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Little Tough Guys

January 07, 2023

The Little Tough Guys (later billed as 'The Dead End Kids and Little Tough Guys') were a group of actors who made a series of films and serials released by Universal Studios from 1938 through 1943.[1] Many of them were originally part of The Dead End Kids, and several of them later became members of The East Side Kids and The Bowery Boys.

History

Main article: Dead End Kids

The urban drama Dead End became both a successful play and a hit movie, featuring six young actors playing streetwise guttersnipes: Billy Halop, Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, Gabriel Dell, Bobby Jordan, and Bernard Punsly. The troupe became known as The Dead End Kids and starred in a series of features for Warner Brothers.

Little Tough Guys

In 1938, Universal borrowed the Dead End Kids (except Gorcey and Jordan) for a juvenile-delinquency drama called Little Tough Guy. Universal adopted this as a brand name, and turned the film into a series of 'Little Tough Guys' features. The studio filled out the cast with David Gorcey (Leo's younger brother) and Hally Chester.

The next three films did not include any of the original Dead End Kids. Little Tough Guys in Society (1939) was more of a lightweight comedy, while the next two, Newsboys' Home and Code of the Streets (1939), were more dramatic. Jackie Cooper starred in Newsboys' Home, but was not a member of the team. Only David Gorcey and Hally Chester remained from the first film, Little Tough Guy. This was the beginning of the members of the team changing on almost a film-to-film basis. Eleven actors drifted in and out of the series, including Frankie Thomas, Charles Duncan (who was originally hired to play Leo Gorcey's role in the play Dead End), and Billy Benedict.

When Warners released Bobby Jordan from his contract, Universal quickly signed him to join the rest of gang. Now, with five of the original six Dead End Kids on the payroll, Universal revised the billing to read "The Dead End Kids and Little Tough Guys". In total, the Little Tough Guys made 12 feature films, and three 12-chapter serials. Leading player Halop joined the armed forces and was replaced by Jordan for the final film in the series, Keep 'Em Slugging, released in 1943.

Shemp Howard of the Three Stooges appeared in Give Us Wings, Hit the Road and Keep 'Em Slugging. Huntz Hall cited Howard as a major influence when his later "Bowery Boys" series shifted to all-out slapstick comedy.

There was still a market for these tough-teen films, and most of the Little Tough Guys principals wound up at Monogram Pictures as The East Side Kids and The Bowery Boys.

List of Dead End Kids and Little Tough Guys

  • Billy Halop as Johnny/Jimmy/Tom/Tommy/Billy/Ace (1938-1943)
  • Huntz Hall as Pig/Gyp/Toby/Bolts (1938-1943)
  • Gabriel Dell as String/Terry/Bilge/Stick (1938, 1940-1943)
  • Bernard Punsly as Ape/Lug/Butch/Greaseball (1938, 1940-1943)
  • Bobby Jordan as Rap/Tommy (1940, 1943)
  • David Gorcey as Sniper/Yap/Double Face Gordon (1938-1940, 1942)
  • Hally Chester as Dopey/Murph/Trust/Swab (1938-1941)
  • Frankie Thomas as Danny/Bob (1938-1939)
  • Harris Berger as Sailor/Bud/Charlie (1938-1941)
  • Charles Duncan as Monk (1938-1939)
  • William Benedict as Trouble/Link/Whitey (1938-1940, 1942)
  • James McCallion as Danny (1939)
  • Kenneth Lundy as Buck (1940)
  • Norman Abbott as Ape (1943)

Filmography

Year Title Team Name Notes
1938 Little Tough Guy The 'Dead End' Kids
1938 Little Tough Guys in Society Little Tough Guys
1939 Newsboys' Home Little Tough Guys
1939 Code of the Streets Little Tough Guys
1939 Call a Messenger Dead End Kids and Little Tough Guys
1940 You're Not So Tough Dead End Kids and Little Tough Guys
1940 Junior G-Men Dead End Kids and Little Tough Guys 12-Chapter Serial
1940 Give Us Wings Dead End Kids and Little Tough Guys
1941 Hit the Road Dead End Kids and Little Tough Guys
1941 Sea Raiders Dead End Kids and Little Tough Guys 12-Chapter Serial
1941 Mob Town Dead End Kids and Little Tough Guys
1942 Junior G-Men of the Air Dead End Kids and Little Tough Guys 12-Chapter Serial
1942 Tough as They Come Dead End Kids and Little Tough Guys
1942 Mug Town Dead End Kids and Little Tough Guys
1943 Keep 'Em Slugging Dead End Kids and Little Tough Guys

See also

References

  1. ^ Hayes, David (1982). The Films of the Bowery Boys. Secaucus, NJ: The Citadel Press. ISBN 978-0806509310.

External links

  • David Gorcey at IMDb
  • Huntz Hall at IMDb
  • Gabriel Dell at IMDb
  • Billy Halop at IMDb
  • Bobby Jordan at IMDb
  • Bernard Punsly at IMDb
  • Frank Thomas at IMDb
  • Billy Benedict at IMDb
  • Hally Chester at IMDb
  • Harris Berger at IMDb
  • Norman Abbott at IMDb
Preceded by
Dead End Kids
1937–1939
 Little Tough Guys
1938–1943 		Succeeded by
East Side Kids
1940–1945

January 07, 2023
little, tough, guys, later, billed, dead, kids, were, group, actors, made, series, films, serials, released, universal, studios, from, 1938, through, 1943, many, them, were, originally, part, dead, kids, several, them, later, became, members, east, side, kids,. The Little Tough Guys later billed as The Dead End Kids and Little Tough Guys were a group of actors who made a series of films and serials released by Universal Studios from 1938 through 1943 1 Many of them were originally part of The Dead End Kids and several of them later became members of The East Side Kids and The Bowery Boys Contents 1 History 2 Little Tough Guys 3 List of Dead End Kids and Little Tough Guys 4 Filmography 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksHistory EditMain article Dead End Kids The urban drama Dead End became both a successful play and a hit movie featuring six young actors playing streetwise guttersnipes Billy Halop Leo Gorcey Huntz Hall Gabriel Dell Bobby Jordan and Bernard Punsly The troupe became known as The Dead End Kids and starred in a series of features for Warner Brothers Little Tough Guys EditIn 1938 Universal borrowed the Dead End Kids except Gorcey and Jordan for a juvenile delinquency drama called Little Tough Guy Universal adopted this as a brand name and turned the film into a series of Little Tough Guys features The studio filled out the cast with David Gorcey Leo s younger brother and Hally Chester The next three films did not include any of the original Dead End Kids Little Tough Guys in Society 1939 was more of a lightweight comedy while the next two Newsboys Home and Code of the Streets 1939 were more dramatic Jackie Cooper starred in Newsboys Home but was not a member of the team Only David Gorcey and Hally Chester remained from the first film Little Tough Guy This was the beginning of the members of the team changing on almost a film to film basis Eleven actors drifted in and out of the series including Frankie Thomas Charles Duncan who was originally hired to play Leo Gorcey s role in the play Dead End and Billy Benedict When Warners released Bobby Jordan from his contract Universal quickly signed him to join the rest of gang Now with five of the original six Dead End Kids on the payroll Universal revised the billing to read The Dead End Kids and Little Tough Guys In total the Little Tough Guys made 12 feature films and three 12 chapter serials Leading player Halop joined the armed forces and was replaced by Jordan for the final film in the series Keep Em Slugging released in 1943 Shemp Howard of the Three Stooges appeared in Give Us Wings Hit the Road and Keep Em Slugging Huntz Hall cited Howard as a major influence when his later Bowery Boys series shifted to all out slapstick comedy There was still a market for these tough teen films and most of the Little Tough Guys principals wound up at Monogram Pictures as The East Side Kids and The Bowery Boys List of Dead End Kids and Little Tough Guys EditBilly Halop as Johnny Jimmy Tom Tommy Billy Ace 1938 1943 Huntz Hall as Pig Gyp Toby Bolts 1938 1943 Gabriel Dell as String Terry Bilge Stick 1938 1940 1943 Bernard Punsly as Ape Lug Butch Greaseball 1938 1940 1943 Bobby Jordan as Rap Tommy 1940 1943 David Gorcey as Sniper Yap Double Face Gordon 1938 1940 1942 Hally Chester as Dopey Murph Trust Swab 1938 1941 Frankie Thomas as Danny Bob 1938 1939 Harris Berger as Sailor Bud Charlie 1938 1941 Charles Duncan as Monk 1938 1939 William Benedict as Trouble Link Whitey 1938 1940 1942 James McCallion as Danny 1939 Kenneth Lundy as Buck 1940 Norman Abbott as Ape 1943 Filmography EditYear Title Team Name Notes1938 Little Tough Guy The Dead End Kids1938 Little Tough Guys in Society Little Tough Guys1939 Newsboys Home Little Tough Guys1939 Code of the Streets Little Tough Guys1939 Call a Messenger Dead End Kids and Little Tough Guys1940 You re Not So Tough Dead End Kids and Little Tough Guys1940 Junior G Men Dead End Kids and Little Tough Guys 12 Chapter Serial1940 Give Us Wings Dead End Kids and Little Tough Guys1941 Hit the Road Dead End Kids and Little Tough Guys1941 Sea Raiders Dead End Kids and Little Tough Guys 12 Chapter Serial1941 Mob Town Dead End Kids and Little Tough Guys1942 Junior G Men of the Air Dead End Kids and Little Tough Guys 12 Chapter Serial1942 Tough as They Come Dead End Kids and Little Tough Guys1942 Mug Town Dead End Kids and Little Tough Guys1943 Keep Em Slugging Dead End Kids and Little Tough GuysSee also EditDead End Kids East Side Kids The Bowery BoysReferences Edit Hayes David 1982 The Films of the Bowery Boys Secaucus NJ The Citadel Press ISBN 978 0806509310 External links EditDavid Gorcey at IMDb Huntz Hall at IMDb Gabriel Dell at IMDb Billy Halop at IMDb Bobby Jordan at IMDb Bernard Punsly at IMDb Frank Thomas at IMDb Billy Benedict at IMDb Hally Chester at IMDb Harris Berger at IMDb Norman Abbott at IMDbPreceded byDead End Kids 1937 1939 Little Tough Guys1938 1943 Succeeded byEast Side Kids 1940 1945 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Little Tough Guys amp oldid 1116056951, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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