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The Bowery Boys

metaldams · 40 · 10563

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Offline pipboytaylor

Hello to the fellow Stooge fans.  I'm new to the forum, although I have been a silent reader for sometime. This is where I follow all of the Stooge dvd release info!

I just wanted to make a comment about the Bowery Boys. I ventured into the Bowery Boys features from my love for the Stooges several years ago and like some of the comments posted, I too found them lackluster and slow paced in the beginning and sometimes still do...after a repeat viewing of "In Fast Company" the other day on TCM. Anyway, I just wanted to reccommend that if any of you get the opportunity, definitely see two specific Bowery Boys features, "Blues Busters" and "Let's Go Navy". They are absolutely worth the time and in my opinion, the best films in the series, especially if you have spent a little time learning the characters of Slip and Sach. "Blues Busters" has one of the better plots and "Let's Go Navy" has some very funny scenes. Hopefully TCM will continue to air the films and those two will get a play. 


Offline 7stooges

Hello to the fellow Stooge fans.  I'm new to the forum, although I have been a silent reader for sometime. This is where I follow all of the Stooge dvd release info!

I just wanted to make a comment about the Bowery Boys. I ventured into the Bowery Boys features from my love for the Stooges several years ago and like some of the comments posted, I too found them lackluster and slow paced in the beginning and sometimes still do...after a repeat viewing of "In Fast Company" the other day on TCM. Anyway, I just wanted to reccommend that if any of you get the opportunity, definitely see two specific Bowery Boys features, "Blues Busters" and "Let's Go Navy". They are absolutely worth the time and in my opinion, the best films in the series, especially if you have spent a little time learning the characters of Slip and Sach. "Blues Busters" has one of the better plots and "Let's Go Navy" has some very funny scenes. Hopefully TCM will continue to air the films and those two will get a play. 


I agree that those are two of the best in the series. "Blues Busters" truly has some heartwarming scenes between Slip and Sach (as does "Angels Alley"). What I like about "Let's Go Navy!" (as well as "Blond Dynamite") is that more attention is given to the other Bowery Boys (particularly William Benedict, who acted more or less as the 'Larry' to Leo Gorcey's and Huntz Hall's 'Moe' and 'Curly').

It was really after Benedict left that the rest of the boys (usually David Gorcey and Bennie Bartlett) became Zeppo Marxs. In fact, in "Paris Playboys", David and Bennie are only seen at the first five minutes of the film, with no dialogue, and with their backs to the camera. By this point, Leo and David's father Bernard (a.k.a. 'Louie Dumbrowski') had become much more than a secondary character.

Out of the later Stanley Clements era films, I'd have to say two of the best were "Spook Chasers" and "In the Money". Clements has a good sense for comedy (in addtion to being a great actor), and Eddie LeRoy is also great in these last few films.


Offline 7stooges

I wonder what it would take to get The Bowery Boys movies on DVD.
For quite a few years, Warner Brothers has been talking about eventually releasing the films to DVD. The delay for DVD releases is as a result of the fact that Warner is trying very hard to restore the original negatives of all 48 of the movies. It should be worth mentioning that all of the Bowery Boys movies made from "Clipped Wings" to the end of the series were originally released in widescreen.

Judging by the fact that Warner clearly attempted restoring both 'Live Wires' and 'Bowery Bombshell' for TCM shows that the DVD releases may be out soon. I'm assuming that showing the films on TCM is their way of promoting the future DVD sets.


Offline pipboytaylor

Yeah, I agree, when Benedict's "Whitey" character left the series it left a gap that wasn't properly filled. Whitey and Gabe were two characters that had more to do and when it was just Slip and Sach, it lost the "boys" or gang/group feel. It was just too obvious the others were left out and it left the viewer wondering what was their purpose and feeling like they had more to offer.

I have seen a couple of the Stanley Clements features but for me, without Slip or Louie, what few magic moments it had were long gone. As you say, by this point "the boys" had nothing to do. They seemed to sharpen up their appearance as well in the later films, losing their common slacker look and appeal. I always wondered why David Gorcey, being Leo's brother, couldn't secure himself a bigger role in the films. I don't get it.

I have an appreciation for most all scare comedy films and always enjoy "Spook Busters", "Smuggler's Cove", "Ghost Chasers" and even "Bowery Boys Meet The Monsters." I look forward to TCM's showing of "Spook Busters" this saturday.

Has anyone noticed any similarities in the comedy of Huntz Hall relating to Shemp? I've read Huntz was good friends with Shemp and I wondered how much Shemp influenced Huntz's style.


Offline 7stooges

According to Hall, Shemp was "my father. He taught me comedy". I'd say they knew each other pretty well, at least when the two of them were at Universal.

According to Eddie LeRoy (Blinky in the last four Bowery movies), David Gorcey really didn't seem to mind being completely overshadowed by his brother, Huntz Hall, and whoever else had a larger part in the films. In fact, David often joked with Eddie about how they could have painted him on the scenery, and it wouldn't have made any difference. Once in awhile, David Gorcey does get some specific attention, but usually when it does happen, it involves his character being out of a majority of the film (i.e. getting injured and having to stay in a hospital bed in "In Fast Company", "Jail Busters", "Flying Wild", and "Spooks Run Wild").

And yes, the later films lose the 'gang' or 'group' feel to them. The fact that these later films have "Hail Hail, the Gang's All Here" as their theme music really doesn't help the situation.

I also missed the presence of "Sunshine Sammy" Morrison (a.k.a. 'Scruno' in the "East Side Kids" movies) in the Bowery Boys movies. I always liked 'Scruno', and felt that his character really should have been given more to do in the East Side Kids films. Billy Benedict more or less replaced him as the 'third comic in the room' (next to Gorcey and Hall). Morrison was offered a role as one of the Bowery Boys, but declined the offer, saying he "didn't like the setup". I'm assuming he either didn't want to take a backseat to Leo and Huntz (which is why Bobby and Gabe left the series), or simply didn't like the money. I think that if both Morrison and Benedict had remained with the series longer, there probably would have been more reactions in the background.


Offline metaldams

Not that I'm a Bowery Boys expert, but you experts need to keep up the commentary, it's good reading.

Just caught SPOOK BUSTERS, another enjoyable film.  I swear some of those sets look familiar, probably from some of the Monogram horrors I've seen.  I was dozing in and out towards the end, but that's more to do with my lack of sleep last night than the film itself.  Should've had a second cup of coffee.

Looking forward to seeing more.

Check this out.  From 1982.

[youtube=425,350]E3kjUf7U1yI[/youtube]

[youtube=425,350]7qN5LjT-Mq0[/youtube]
- Doug Sarnecky


Offline 7stooges

Great interview with Mr. Hall! I missed today's showing of Spook Busters. What were your thoughts on the quality? Most of the prints I have the Bowery Boys films (a majority of which are 1999, the last time TCM showed these films) could have used a bit more restoration. Thankfully, it appears that Warner has gone to the trouble of giving these films the care they deserve. I'm anxious for next Saturday's showing of Mr. Hex, as it's been one of the more difficult films for Warner to restore.

This channel has a lot of rare Bowery interviews, as well as some other odds and ends.
http://www.youtube.com/user/fedop#p/u

Also some theatrical trailers

Spook Busters (1946) -
[youtube=425,350]MkoNoGtI5LY[/youtube]

Angels in Disguise (1949) -
[youtube=425,350]oLdp3GMlu8U[/youtube]

Hold that Hypnotist (1957) -
http://www.videodetective.com/movies/HOLD_THAT_HYPNOTIST/trailer/P00863623.htm

Second Fiddle to a Steel Guitar (1966 all-star film featuring Leo Gorcey and Huntz Hall) -
[youtube=425,350]FtvApi4UlEM[/youtube]

Spooks Run Wild (1941) and Ghosts on the Loose (1943) -
[youtube=425,350]ZgD6IXCZF3I[/youtube]
« Last Edit: March 27, 2010, 06:01:48 PM by BeAStooge »


Offline metaldams

I had no problems with the quality.  Looked better than the public domain East Side Kids films I've seen, that's for sure.  That said, this is my first time seeing these films, so I wouldn't have anything to compare them to, but the picture looked fine and I had an easy time figuring out the dialogue.

I've heard lots of those Leo interviews, but thanks!  It's fortunate he gots some interviews in before he passed.
- Doug Sarnecky


Dog Hambone

  • Guest
I watched Spook Busters this morning & enjoyed it a lot. I thought it was better than some of the other ones I've seen & Leo Gorcey (Slip Mahoney) was spouting off a bunch of his malaprops which always makes me laugh out loud. The film quality looked pretty decent to me.

I'm glad TCM is showing the Bowery Boys; I haven't seen any of them since I was a kid.   


Offline 7stooges

I've just heard on one the Bowery Boys yahoo groups that Buddy Gorman (who was both an East Side Kid and a Bowery Boy) passed away on April 1, 2010. Rest in peace, Mr. Gorman.


Offline metaldams

OK, I caught THE BOWERY BOYS MEET THE MONSTERS on TCM yesterday, and it is by far the best Bowery Boys movie I have ever seen.  It was also the first one I ever saw directed by Edward Bernds.  I will definitely be seeking out more of these later Bernds directed Bowery Boy films.

There have been so many times over the years where I watch a Stooge film and notice gags or plot lines appearing from silent comedies.  Sure enough, they have the same writers.  Well, in this case, I'm watching a film done by people who previously worked on Stooge films working in Stooge gags and plotlines.  BOWERY BOYS MEET THE MONSTERS plays like a combination of CRIME ON THEIR HANDS (caged gorilla gets out and is a threat to comic tied and gagged on table), DOPEY DICKS (mechanical robot in need of a human head in order to think) and A BIRD IN THE HEAD (comic has brain small enough to be transplanted into gorilla).  The above mentioned shorts all happen to be directed by Edward Bernds.

If you've never seen THE BOWERY BOYS MEET THE MONSTERS, I cannot suggest it highly enough.  Any Stooge fan should find this enjoyable, it's almost a guarantee.

It's also sad to think while The Bowery Boys were making fun features with Edward Bernds, The Three Stooges were stuck doing cheap short remakes with Columbia.
- Doug Sarnecky


Offline 7stooges

Most of the remaining Bowery Boys films that TCM will be showing in the next few months had Edward Bernds and Elwood Ulman behind them. Since TCM started re-airing the Boys, they have been showing the films in chronological order. This particular showing of "Meet the Monsters" was done early in honor of Halloween. And most people do agree that this is one of the best films the group made (with "Mr. Hex" and "Blues Busters" also usually being towards the top of the list).


Offline metaldams

Most of the remaining Bowery Boys films that TCM will be showing in the next few months had Edward Bernds and Elwood Ulman behind them. Since TCM started re-airing the Boys, they have been showing the films in chronological order. This particular showing of "Meet the Monsters" was done early in honor of Halloween. And most people do agree that this is one of the best films the group made (with "Mr. Hex" and "Blues Busters" also usually being towards the top of the list).

Yeah, I noticed the Bernds Bowery films will be showing on Saturdays, so I'll definitely be watching.  Looking forward to this coming Saturday.
- Doug Sarnecky


Dog Hambone

  • Guest
There have been so many times over the years where I watch a Stooge film and notice gags or plot lines appearing from silent comedies.  Sure enough, they have the same writers.  Well, in this case, I'm watching a film done by people who previously worked on Stooge films working in Stooge gags and plotlines.  BOWERY BOYS MEET THE MONSTERS plays like a combination of CRIME ON THEIR HANDS (caged gorilla gets out and is a threat to comic tied and gagged on table), DOPEY DICKS (mechanical robot in need of a human head in order to think) and A BIRD IN THE HEAD (comic has brain small enough to be transplanted into gorilla).  The above mentioned shorts all happen to be directed by Edward Bernds.

The routine where they're locked in the closet & have to saw their way out into a gorilla cage was good, but I think I enjoy the Stooges' version more. Maybe it's because it has more violence in it. Slip Mahoney was not using hammers & crowbars to bash anyone over the head. Although the gorilla did get stabbed in the derriere by the saw, just like in the Stooges. 


Offline Curly Van Dyke

I Love the mid 50s Bowery Boys films when Ed Bernds and Ellwood Ullman came over.
They're played for laughs and a lot of Stooge situations were used-along with some cameos
by Emil Sitka.
The 1956-8 edition with Stanley Clements is usually panned but I thought he made a good replacement
for Gorcey on short notice. Spook Chasers(1957) has all the standard Haunted House gags plus the
varnish/coffee mixup and painting the cukoo clock-All Stooge bits.