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Leo Gorcey

Leo Gorcey

Acting

Born: June 3, 1917New York City, New York, USA

Leo Gorcey's parents were actor Bernard Gorcey (born 1888) who stood 4' 10", and Josephine Condon (born 1901), who stood 4' 11" and weighed 95 pounds; they worked in vaudeville in New York. In 1915, 14-year-old Josephine gave birth to Fred. In 1917, Leo was born, a large baby at 12 lb. 3 oz.; as an adult he would be 5' 6". In 1921 his brother David Gorcey was born. In 1935, Leo and David appeared in the stage play "Dead End." In 1937, this was made into a movie, and Leo became one of the busiest actors for the next 20 years -- from 1937-1939 he starred in seven Dead End Kids movies, from 1940-1945 in 21 East Side Kids films, from 1946-1956 in 41 Bowery Boys movies. In 1939, Leo married 17-year-old dancer Kay Marvis, who appeared in four of his movies. They divorced in 1944 after five years of marriage; she went on to marry Groucho Marx. In 1945, Leo married Evalene Bankston; they divorced in 1948. Leo was to have paid her $50,000 in a divorce settlement; however, when two detectives she hired broke into his home, he retaliated by firing his gun at them. They sued, and Leo countersued for illegal entry and won $35,000 back. In 1949, Leo married Amelita Ward, whom he met while filming Smugglers' Cove (1948). Their marriage produced Leo Gorcey Jr. in 1949, and a baby girl they named Jan (after Leo's producer and manager, Jan Grippo) in 1951. They divorced in 1956. That year Leo married his young nanny, Brandy, who was taking care of his two kids. They had a baby girl, Brandy Jo, in 1958. The couple divorced in 1962. Leo went to the altar one last time in February, 1968, marrying Mary Gannon. He stayed married to her until his death from liver failure on June 2, 1969, in Oakland, California.

Known For
Filmography
The Bowery Boys: Legends of Laughter

The Bowery Boys: Legends of Laughter

(archive footage)

2020
Terror in the Pharaoh's Tomb

Terror in the Pharaoh's Tomb

Muggs McGinnis (archive footage)

2007
Dracula: A Cinematic Scrapbook

Dracula: A Cinematic Scrapbook

Muggs (archive footage)

1991
Classic Comedy Teams

Classic Comedy Teams

The East Side Kids (archive footage)

1986
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage

Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage

Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

1983
The Phynx

The Phynx

Leo Gorcey

1970
Second Fiddle to a Steel Guitar

Second Fiddle to a Steel Guitar

Leo

1966
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

First Cab Driver

1963
Crashing Las Vegas

Crashing Las Vegas

Terence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney

1956
Dig That Uranium

Dig That Uranium

Terence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney

1955
Jail Busters

Jail Busters

Slip Mahoney

1955
Spy Chasers

Spy Chasers

Slip Mahoney

1955
High Society

High Society

Slip Mahoney

1955
Bowery to Bagdad

Bowery to Bagdad

Slip Mahoney

1955
Jungle Gents

Jungle Gents

'Slip' Mahoney

1954
The Bowery Boys Meet the Monsters

The Bowery Boys Meet the Monsters

Slip Mahoney

1954
Paris Playboys

Paris Playboys

Slip Mahoney

1954
Private Eyes

Private Eyes

Slip Mahoney

1953
Clipped Wings

Clipped Wings

Slip Mahoney

1953
Loose in London

Loose in London

Terence Aloysius "Slip" Mahoney

1953
Jalopy

Jalopy

Terrence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney

1953
No Holds Barred

No Holds Barred

Terence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney

1952
Feudin' Fools

Feudin' Fools

Terence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney

1952
Here Come the Marines

Here Come the Marines

Terence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney

1952
Hold That Line

Hold That Line

Terence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney

1952
Crazy Over Horses

Crazy Over Horses

Terence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney

1951
Let's Go Navy!

Let's Go Navy!

Terence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney

1951
Ghost Chasers

Ghost Chasers

Terence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney

1951
Bowery Battalion

Bowery Battalion

Slip Mahoney

1951
Blues Busters

Blues Busters

Slip Mahoney

1950
Triple Trouble

Triple Trouble

Slip Mahoney

1950
Lucky Losers

Lucky Losers

Slip Mahoney

1950
Blonde Dynamite

Blonde Dynamite

Slip Mahoney

1950
Master Minds

Master Minds

Slip Mahoney

1949
Angels in Disguise

Angels in Disguise

Slip Mahoney

1949
Hold That Baby!

Hold That Baby!

Slip Mahoney

1949
Fighting Fools

Fighting Fools

Slip Mahoney

1949
Trouble Makers

Trouble Makers

Slip Mahoney

1948
Smuggler's Cove

Smuggler's Cove

Slip Mahoney

1948
Jinx Money

Jinx Money

Terrence 'Slip' Mahoney

1948
So This Is New York

So This Is New York

Sid Mercer

1948
Angels' Alley

Angels' Alley

Terence 'Slip' Mahoney

1948
Bowery Buckaroos

Bowery Buckaroos

Slip Mahoney

1947
News Hounds

News Hounds

Terence J. Montgomery 'Slip' Mahoney

1947
Hard Boiled Mahoney

Hard Boiled Mahoney

Terence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney

1947
Mr. Hex

Mr. Hex

Slip Mahoney

1946
Spook Busters

Spook Busters

Terence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney

1946
Bowery Bombshell

Bowery Bombshell

Terence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney

1946
In Fast Company

In Fast Company

Terence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney

1946
Live Wires

Live Wires

Terrence 'Slip' Mahoney

1946
Come Out Fighting

Come Out Fighting

Muggs McGinnis

1945
Midnight Manhunt

Midnight Manhunt

Clutch Tracy

1945
Mr. Muggs Rides Again

Mr. Muggs Rides Again

Muggs McGinnis

1945
Docks of New York

Docks of New York

Muggs McGinnis

1945
Bowery Champs

Bowery Champs

Muggs McGinnis

1944
Block Busters

Block Busters

Muggs McGinnis

1944
Follow the Leader

Follow the Leader

Muggs McGinnis

1944
Million Dollar Kid

Million Dollar Kid

Muggs McGinnis

1944
Mr. Muggs Steps Out

Mr. Muggs Steps Out

Muggs McGinnis

1943
Destroyer

Destroyer

Seaman Sarecky

1943
Ghosts on the Loose

Ghosts on the Loose

Muggs McGinnis

1943
Clancy Street Boys

Clancy Street Boys

Muggs McGinnis

1943
Kid Dynamite

Kid Dynamite

Muggs McGinnis

1943
'Neath Brooklyn Bridge

'Neath Brooklyn Bridge

Muggs McGinnis

1942
Smart Alecks

Smart Alecks

Muggs McGinnis

1942
Maisie Gets Her Man

Maisie Gets Her Man

Cecil

1942
Let's Get Tough

Let's Get Tough

Muggs McGinnis

1942
Sunday Punch

Sunday Punch

'Biff'

1942
Mr. Wise Guy

Mr. Wise Guy

Muggs McGinnis

1942
Born to Sing

Born to Sing

'Snap' Collins

1942
Spooks Run Wild

Spooks Run Wild

Muggs McGinnis

1941
Down in San Diego

Down in San Diego

'Snap' Collins

1941
Bowery Blitzkrieg

Bowery Blitzkrieg

Muggs McGinnis

1941
Out of the Fog

Out of the Fog

Eddie

1941
Angels with Broken Wings

Angels with Broken Wings

Punchy Dorsey

1941
Flying Wild

Flying Wild

Muggs McGinnis

1941
Pride of the Bowery

Pride of the Bowery

Muggs Maloney

1940
Gallant Sons

Gallant Sons

Doc Reardon

1940
Hullabaloo

Hullabaloo

Apartment House Bellhop

1940
That Gang of Mine

That Gang of Mine

Muggs Maloney

1940
Boys of the City

Boys of the City

Muggs McGinnis

1940
Invisible Stripes

Invisible Stripes

Jimmy

1939
Private Detective

Private Detective

Newsboy (uncredited)

1939
On Dress Parade

On Dress Parade

Slip Duncan

1939
Angels Wash Their Faces

Angels Wash Their Faces

Leo Finnegan

1939
Hell's Kitchen

Hell's Kitchen

Gyp Haller

1939
They Made Me a Criminal

They Made Me a Criminal

Spit

1939
Swingtime in the Movies

Swingtime in the Movies

Crime School Kid (uncredited)

1938
Angels with Dirty Faces

Angels with Dirty Faces

Bim

1938
Crime School

Crime School

Charles 'Spike' Hawkins

1938
The Beloved Brat

The Beloved Brat

Spike Matz

1938
Mannequin

Mannequin

Clifford Cassidy

1938
Headin' East

Headin' East

Boy Boxer in Gym (uncredited)

1937
Portia on Trial

Portia on Trial

Joe Gannow

1937
Dead End

Dead End

Spit

1937