Mende Koenig Movies
- 1945
One of the more remarkable aspects of this "East Side Kids" comedy is that, for the first time, one of the "Kids" is a girl, played by June Carlson. Otherwise, it's standard stuff, with the Kids forming a shaky friendship with police commissioner James Mitchell (Addison Mitchell). Muggs (Leo Gorcey), the Kids' leader, invites Mitchell's wimpy son Gilbert (Johnny Duncan) to join the gang as part of a plan to "toughen up" the boy. Unfortunately, Gilbert gets his new pals in trouble when he links up with gambler Silk Henley (George Meeker). Arrested during a confrontation with Silk, Muggs is disqualified from fighting in an upcoming boxing tournament. The chastened Gilbert takes Muggs' place in the ring, proving that he's a "right guy." Come Out Fighting was the final entry in Monogram's "East Side Kids" series; the following year, Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall and the rest would re-emerge as "The Bowery Boys." ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, (more)
- 1945
The second of two "East Side Kids" entries with horse-racing backgrounds (the first was That Gang of Mine), Mr. Muggs Rides Again stars Leo Gorcey in the title role. Thanks to the chicanery of crooked gamblers, Muggs (Leo Gorcey), an honest jockey, is banished from the track. But Muggs is less concerned about his own fate than he is over the plight of horse farm owner Ma Brown (Minerva Urecal), who is facing foreclosure. While helping Muggs take up a collection on behalf of Ma, her niece Elsie (Nancy Brinkman), falls in love with Gaby (Gabriel Dell), one of the gamblers. At Elsie's request, Gaby agrees to tell the racing commission that Muggs is innocent of the charges levelled against him. The other gamblers try to silence Gaby permanently, and also dope Ma Brown's horses, but Muggs and the rest of the East Side Kids (Huntz Hall, Billy Benedict et. al.) come to the resuce. The film's best scene, a visit to a sideshow fortune-teller, has absolutely nothing to do with the plot, but who cares? ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, (more)
- 1945
The East Side Kids have become so benign in Docks of New York that they actually go out of their way to help the cops! It all begins when Glimpy (Huntz Hall) stumbles across a corpse and a stolen necklace. This brings himself and Muggs (Leo Gorcey) under the scrutiny of mysterious knife-wielding assassins, who are also searching for war refugees Saundra (Gloria Pope) and Mrs. Darcy (Betty Blythe). It turns out that Saundra is the incumbent princess of the duchy of Tuscania, and there are those who would kill her before she can assume the throne. Not unexpectedly, the necklace is vital to Saundra's future, so it's up to Muggs, Glimpy and the rest of the East Side Kids to safeguard both the girl and the royal jewels. Contrary to previously published reports, the "Carlyle Blackwell Jr" who appears in Docks of New York is not famed fashion arbiter Mr. Blackwell. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, (more)
- 1945
River Gang was another of Universal's attempts to tap the dramatic potential of their young singing star Gloria Jean. The actress plays Wendy, the niece of pawnbroker Uncle Bill (John Qualen). Outwardly a loveable teller of tall tales, Uncle Bill is actually the head of a robbery gang. When murder rears its ugly head, the impressionable Wendy discovers her uncle's perfidy for the first time-and faces the possibility of becoming the next murder victim. Young Keefe Brasselle plays Johnny, a neighborhood "tough" who turns out ot be the best friend Wendy could possibly have. River Gang was directed by Charles David, who ironically became the husband of Deanna Durbin, Gloria Jean's principal singing rival on the Universal lot. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Gloria Jean, John Qualen, (more)
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