Topic: The Bowery Boys

[metaldams]

It looks like TCM will be showing Bowery Boys features regularly at 10:30 AM EST on Saturdays for awhile.  I've never seen a "Bowery Boys" film, but I've seen plenty of "East Side Kids," films, "Dead End Kids," etc. I understand the Bowery Boys part of the series is the most focused and best.  Anybody have any opinions on these films?

[Rich Finegan]

It looks like TCM will be showing Bowery Boys features regularly at 10:30 AM EST on Saturdays for awhile.  I've never seen a "Bowery Boys" film, but I've seen plenty of "East Side Kids," films, "Dead End Kids," etc. I understand the Bowery Boys part of the series is the most focused and best.  Anybody have any opinions on these films?

Brent summarized it perfectly here:

Monogram's Bowery Boys pick up where their East Side Kids left off in 1946... crime drama plots, with comedy overtones, and a touch of noir. The series quickly transitioned to comedies with dramatic undertones, to finish out the 1940s. By the time Columbia's Ed Bernds and Elwood Ullman moved over to Allied Artists in the early 1950s to write and direct, the BBs were all-out slapstick, farce comedies.

(End quote)
So be prepared for low comedy, slapstick, and lots of dumb jokes...but what's wrong with that? The series and characters are very endearing (if one is not expecting "that Noel Coward stuff" as Moe once said.)
And there are lots of great character actors in the films, even Emil Sitka shows up in a few.

[xraffle]

I watched a bunch of these Bowery Boys films back when TCM first showed them. One word I have to say: boooorrrrrring!

I hope I didn’t offend any die-hard Bowery Boys fans, but that’s just how I feel. If you’re expecting to get the same laughs you get from the stooges, Abbott & Costello, The Marx Brothers, or Laurel & Hardy, then you’re going to be very disappointed. A lot of these films are only 1 hour long, but when watching them, it feels a lot longer. Nothing in the movies are funny. I seriously do not recommend these films.

[metaldams]

Brent summarized it perfectly here:

Monogram's Bowery Boys pick up where their East Side Kids left off in 1946... crime drama plots, with comedy overtones, and a touch of noir. The series quickly transitioned to comedies with dramatic undertones, to finish out the 1940s. By the time Columbia's Ed Bernds and Elwood Ullman moved over to Allied Artists in the early 1950s to write and direct, the BBs were all-out slapstick, farce comedies.

(End quote)
So be prepared for low comedy, slapstick, and lots of dumb jokes...but what's wrong with that? The series and characters are very endearing (if one is not expecting "that Noel Coward stuff" as Moe once said.)
And there are lots of great character actors in the films, even Emil Sitka shows up in a few.

Well, I've seen DEAD END and ANGELS WITH DIRTY FACES.  Both classic movies, but definitely not comedies.  Those fall into the pre-noir gangster genre, no doubt.

The East Side Kids films I'm most familar with are the two with Bela Lugosi since I'm a huge fan of his.  I've seen a few more as well, but the titles escape me.  Definitely more comedy based than the Dead End Kids films, but very low comedy, and I don't mean that in the endearing Three Stooges way.  They're OK, but I find them a little tiresome, yet see hints of potential.  That's why I'm curious about the Bowery Boys films.  My gut tells me there'll be an improvement.

Of course, the Bernds/Ullman films would be of great interest.

[IFleecem]

Have not seen a Bowery Boys/Dead End Kids flick in awhile. Will have to check it out. Thanks for the heads up.

[chad2411]

It looks like TCM will be showing Bowery Boys features regularly at 10:30 AM EST on Saturdays for awhile.  I've never seen a "Bowery Boys" film, but I've seen plenty of "East Side Kids," films, "Dead End Kids," etc. I understand the Bowery Boys part of the series is the most focused and best.  Anybody have any opinions on these films?

Well crap!  I read this at 10:36 AM in Tulsa and looks like i caught the last 2 minutes of it.  8 minutes long, whats up with that, LOL.

[chad2411]

Well crap!  I read this at 10:36 AM in Tulsa and looks like i caught the last 2 minutes of it.  8 minutes long, whats up with that, LOL.

My Bad, I forget I'm an hour behind the rest of the world.  I missed the whole damn thing.  Posted too fast.

[metaldams]

I didn't catch today's film because I was having fun watching Hannah Montana in the lobby of a Subaru dealership while my car was being serviced.  Woo hoo!  Don't get too envious on me.

It seems like they'll be showing Bowery Boys films for awhile though, so I'll catch next week's film.

[7stooges]

Judging by the restoration Warner Brothers did for today's showing of "Live Wires", it appears to me that long awaited "Bowery Boys" DVD sets will be released soon!

[xraffle]

Looks like everyone missed today's film. That's a shame. I was looking forward to people's opinions on these. I would like to see how many people here actually enjoyed these movies.

Just an FYI- the two Bowery Boys that take up 98% of the screen time are Leo Gorcey and Huntz Hall (Slip and Sach, respectively). The rest just tag along and say a few words here and there. Some may appreciate this kind of "low comedy" (in the words of Rich), but some others, like myself, won't really care for it.

[Dunrobin]

I had it on this morning, but I'm afraid that I wasn't really paying attention and can't give an honest review.  I was working on the new coding for the site and only half listened to it, and before it was over I had to get ready to go out with the family.

I've always liked the Bowery Boys movies, but I think of them as just light entertainment; amusing, rather than laugh out loud funny.  They are certainly better than a lot of the crap on TV these days, and they are good for filling an hour or two on a weekend morning, but I wouldn't consider it a big deal if I miss one.

[xraffle]

They are certainly better than a lot of the crap on TV these days, and they are good for filling an hour or two on a weekend morning, but I wouldn't consider it a big deal if I miss one.

Oh yeah, definitely. If I had to choose between watching this or an episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, then yeah, I'd have to pick The Bowery Boys. But I think Doug was better off watching Hannah Montana.

Nah, I'm only kidding. I just couldn't resist.

Seriously though, it's been several years since I watched these films maybe I'll think differently now. I was a teenager when I last saw these and I hardly remember them. But all I know is that I never really liked them. I guess I was watching them and was expecting the same kind of humor I get from the stooges, Abbott & Costello and The Marx Brothers. Maybe if I get a chance next time, I'll try to catch one of these movies and see if I'll appreciate them now that I'm older.

[BeAStooge]

I recommend April 17's NEWS HOUNDS (1947), which costars Christine McIntyre and Nita Bieber (RHYTHM AND WEEP).

Interesting trivia...

After the "Gower Gulch" buildings that housed the shorts dept. were condemned/torn down in the mid-1940s, Columbia's Bs and shorts frequently leased soundstage space at independent studios in the Hollywood area, e.g., Darmour Studios on Santa Monica Blvd, where the sets for MALICE IN THE PALACE were. Columbia also rented space at Monogram, and according to Nita Bieber and Gloria Patrice, that is where they filmed the rooftop scenes for RHYTHM AND WEEP (1946). Monogram was a few blocks west of Columbia, on Sunset Blvd.

While at Monogram working on RHYTHM, Nita caught Leo Gorcey's eye, and he arranged a part for her in NEWS HOUNDS. Nita said it was originally a small part, but Leo liked her and had the part changed to give her more camera time.

Watching the Bowery Boys films, you will see a lot of actors from the Stooges films... Ralph Dunn, Tom Kennedy, Ben Welden, Dick Wessel, John Hamilton, Gene Roth, Murray Alper, Emil Sitka, and more. The usual group of day players, who went from studio-to-studio on a daily basis, picking up work wherever they could.

[archiezappa]

I haven't seen very many Bowery Boys films, but what I have seen, I've liked.  It's light entertainment, but sometimes that can fit my mood.  I like old movies like that.  Especially, since there's no need to worry about bad language.  There are too many shows on, nowadays, that must make everything dirty.  The stuff is not fit to watch.  These are great for youngsters (and me, a kid at heart).  I'm always looking for something desent for my kids to watch, instead of what's on television.

My kids, through watching The Three Stooges and The Addams Family reruns, have gotten over black and white and can watch that stuff anytime.  You just gotta get those kids away from color programming!   

[metaldams]

Especially, since there's no need to worry about bad language.

Oh, i don't know.  Bela Lugosi's sneeze sounds kind of dirty to me.

[youtube=425,350]f3h4o5AiLuM[/youtube]

[archiezappa]

Oh yeah!  I forgot about that!  I've seen that one, too.

[madhatter]

The Bowery Boys are definitely a light, sort of "third-tier" comedy option. I first started watching them at about age 9 or 10 and was easily won over. (Doesn't take much at that age.) And I still have a great nostalgic affinity for them today.
 What I love about these comedies is the interplay that developed between Slip and Sach as the series went on. And of course, Leo Gorcey's hilarious malaprops are something you just have to appreciate. Whenever he spoke, I paid rapt attention to see how he'd screw up the next long word and whether I could guess which word he meant. As kids, my brothers and I would steal and use Leo's malaprops to make each other laugh. Of more recent vintage, Norm Crosby developed a nice comedy career based on Leo's butchering of the English language.
 Huntz Hall could be very obnoxious in these comedies. But he could also be brilliant. In many cases, he could make me laugh without his even saying a word, due to his wild, darting eyes and those bemused expressions. And I loved his exclaiming of "Ope!" (half "oh" and half "oop") when surprised or if screwing something up, which was often.
 Also, Leo's dad, Bernard Gorcey, was a most endearing character as Louie Dumbrowsky, the malt shop owner.       

[metaldams]

The Bowery Boys are definitely a light, sort of "third-tier" comedy option. I first started watching them at about age 9 or 10 and was easily won over. (Doesn't take much at that age.) And I still have a great nostalgic affinity for them today.
 What I love about these comedies is the interplay that developed between Slip and Sach as the series went on. And of course, Leo Gorcey's hilarious malaprops are something you just have to appreciate. Whenever he spoke, I paid rapt attention to see how he'd screw up the next long word and whether I could guess which word he meant. As kids, my brothers and I would steal and use Leo's malaprops to make each other laugh. Of more recent vintage, Norm Crosby developed a nice comedy career based on Leo's butchering of the English language.
 Huntz Hall could be very obnoxious in these comedies. But he could also be brilliant. In many cases, he could make me laugh without his even saying a word, due to his wild, darting eyes and those bemused expressions. And I loved his exclaiming of "Ope!" (half "oh" and half "oop") when surprised or if screwing something up, which was often.
 Also, Leo's dad, Bernard Gorcey, was a most endearing character as Louie Dumbrowsky, the malt shop owner.       

Welcome aboard!

As the weeks go by and I'm watching more of these films, I'll be posting my comments. 

Really looking forward to seeing Christine McIntyre in one of these Bowery flicks.

[archiezappa]

I wonder which Bowery Boys movies Christine McIntyre was in?  I always enjoy seeing "our" supporting cast in other films of the era.

[BeAStooge]

I wonder which Bowery Boys movies Christine McIntyre was in?

I recommend April 17's NEWS HOUNDS (1947), which costars Christine McIntyre and Nita Bieber (RHYTHM AND WEEP).

[archiezappa]

Christine McIntyre and Nita Beiber...two beautiful ladies.

[metaldams]

Just got through watching the one they showed this week, and I agree with the sentiment that this is a good way to kill an hour on a Saturday morning as light entertainment.  I'll definitely check out more in future weeks, and I'm looking forward to seeing where the series is headed.

I had no idea Del Lord directed Bowery boys films, well, at least he did this one.  I'll imdb him to look up the rest, but this was around the time he was directing less shorts at Columbia.

[archiezappa]

I wonder what it would take to get The Bowery Boys movies on DVD.

[metaldams]

I wonder what it would take to get The Bowery Boys movies on DVD.

People thinking they can make a profit.

[xraffle]

I wonder what it would take to get The Bowery Boys movies on DVD.

You can get a DVD recorder and record them from TCM, if you'd like.