sees the Dead End Kids paroled in his care, decides the time is right to make some money at the Ryan family's expense. Mrs. Ryan's pet project is a trade school for orphans, and Spike cons the boys in a plan to steal the school's funds from Col. Smith, James' father-in-law.

Shemp Howard and John Harmon costar as Spike's henchman. Although Shemp plays his role comically, his "Dingbat" is basically an unsympathetic role, willing to commit robbery, kidnapping and murder on Spike's orders. Once again, Shemp plays a mute character who communicates by comic pantomime... but this time, he is rewarded with one line of dialogue at the end of the film.

Bookmark and Share  
Avg. Rating: [7.50/10]
 
HIT THE ROAD on IMDb

Gabe Dell
String

Eily Malyon
Cathy Crookshank

Barton MacLane
James J. Ryan

Gladys George
Molly Ryan

Evelyn Ankers
Patience Ryan

Charles Lang
Paul 'Revere' Smith

Ernie Stanton
O'Brien, 1st guard

Lee Moore
Morgan, 2nd guard


Joe May
Director

Robert Lee Johnson
Story and Screenplay

Brenda Weisberg
Screenplay

Jerome Ash
Director of Photography

Jack Otterson
Art Director

Harold MacArthur
Associate Art Director

Russell A. Gausman
Set Decoration

Bernard B. Brown
Sound Director

William Hedgcock
Sound Technician

Hans J. Salter
Musical Director


















FAIR USE NOTICE: This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We make such material available in an effort to advance awareness and understanding of the issues involved. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information please visit: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission directly from the copyright owner.