Clancy Street Boys

CLANCY STREET BOYS (Monogram, 1943), a Banner Production directed by William Beaudine, marks the 13th edition to the "East Side Kids" series, and one of the best. Unlike previous installments from its early years, it's funny without being too silly. Its serious without being too melodramatic. It's the first that would lead to formula material from this to their latter "Bowery Boys" (1946-1958) series. CLANCY STREET BOYS marks the introduction of latter series regulars, namely Billy Benedict playing Butch, a Cherry Street leader; and Leo Gorcey's father, Bernard Gorcey, best known for fans of "The Bowery Boys" series as Louie Dumbrowski, here briefly playing a liquor store owner. Even with his brief scene, his few moments are quite amusing.

Following the opening credits with names of staff and cast listing on sheets hanging on clothes lines and aerial view of New York's East Side, the story starts off with the East Side Kids: Danny (Bobby Jordan), Glimpy (Huntz Hall), Bennie (Bennie Bartlett), Stash (Dick Chandler, replacing Stanley Clements) and Scruno ("Sunshine Sammy" Morrison), along with rival gang leader, Butch (Billy Benedict) and his boys (Jimmy Strand and Johnny Duncan) all looking for Mugs Maginnis (Leo Gorcey) to help him "celebrate" his 18th birthday. Mugs hides about expecting to get what's coming to him, which he gets, even from policeman on their beat, Officer Flanagan (J. Farrell MacDonald). Upon his return home, Mugs finds his mother, Molly Maginnis (Martha Wentworth) concerned about a letter she has received, revolving around his late father's rich oil tycoon friend, Pete Monahan (Noah Beery), passed along as his uncle, coming from Texas with his daughter, Judy (Lita Ward) to visit with Ma Maginnis and her seven children, including "Ethelbert," (being Mugs) and their only daughter, Annabelle. To help his mother, and not wanting to make a liar out of his father, Mugs gathers his friends to pose as the Maginnis children, with Glimpy dressed as Annabelle, and Scruno, the only black member of the gang, as the adopted son. All goes well until George Mooney (Rick Vallin) gets into the act, but not for reasons of assistance. Featuring Jan Rubini (The Violinist); Eddie Mills (Dave) and Jack Normand (The Henchman).

An amusing entry that moves swiftly throughout its 66 minutes without and dull spots. For this edition, Bobby Jordan simply plays Danny, with no new surname added. Earlier a major attraction to the series, he's becoming background gang member in favor of more scenes involving Gorcey and Hall. Noah Beery's entrance to the story with he and his on-screen daughter riding on horseback through the streets of New York is true character to his portrayal. Gorcey's facial expression of his hating his birth name "Ethelbert" would become a running gag for the duration of the series. Huntz Hall in drag gets and Sammy Morrison passing as the offspring each get the most laughs here, making this among a favorite and memorable among series fans.

Available on video cassette and DVD format, cable television broadcasts to CLANCY STREET BOYS and other films in the series include to date Turner Classic Movies (TCM premiere: September 14, 2004) and MGM Plus. Next in the series: GHOSTS ON THE LOOSE (1943) with Bela Lugosi. (***)

"The East Side Kids" are looking for leader Leo Gorcey (as Ethelbert "Muggs" McGinnis), who is celebrating his 18th birthday (several years too late, obviously). "Clancy Street" pals Huntz Hall (as Glimpy Freedhoff), Bobby Jordan (as Danny), Benny Bartlett (as Benny), Ernest "Sammy" Morrison (as Scruno), Dick Chandlee (as Stash aka Skinny), and Eddie Mills (as Dave aka Eddie) give Mr. Gorcey's hind quarters 18 whacks with a paddle. To make it a gang-banging he won't forget, rival "Cherry Street" kid Billy Benedict (as Butch) forces Gorcey to bend over for 19 more bare-handed and paddle hits (the 19th isn't one to grow on; Mr. Benedict can't count).

After taking some additional hits, from a policeman's stick, Gorcey learns his wealthy Texas uncle, Noah Berry (as Pete Monahan), is coming to visit. Gorcey must produce the five brothers and a sister that he lied about having. He uses his "East Side Kids", of course. Mr. Morrison offered up as "adopted". And, Mr. Hall dons a dress and wig to become "little Annabelle". Then, greedy gangsters discover the ruse. - "Clancy Street Boys" isn't much of a movie; but, Gorcey's spankings and Hall's posing as a woman are amusing. Later, Gorcey married lovely guest-star Lita Ward.

**** Clancy Street Boys (4/23/43) William Beaudine ~ Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, Bobby Jordan, Noah Beery

Hawk-nose Huntz Hall dressed up as an ugly girl-- I didn't know whether to laugh or barf. It's a good gag-filled East Side Kids fun-fest. Seems Mugs' (Gorcey) mom is in trouble. She's pretended to have a bunch of offspring boys and a girl to impress a rich Texan who thinks they're all in the same family. That means getting Mugs's roughhouse gang to pretend to be her civilized offspring. It also means Glimpy (Hall) gets to play the one girl if, that is, he can keep his skirt down. More complications arise when a con-man tries to kidnap the rich Texan, a sub-plot they could have left out. Anyway, the gags fly fast, as when Mugs mangles his grammar in hoodlum malaprop style. And more chuckles ensue as the Texas cowboy and his cowgirl daughter culture clash with the New York toughies-- after all, why take a taxi through city traffic when a horse will do.

Notable for its time is Black actor Morrison playing Scruno. Though non-white, he fits right in with the loony antics and is not parodied any more than the others. He's simply one of the boys. Then too, see if you can catch the brief instant near the end where Gorcey and Hall appear to glance at the camera, thus breaking character-- perhaps sloppy editing. Also, I'm not sure about the title, Cherry Street Boys, since the rival gang is peripheral to the story itself. Likely, that was for commercial reaons. Nonetheless, the cheapo's a fun filled hour, featuring one of Hollywood's most enduring series, so don't pass it up

This East Side Kids film shows where the group of actors are heading with the franchise. While Bobby Jordan was initially the leader of the gang, his screen time kept decreasing as Leo Gorcey's and Huntz Hall's increased. Here, Jordan is present...but seems to have nothing to do. So, in many ways it seems a lot like the later Bowery Boys films.

In this story, Mugs (Gorcey) finds out that his Uncle Pete (Noah Beery) is coming to town...which would be great if it wasn't for a few lies. Little did Mugs know that his father long ago told Pete he had seven kids....and this rich Texas uncle has been sending birthday money to all seven for many years and Mugs' mother has been pocketing it! To save face, Mugs decides to create six siblings---including Glimpy (Hall) as a girl and Sunshine Sammy Morrison one of the kids, even though he's black! Amazingly, the uncle believes it...and insists on painting the town red with Mugs and the family. Not surprisingly, eventually the truth comes out...and there are dire consequences.

This is worth seeing just to see the tall and gangly Huntz Hall playing a girl. It's far from intellectual fare...but manages to elicit a few laughs. The biggest deficit are the way overdone Texas accents out of the uncle and his daughter...they really laid in on thick!!

A funny film from a funny franchise. Great to watch on Saturday morning when you're growing up. These movies deserve more credit than they get.