THE BOWERY BOYS on DVD: continuing discussion of Warner's eventual release plans (NEW UPDATE 10/2 Po (2 Viewers)

[Karrenola]

I love this thread. Since the release of the films the thread has settled into a true club atmosphere with friendly banter all inspired by our mutual love of the subject...I really think if any of the people involved with the Bowery Boys pictures were still around, they would be pleasantly surprised at how sweetly inspiring their modest work turned out to be.

Leo knew the jewel he had right when he had it Professor Echo, thanks to his father's experience with the very successful Abie's Irish Rose on Broadway, radio and later the movies. It took a long time to get Leo into that world, but when he stumbled in with his already in brother David his father looked at him and said in so many words 'You finally made it in, huh.'

You can bet Bernard schooled both of them on bug-eyed, finger-pointing negotiations when money was smelled, but Leo got it way more than David. Leo always knew he was the worst actor in the bunch, Jimmie Cagney slugging him for ad libbing didn't help him out one bit. But he knew he HAD what we liked in him, and he took control and worked it till the demons and the drink wouldn't let him anymore.

As I've said many times, people today cannot even conceive all the horrors the Great Depression, the worst war in human history and post-war HUAC rained down on entertainers and all Americans. Every day new declassified documents tell us of newly uncovered horrors and how people survived, or didn't survive them. We'll never know all our Boys and talented guys like Frankie Darro had to do to survive as long as they did, but we do know New York City bred them to be tough, take-no-prisoners survivors. Like Ric Burns noted in his excellent documentary, New York mattered big time for a little over a decade right after the war, and our Boys were perfectly positioned to tell the tales of strength, wit and creative chicanery that has made New York a model for nearly 400 years.

It is precisely because Leo was not an established actor by home or other training, and because he experienced from life with his parents the backstory of people in that entertainment industry, that these films go straight to our hearts as Americans, and that they are so loved by any other nationalities that are fortunate enough to have seen them.

 

[Karrenola]

Regarding Feudin' Fools Mr Handley, my favorite line is Huntzie saying after that bullet zings overhead:

'We the People are leaving!'

I use this line.

I also love that meal with the Smiths. I was just amazed at the way Paul Wexler could change from that stuffy English butler role in Meet the Monsters to this hilarious hillbilly in Feudin' Fools.

 

[Joe Davis]

Regarding Feudin' Fools Mr Handley, my favorite line is Huntzie saying after that bullet zings overhead:

'We the People are leaving!'

I use this line.

I also love that meal with the Smiths. I was just amazed at the way Paul Wexler could change from that stuffy English butler role in Meet the Monsters to this hilarious hillbilly in Feudin' Fools.

Those two were the same actor? Wow, you really learn something new every day!

Speaking of the BB Meet the Monsters, anyone else see it as the Boys' equivalent to Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein? Granted, the BB don't run into any well-known movie monsters (or really ANY monsters for that matter!), but they do come across all of the common elements found in your typical B Horror flick - the mad scientists, the kooky widow, the scary butler, the seductive killer, and even a cheesy robot. Not to mention a memorable creature that makes one B Horror movie stand out from the others - in this case, that man-eating tree.

All it needs is a gorilla, a detective, and an old time horror star!

 

[Karrenola]

Speaking of the BB Meet the Monsters, anyone else see it as the Boys' equivalent to Abbott and Costello...?

All it needs is a gorilla, a detective, and an old time horror star!

Meet the Monsters has got the requisite gorilla, Joe, remember that great Slip & Satch in the closet scene? My fav lines from that bit are Huntzie's 'Oh, you're comical!' and 'Say hello to your uncle!'

You're right though about the detective and the old time horror star. Louie comes closest to a detective, though he never gets any further than getting Chuck and Butch out of the freezer. As for the horror star, I think the earlier East End Kids took care of that well enough with Bela Lugosi.

I saw Meet the Monsters for the very first time when I got the WB Archive DVD collection. Then it was all George Costanza's formula from there:

"First it's a little irritating, then you're humming it in the shower, and then it's 'Byyyyyy Mennen!' "

Yup, that's just how I fell in love with that movie. It's got most of my fav lines, too many to count.

 

[Mr. Handley]

Just watched No Holds Barred last night. This is the one where Satch gets the "traveling muscles" that go from his head to his, well, you know where. Anyway, he parlays this into a successful wrestling career. This one just didn't do much for me (which means Karen probably loves it). Even by late 1952 standards, the "rasslin" plot had been used a lot. Satch did have some good one-liners, but I have no idea why Chuck and Butch were even there as I think I counted maybe 4 or 5 lines total between them. I realize they were always kept in the background, but come on now! One bright spot was a young Sandra Gould and her "harmonica mouth." I'm ranking this one down towards the bottom.


1. Blonde Dynamite (17)
2. Master Minds (16)
3. Hold That Baby! (14)
4. Blues Busters (20)
5. Crazy Over Horses (24)
6. Bowery Bombshell (3)
7. Ghost Chasers (22)
8. Let's Go Navy! (23)
9. In Fast Company (2)
10. Angels In Disguise (15)
11. Fighting Fools (13)
12. Feudin' Fools (27)
13. Lucky Losers (18)
14. Hold That Line (25)
15. Trouble Makers (12)
16. Live Wires (1)
17. Triple Trouble (19)
18. Jinx Money (10)
19. Bowery Buckaroos (8)
20. Bowery Battalion (21)
21. News Hounds (7)
22. Here Come The Marines (26)
23. No Holds Barred (28)
24. Smuggler's Cove (11)
25. Spook Busters (4)
26. Hard Boiled Mahoney (6)
27. Mr. Hex (5)
28. Angels' Alley (9)

 

[Joe Davis]

Meet the Monsters has got the requisite gorilla, Joe, remember that great Slip & Satch in the closet scene? My fav lines from that bit are Huntzie's 'Oh, you're comical!' and 'Say hello to your uncle!'

You're right though about the detective and the old time horror star. Louie comes closest to a detective, though he never gets any further than getting Chuck and Butch out of the freezer. As for the horror star, I think the earlier East End Kids took care of that well enough with Bela Lugosi.

I saw Meet the Monsters for the very first time when I got the WB Archive DVD collection. Then it was all George Costanza's formula from there:

"First it's a little irritating, then you're humming it in the shower, and then it's 'Byyyyyy Mennen!' "

Yup, that's just how I fell in love with that movie. It's got most of my fav lines, too many to count.

Ah, forgot all about that scene! One of the many bits Ed Bernds and Elwood Ullman lifted from their days with the Stooges.

I remember hearing a story that Bernds once wanted Huntz to perform the 'clam chowder' routine. It's an old gag dating back to silent films, but today it's probably best remembered for being performed by Curly and Lou Costello.

Anyhow, Huntz preferred not to do the scene, saying to Ed, "we're not the Stooges."

Anyone know if that story is true? I can honestly see Huntz pulling that routine off.

Satch did have some good one-liners, but I have no idea why Chuck and Butch were even there as I think I counted maybe 4 or 5 lines total between them. I realize they were always kept in the background, but come on now!

Although they weren't hired until a few films later, Ed Bernds remembers that he and Elwood Ullman would try to come up with funny things for Butch and Chuck, "but it just didn't work" (his words, not mine!). But he liked working with Bennie and David because they were patient, and far less wild than Leo and Huntz!

 

[Mr. Handley]

Just watched Jalopy last night. This is the one where Satch invents a super-charged liquid for Slip's "race car". This one just didn't interest me much at all. Everybody just seemed to be going through the motions (both forwards and backwards). The one bright spot was Jane Easton as "Bobbie Lane" (va-va-voom)! I'm ranking this one down towards the bottom.

1. Blonde Dynamite (17)
2. Master Minds (16)
3. Hold That Baby! (14)
4. Blues Busters (20)
5. Crazy Over Horses (24)
6. Bowery Bombshell (3)
7. Ghost Chasers (22)
8. Let's Go Navy! (23)
9. In Fast Company (2)
10. Angels In Disguise (15)
11. Fighting Fools (13)
12. Feudin' Fools (27)
13. Lucky Losers (18)
14. Hold That Line (25)
15. Trouble Makers (12)
16. Live Wires (1)
17. Triple Trouble (19)
18. Jinx Money (10)
19. Bowery Buckaroos (8)
20. Bowery Battalion (21)
21. News Hounds (7)
22. Here Come The Marines (26)
23. No Holds Barred (28)
24. Smuggler's Cove (11)
25. Jalopy (29)
26. Spook Busters (4)
27. Hard Boiled Mahoney (6)
28. Mr. Hex (5)
29. Angels' Alley (9)

 

[Karrenola]

Ah, forgot all about that scene! One of the many bits Ed Bernds and Elwood Ullman lifted from their days with the Stooges.

I remember hearing a story that Bernds once wanted Huntz to perform the 'clam chowder' routine. It's an old gag dating back to silent films, but today it's probably best remembered for being performed by Curly and Lou Costello.

Anyhow, Huntz preferred not to do the scene, saying to Ed, "we're not the Stooges."

Anyone know if that story is true? I can honestly see Huntz pulling that routine off.


Although they weren't hired until a few films later, Ed Bernds remembers that he and Elwood Ullman would try to come up with funny things for Butch and Chuck, "but it just didn't work" (his words, not mine!). But he liked working with Bennie and David because they were patient, and far less wild than Leo and Huntz!

Hey Joe, that was so interesting about the clam soup sketch I actually had to spend a couple of weeks doing homework on it. If it was in a silent film or two as you said, it surely came from the Vaudeville stage way before, and I wouldn't doubt the Music Hall of London, England being the true origin nearly 200 years ago. I saw the Stooges clam sketch and the Abbott and Costello version on YouTube.

I think you could probably hear every third person on the street either talking about or re-enacting that sketch by the 1950s, which in my view would lead Huntz to refuse to do it in a Bowery Boys flick. Huntz really liked and respected Shemp Howard, a guy only now people are realizing was more than likely the innovative talent behind the Stooges brand of comedy. Even so, Huntz knew his own brand and the fact that natural New York speech and thinking mattered just as much as disguising it with slapstick and fantasy did.

I don't see any references to Huntz ever telling director Ed Bernds that 'We are not the Stooges', but in the book 'William Beaudine: From Silents to Television' I do see the following quote from Huntz:

'The new guy (Ed Bernds) did one picture and [Leo and I] said 'Get [Beaudine] back. Get him back.'

Now that's sayin' something, don't you think?

 

[Karrenola]

Well, Mr Handley just does not like those later BB films yet! And yes, yooouuu guessed it, I liked Jalopy a lot.

I like seeing Huntzie show you he ain't dumb. See, the thing about a New York gang is you know your rank and you play the part you were given, but you think and take charge when you're needed to gain the points you need to rise when the time comes. I think a lot of groups work like this, my British friends tell me tales of naming new guys some moniker based on one embarrassing episode that sticks for life, and the Japanese over here tell me the same thing about their groups of friends / workmates / social clubs.

I love it when Huntzie uses excuses to get Leo out of the lab for 'security', and my fav scene is when he slides over to Leo snapping his fingers demanding Leo 'give' that formula, then smoothly bombs the crooks with that nice sharp move.

I also like seeing Huntzie sharply dressed and dancing. He sure could cut a rug.

 

[Mr. Handley]

Just watched Loose In London last night. This is the one where the Boys go to England (yet somehow never leave the back lot) where Satch attempts to get his cut of an inheritance. Despite the cheesy fake London backdrops, this film appeared to be a step-up in production quality from the previous few films, which seemed more slap-dash. I noticed this one was written by Ed Bernds and Elwood Ullman and directed by Bernds (better known for his work with the Stooges). IMO, things appear to be looking up at this point. I'm surprised to read that the Boys didn't like working with Bernds. Anyway, I'm ranking this one above some, yet firmly below my favorites from the series so far.

1. Blonde Dynamite (17)
2. Master Minds (16)
3. Hold That Baby! (14)
4. Blues Busters (20)
5. Crazy Over Horses (24)
6. Bowery Bombshell (3)
7. Ghost Chasers (22)
8. Let's Go Navy! (23)
9. In Fast Company (2)
10. Angels In Disguise (15)
11. Fighting Fools (13)
12. Feudin' Fools (27)
13. Lucky Losers (18)
14. Hold That Line (25)
15. Trouble Makers (12)
16. Live Wires (1)
17. Triple Trouble (19)
18. Jinx Money (10)
19. Bowery Buckaroos (8)
20. Loose In London (30)
21. Bowery Battalion (21)
22. News Hounds (7)
23. Here Come The Marines (26)
24. No Holds Barred (28)
25. Smuggler's Cove (11)
26. Jalopy (29)
27. Spook Busters (4)
28. Hard Boiled Mahoney (6)
29. Mr. Hex (5)
30. Angels' Alley (9)

 

[Karrenola]

Loose in London! Just look at those post war scenes of London back in the 1950s! And natch, my fav line is:

'So who is this Trafalgar guy anyway? Was he really a square?''

As a history of England buff I loved hearing the English history facts. Satch freaking out over those 'ghosts' in his room cracked me up. It was fun trying to find whose English accent was 'New York put on.'

 

[Mr. Handley]

Just watched Clipped Wings last night. My first thought was, oh-oh yet another service comedy. However, I was pleasantly surprised with the fast-paced shenanigans that followed. This one is pretty slap-sticky, which is fine with me as I'm a big fan of the Stooges. This is the best one I've seen in awhile and I'm putting it firmly in my Top 10.

1. Blonde Dynamite (17)
2. Master Minds (16)
3. Hold That Baby! (14)
4. Blues Busters (20)
5. Crazy Over Horses (24)
6. Bowery Bombshell (3)
7. Clipped Wings (31)
8. Ghost Chasers (22)
9. Let's Go Navy! (23)
10. In Fast Company (2)
11. Angels In Disguise (15)
12. Fighting Fools (13)
13. Feudin' Fools (27)
14. Lucky Losers (18)
15. Hold That Line (25)
16. Trouble Makers (12)
17. Live Wires (1)
18. Triple Trouble (19)
19. Jinx Money (10)
20. Bowery Buckaroos (8)
21. Loose In London (30)
22. Bowery Battalion (21)
23. News Hounds (7)
24. Here Come The Marines (26)
25. No Holds Barred (28)
26. Smuggler's Cove (11)
27. Jalopy (29)
28. Spook Busters (4)
29. Hard Boiled Mahoney (6)
30. Mr. Hex (5)
31. Angels' Alley (9)

 

[Karrenola]

I love Clipped Wings. Renie Riano's performance in this is outstanding, her timing impeccable.

'Well they keep me kind of warm and... HEY!'

Sach is TOTALLY believable here as the kind of guy the ladies would accept in an all women's unit (though in real life we'd rather drink a bottle of bleach than let the likes of him in LOL).

My favorite scene is where Sach loses it over that faucet in his broom closet bunk room. All the hit singles that leaky faucet turned out had me in stitches because I've been there done that one, man. It'll drive ya NUTS.

 

[Mr. Handley]

Just watched Private Eyes last night. I really enjoyed this one. Good balance of verbal and physical humor. Always a treat to see Emil Sitka, this time doing some great physical comedy from a wheelchair! The kid that played Herbie was also fun. This one rates Top 5 for me, so far.

1. Blonde Dynamite (17)
2. Master Minds (16)
3. Hold That Baby! (14)
4. Blues Busters (20)
5. Private Eyes (32)
6. Crazy Over Horses (24)
7. Bowery Bombshell (3)
8. Clipped Wings (31)
9. Ghost Chasers (22)
10. Let's Go Navy! (23)
11. In Fast Company (2)
12. Angels In Disguise (15)
13. Fighting Fools (13)
14. Feudin' Fools (27)
15. Lucky Losers (18)
16. Hold That Line (25)
17. Trouble Makers (12)
18. Live Wires (1)
19. Triple Trouble (19)
20. Jinx Money (10)
21. Bowery Buckaroos (8)
22. Loose In London (30)
23. Bowery Battalion (21)
24. News Hounds (7)
25. Here Come The Marines (26)
26. No Holds Barred (28)
27. Smuggler's Cove (11)
28. Jalopy (29)
29. Spook Busters (4)
30. Hard Boiled Mahoney (6)
31. Mr. Hex (5)
32. Angels' Alley (9)

 

[Karrenola]

Private Eyes. I thought this was a cutie, you dear boy.

Sitka was fun as usual but as a historian I loved the dress they put Huntzie in. In those years, any woman over sixty with means would've certainly looked like that, having been born before 1890. What I was especially impressed with was how well that dress was made, down to the last detail with an incredibly beautiful drape on that long A-line cut skirt. He could go into his wild moves in it, and since they didn't have Lycra in those days they had to cut and sew a lot on the bias to give stretchiness and freedom of movement without appearing stiff or having to keep replacing any parts of it. Monogram (Allied Artists) didn't have loads of money and often got folks to wear the same ties, coats and other stuff over and over, so the quality of that dress and hand fan surprised me. Really nice work on that.

I loved 'the doctor' too.

 

[Mr. Handley]

Sorry, but I didn't notice the detail on the dress...probably a GOOD thing in my case Just don't call him MADAM?!?

 

[Joe Davis]

You know, I think "Herbie" is still around. IIRC, he was interviewed for that Dead End Kids documentary that still hasn't been released. I'm dying to see it!

 

[Karrenola]

You know, I think "Herbie" is still around. IIRC, he was interviewed for that Dead End Kids documentary that still hasn't been released. I'm dying to see it!

Yeah Joe where IS that documentary anyway? The sales on the WB DVDs of the 48 films alone should've driven them to get that out by now.

Don't know how long I've been saying these films are in more hearts and have inspired way more works than even WB realizes. It's always been more than a series of 'the school of hard knocks in New York', standing alone even amongst all that other 'hard life in New York' fare.

Don't they know how disappointed we are not to have any commentaries or extras other than the trailers? How about the old interviews like Huntz on David Letterman back in 1982? And stuff that goes all the way back to the play Dead End like the treatments and the comic strips? We need all this stuff in one place.

 

[Mr. Handley]

Just watched Paris Playboys last night. This one was a tour-de-force for ol' Huntzie. He gets to really shine in a dual role. The plot wasn't the greatest and the gags weren't quite as good, so I'm ranking this one just a hair below Private Eyes, but still a solid Top 10 pick, thanks to Huntz. I really like the combination of verbal humor and slapstick. Side note: Chuck & Butch are relegated to mere cameos at the very beginning, with not even one word of dialogue! BTW, I'm really looking forward to the next one, The Bowery Boys Meet The Monsters (that title sounds very promising).

1. Blonde Dynamite (17)
2. Master Minds (16)
3. Hold That Baby! (14)
4. Blues Busters (20)
5. Private Eyes (32)
6. Paris Playboys (33)
7. Crazy Over Horses (24)
8. Bowery Bombshell (3)
9. Clipped Wings (31)
10. Ghost Chasers (22)
11. Let's Go Navy! (23)
12. In Fast Company (2)
13. Angels In Disguise (15)
14. Fighting Fools (13)
15. Feudin' Fools (27)
16. Lucky Losers (18)
17. Hold That Line (25)
18. Trouble Makers (12)
19. Live Wires (1)
20. Triple Trouble (19)
21. Jinx Money (10)
22. Bowery Buckaroos (8)
23. Loose In London (30)
24. Bowery Battalion (21)
25. News Hounds (7)
26. Here Come The Marines (26)
27. No Holds Barred (28)
28. Smuggler's Cove (11)
29. Jalopy (29)
30. Spook Busters (4)
31. Hard Boiled Mahoney (6)
32. Mr. Hex (5)
33. Angels' Alley (9)

 

[Joe Davis]

Just watched Paris Playboys last night. This one was a tour-de-force for ol' Huntzie. He gets to really shine in a dual role. The plot wasn't the greatest and the gags weren't quite as good, so I'm ranking this one just a hair below Private Eyes, but still a solid Top 10 pick, thanks to Huntz. I really like the combination of verbal humor and slapstick. Side note: Chuck & Butch are relegated to mere cameos at the very beginning, with not even one word of dialogue! BTW, I'm really looking forward to the next one, The Bowery Boys Meet The Monsters (that title sounds very promising).

1. Blonde Dynamite (17)
2. Master Minds (16)
3. Hold That Baby! (14)
4. Blues Busters (20)
5. Private Eyes (32)
6. Paris Playboys (33)
7. Crazy Over Horses (24)
8. Bowery Bombshell (3)
9. Clipped Wings (31)
10. Ghost Chasers (22)
11. Let's Go Navy! (23)
12. In Fast Company (2)
13. Angels In Disguise (15)
14. Fighting Fools (13)
15. Feudin' Fools (27)
16. Lucky Losers (18)
17. Hold That Line (25)
18. Trouble Makers (12)
19. Live Wires (1)
20. Triple Trouble (19)
21. Jinx Money (10)
22. Bowery Buckaroos (8)
23. Loose In London (30)
24. Bowery Battalion (21)
25. News Hounds (7)
26. Here Come The Marines (26)
27. No Holds Barred (28)
28. Smuggler's Cove (11)
29. Jalopy (29)
30. Spook Busters (4)
31. Hard Boiled Mahoney (6)
32. Mr. Hex (5)
33. Angels' Alley (9)

Oh, yes, "Paris Playboys" has to be the most unfortunate Butch and Chuck film. Not only does neither get a line, but their backs are to the camera for the entire scene! It's clear that they were just there to fulfill contractual obligations.

Oh well. They get a little more to do in some of the others. Wait 'till you see "Jail Busters."