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Leo Gorcey

Actor

Leo Gorcey

Born June 3, 1917 in New York City, New York, USADied June 2, 196990 films

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.

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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.

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The best way into Leo Gorcey's work
Angels with Dirty Faces posterFirst watchAngels with Dirty Faces19387.5as BimChildhood chums Rocky Sullivan and Jerry Connelly grow up on opposite sides of the fence: Rocky matures into a prominent gangster, while Jerry becomes a priest, tending to the needs of his…View film

Essential films

Ranked by acclaim and reach
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World poster7.0It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World1963Dead End poster7.0Dead End1937

Filmography

90 films as actor
  1. 1970The PhynxLeo Gorcey
  2. 1966Second Fiddle to a Steel GuitarLeo
  3. 1963It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad WorldFirst Cab Driver
  4. 1956Crashing Las VegasTerence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney
  5. 1955Dig That UraniumTerence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney
  6. 1955Jail BustersSlip Mahoney
  7. 1955Spy ChasersSlip Mahoney
  8. 1955High SocietySlip Mahoney
  9. 1955Bowery to BagdadSlip Mahoney
  10. 1954Jungle Gents'Slip' Mahoney
  11. 1954The Bowery Boys Meet the MonstersSlip Mahoney
  12. 1954Paris PlayboysSlip Mahoney
  13. 1953Private EyesSlip Mahoney
  14. 1953Clipped WingsSlip Mahoney
  15. 1953Loose in LondonTerence Aloysius "Slip" Mahoney
  16. 1953JalopyTerrence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney
  17. 1952No Holds BarredTerence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney
  18. 1952Feudin' FoolsTerence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney
  19. 1952Here Come the MarinesTerence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney
  20. 1952Hold That LineTerence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney
  21. 1951Crazy Over HorsesTerence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney
  22. 1951Let's Go Navy!Terence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney
  23. 1951Ghost ChasersTerence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney
  24. 1951Bowery BattalionSlip Mahoney
  25. 1950Blues BustersSlip Mahoney
  26. 1950Triple TroubleSlip Mahoney
  27. 1950Lucky LosersSlip Mahoney
  28. 1950Blonde DynamiteSlip Mahoney
  29. 1949Master MindsSlip Mahoney
  30. 1949Angels in DisguiseSlip Mahoney
  31. 1949Hold That Baby!Slip Mahoney
  32. 1949Fighting FoolsSlip Mahoney
  33. 1948Trouble MakersSlip Mahoney
  34. 1948Smuggler's CoveSlip Mahoney
  35. 1948Jinx MoneyTerrence 'Slip' Mahoney
  36. 1948So This Is New YorkSid Mercer
  37. 1948Angels' AlleyTerence 'Slip' Mahoney
  38. 1947Bowery BuckaroosSlip Mahoney
  39. 1947News HoundsTerence J. Montgomery 'Slip' Mahoney
  40. 1947Hard Boiled MahoneyTerence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney
  41. 1946Mr. HexSlip Mahoney
  42. 1946Spook BustersTerence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney
  43. 1946Bowery BombshellTerence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney
  44. 1946In Fast CompanyTerence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney
  45. 1946Live WiresTerrence 'Slip' Mahoney
  46. 1945Come Out FightingMuggs McGinnis
  47. 1945Midnight ManhuntClutch Tracy
  48. 1945Mr. Muggs Rides AgainMuggs McGinnis
  49. 1945Docks of New YorkMuggs McGinnis
  50. 1944Bowery ChampsMuggs McGinnis
  51. 1944Block BustersMuggs McGinnis
  52. 1944Follow the LeaderMuggs McGinnis
  53. 1944Million Dollar KidMuggs McGinnis
  54. 1943Mr. Muggs Steps OutMuggs McGinnis
  55. 1943DestroyerSeaman Sarecky
  56. 1943Ghosts on the LooseMuggs McGinnis
  57. 1943Clancy Street BoysMuggs McGinnis
  58. 1943Kid DynamiteMuggs McGinnis
  59. 1942'Neath Brooklyn BridgeMuggs McGinnis
  60. 1942Smart AlecksMuggs McGinnis
  61. 1942Maisie Gets Her ManCecil
  62. 1942Let's Get ToughMuggs McGinnis
  63. 1942Sunday Punch'Biff'
  64. 1942Mr. Wise GuyMuggs McGinnis
  65. 1942Born to Sing'Snap' Collins
  66. 1941Spooks Run WildMuggs McGinnis
  67. 1941Bowery BlitzkriegMuggs McGinnis
  68. 1941Down in San Diego'Snap' Collins
  69. 1941Out of the FogEddie
  70. 1941Angels with Broken WingsPunchy Dorsey
  71. 1941Flying WildMuggs McGinnis
  72. 1940Pride of the BoweryMuggs Maloney
  73. 1940Gallant SonsDoc Reardon
  74. 1940HullabalooApartment House Bellhop
  75. 1940That Gang of MineMuggs Maloney
  76. 1940Boys of the CityMuggs McGinnis
  77. 1939Invisible StripesJimmy
  78. 1939Private DetectiveNewsboy (uncredited)
  79. 1939On Dress ParadeSlip Duncan
  80. 1939Angels Wash Their FacesLeo Finnegan
  81. 1939Hell's KitchenGyp Haller
  82. 1939They Made Me a CriminalSpit
  83. 1938Swingtime in the MoviesCrime School Kid (uncredited)
  84. 1938Angels with Dirty FacesBim
  85. 1938Crime SchoolCharles 'Spike' Hawkins
  86. 1938The Beloved BratSpike Matz
  87. 1938MannequinClifford Cassidy
  88. 1937Headin' EastBoy Boxer in Gym (uncredited)
  89. 1937Portia on TrialJoe Gannow
  90. 1937Dead EndSpit