Leo Gorcey

Person

Leo Gorcey

Acting June 3, 1917

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…

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Known for

Popular titles

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

7.5 1962 TV Show
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

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

7.0 1963 Movie
Angels with Dirty Faces

Angels with Dirty Faces

7.5 1938 Movie
Dead End

Dead End

7.0 1937 Movie
They Made Me a Criminal

They Made Me a Criminal

6.3 1939 Movie
Out of the Fog

Out of the Fog

6.3 1941 Movie
Ghosts on the Loose

Ghosts on the Loose

4.2 1943 Movie
Invisible Stripes

Invisible Stripes

6.2 1939 Movie
Spooks Run Wild

Spooks Run Wild

5.1 1941 Movie
Crime School

Crime School

6.4 1938 Movie
Mannequin

Mannequin

6.0 1938 Movie
Destroyer

Destroyer

6.8 1943 Movie

Photos

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Biography

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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.

Filmography

Movies and shows, newest first

  1. 2020
    The Bowery Boys: Legends of Laughter

    Movie (archive footage)

  2. 2007
    Terror in the Pharaoh's Tomb

    Movie Muggs McGinnis (archive footage)

  3. 1991
    Dracula: A Cinematic Scrapbook

    Movie Muggs (archive footage)

  4. 1986
    Classic Comedy Teams

    Movie The East Side Kids (archive footage)

  5. 1983
    Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage

    Movie Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

  6. 1970
    The Phynx

    Movie Leo Gorcey

  7. 1966
    Second Fiddle to a Steel Guitar

    Movie Leo

  8. 1963
    It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

    Movie First Cab Driver

  9. 1962
    The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

    TV show Self

  10. 1956
    Crashing Las Vegas

    Movie Terence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney

  11. 1955
    Dig That Uranium

    Movie Terence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney

  12. 1955
    Jail Busters

    Movie Slip Mahoney

  13. 1955
    Spy Chasers

    Movie Slip Mahoney

  14. 1955
    High Society

    Movie Slip Mahoney

  15. 1955
    Bowery to Bagdad

    Movie Slip Mahoney

  16. 1954
    Jungle Gents

    Movie 'Slip' Mahoney

More credits
  1. 1954
    The Bowery Boys Meet the Monsters

    Movie Slip Mahoney

  2. 1954
    Paris Playboys

    Movie Slip Mahoney

  3. 1953
    Private Eyes

    Movie Slip Mahoney

  4. 1953
    Clipped Wings

    Movie Slip Mahoney

  5. 1953
    Loose in London

    Movie Terence Aloysius "Slip" Mahoney

  6. 1953
    Jalopy

    Movie Terrence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney

  7. 1952
    No Holds Barred

    Movie Terence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney

  8. 1952
    Feudin' Fools

    Movie Terence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney

  9. 1952
    Here Come the Marines

    Movie Terence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney

  10. 1952
    Hold That Line

    Movie Terence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney

  11. 1951
    Crazy Over Horses

    Movie Terence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney

  12. 1951
    Let's Go Navy!

    Movie Terence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney

  13. 1951
    Ghost Chasers

    Movie Terence Aloysius 'Slip' Mahoney

  14. 1951
    Bowery Battalion

    Movie Slip Mahoney

  15. 1950
    Blues Busters

    Movie Slip Mahoney

  16. 1950
    Triple Trouble

    Movie Slip Mahoney

  17. 1950
    Lucky Losers

    Movie Slip Mahoney

  18. 1950
    Blonde Dynamite

    Movie Slip Mahoney

  19. 1949
    Master Minds

    Movie Slip Mahoney

  20. 1949
    Angels in Disguise

    Movie Slip Mahoney

  21. 1949
    Hold That Baby!

    Movie Slip Mahoney

  22. 1949
    Fighting Fools

    Movie Slip Mahoney

  23. 1948
    Trouble Makers

    Movie Slip Mahoney

  24. 1948
    Smuggler's Cove

    Movie Slip Mahoney