BOWERY CHAMPS (Monogram, 1944), directed by William Beaudine, marks the 19th installment to "The East Side Kids" series. Awkwardly titled, the story has nothing to do with prizefighting nor boxing. It deals with life in the newsroom by which Ethelbert McGinnis, better known as "Muggs" (Leo Gorcey), leader of the East Side Kids, is practically the sole focus. No longer "kids" in physical form (very much actors in their early twenties playing teenagers when this series began in 1940) but young men being a group of friends often acting like kids. While the "Muggs" character in early installments felt working is for suckers, he has now matured by working, sporting a suit and not as arrogant as before. Except for Huntz Hall, a series regular since 1941, BOWERY CHAMPS marks the return of Bobby Jordan for the first time since GHOSTS ON THE LOOSE (1943). With his character explained as being away in the Army, it's a wonder why his original character of Danny suddenly becomes Bobby Jordan!!
Starting off with a sky view of Manhattan, the camera tracks to the building of the New York Evening Express where Muggs Maginnis (Leo Gorcey) is employed as a copy boy, a job given to him by his friend, Jim Lindsay (Gabriel Dell). With ambition to become a reporter, Muggs starts off by telling a veteran sportswriter (Francis Ford) how to really add real interest to his articles. Lester Cartwright (Frank Jaquet), managing editor, enters the scene demanding why The Journal, another newspaper, got the murder story of Thomas Wilson (Wheelar Oakman) ahead of them. Wilson's wife, Gypsy Carmen (Evelyn Brent), once the Toast of Broadway, is the accused and hiding from the police. With Jim spending time romancing Cartwright's secretary, Jane (Ann Sterling) and occupying more time away from the office, Muggs proves himself by getting the Gypsy Carmen story himself. Rounding up his pals, Glimpy (Huntz Hall), Skinny (Billy Benedict), Shorty (Buddy Gorman) and Danny (Jimmy Strand), Muggs locates Gypsy Carmen at the Stevens Apartment on Park Avenue. Believing her innocent of the crime, Muggs hides her out disguised in male attire at the East Side club in the Bowery. As Muggs and the gang proceed with their investigation, their pal, Bobby Jordan (Bobby Jordan) spends much of his 12-hour furlough from the Army trying to find them.
Cast includes Ian Keith (Ken Duncan); Thelma White (Diane Gibson); Fred Kelsey (Officer Maguire); and Betty Sinclair (The Apartment Manager. Leo's father, Bernard Gorcey, amusingly plays Mr. Johnson, a cab driver while Gabriel Dell once again plays a different character from the previous installments. With the other East Side Kids (Strand and Gorman) simply watching what's happening, Billy Benedict spotlights himself dressed in womans clothing, being chased by police, and getting abducted for eavesdropping at the wrong door. Thelma White gets a song solo of "Ochye Tchornia Brown" set in the Pussy Cat Cafe. As much as Bobby Jordan makes a welcome presence, it's a pity the same wasn't done for another former series regular, "Scruno," wonderfully played by "Sunshine Sammy" Morrison.
As BOWERY CHAMPS attempts in formatting in a new direction from previous efforts, some material repeats from 'NEATH BROOKLYN BRIDGE (1942): hiding a much younger female (Ann Gillis) at the East Side Club disguised as a boy; a former member of the East Side Kids (Noah Beery Jr.) on furlough trying to locate his friends; and boys going out of the way to prove the innocence of an accused killer. Under William Beaudine's direction, everything moves swiftly and tightly for its 62 minutes. Underscoring for BOWERY CHAMPS is only used during car chasing sequence. To help remind this as part of the "East Side Kids" series, Muggs continues hitting Glimpy with his hat for his goofy antics.
Not a bad outing in the series, though one wishes it played more on a continued level from one movie to the next than an individual movie using same characters sometimes using different surnames. Never placed on home video nor shown on cable television in recent years, BOWERY CHAMPS can be found for viewing on DVD. Next installment: DOCKS OF NEW YORK (1945). (** bylines)
