ReelRifter
Leo Gorcey

Leo Gorcey

Acting

Born June 3, 1917 — Died June 2, 1969 New 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.

TV Shows(1)

Movies(95)

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

Bowery Blitzkrieg

Bowery Blitzkrieg

Muggs McGinnis

1941

Down in San Diego

Down in San Diego

'Snap' Collins

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