Customer Reviews

Me and the Dead End Kid

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Well, the way I figure it, Leo Gorcey felt that he earned so much fan adoration, became one of Hollywood's biggest money makers, and wielded power in the movie board rooms because his character - Spit/Muggs/Slip - was loud-mouthed, smart-alecy, bullying, hat-pounding, overbearing, and childish. It certainly wasn't because he had talent; he never wanted to be an actor, never liked the movie business. (At least that's what he claimed. I think he secretly did enjoy it, otherwise why would he do it so well for so many films until his father's death made it impossible to work any more.) Therefore, to earn the love of the women in his life, and his children, he just had to turn it up several notches to become a drunken, gun wielding, abusive, screaming husband and father. Then everybody would love him. At least that's what I garnered out of the terrific biography of Gorcey by his son, Leo, Jr.. This is the story of an actor's rise from a plumber's helper to the star and centerpiece of one of the most successful movie series of all time: The Bowery Boys, nee the Dead End/Eastside Kids. The realism captured here is overwhelming. The son puts us in the world of the dad and it is if we are there for the meetings, the confrontations, shooting on the set, the explosive family occasions, many of which happened before the author was even born. The feelings he generates and the language he so perfectly captures makes the scene come alive before our eyes. Yes, Leo, Sr., is quoted in his Lower East Side accent throughout the book, both in character and out, which leads me to think, because of this consistency, that maybe that's the way he talked in real life. In these scenes we feel the star's wonderment at his fast rising success and grasp of power, his love and pledged support to his parents, his destruction at his father's unexpected death. But, this is more than a story of an actor out of control; it is as well the attempt of a son to reconcile his love for his father with the constant abusive attention he received. The book moves along quickly to a soul-searching letter from son to now-deceased father that Leo, Jr. shares with us. A sequel is promised in the book; what more he could write about I can't imagine, but I am waiting its publication. (Upon checking with Leo, Jr., I am told that plans for the sequel have been put on hold while their energies are earmarked for making a movie of the first book. Who will play Leo? How about the kid from Malcolm in the Middle?) I will remember this book for a long time and look at the next Bowery Boy film I happen to see with increased respect.

Leo Gorcey, Jr.'s biography of his father, probably the most troubled and trouble-prone of The Dead End Kids, is a "funny valentine." The memories and anecdotes are often bittersweet, owing to Leo Sr.'s often abusive and insensitive behavior.

When the author himself is speaking, the style is very accessible and the writing is very good. (His private thoughts when besieged by superfans are memorable.) But whenever Leo Gorcey the Elder is quoted, it's always in his fractured-English screen characterization. For example, Gorcey's discussion with Bobby Jordan (about producer Jan Grippo and the future of their film series) is just the kind of thing fans want to read about, but the dialect undermines the content: "Let's have a little pow-wow wit dis guy, Grippo, an' surveil duh lan'scape!" The repeated use of dialect is distracting; offscreen conversations are riddled with "Whut are ya, crusadin' fer Alcoholics Analogous or sump'm?" and the like.

In fairness to Gorcey the author, it may have simply been easier to approach the subject as a caricature, to make the total effect more humorous and less painful. The author doesn't blink when recounting his father's (and his own) turning points, and the reader has to admire such honesty.

Mr. Gorcey is already working on another book. This writer wishes him well, and hopes that future attempts to transcribe his father's words will be as faithful and truthful as his own words.

The Dead End Kids were a phenomena unto themselves. And Leo Gorcey was a curse unto himself. As the fame of the Kids rose, Gorcey's troubles increased, and as the fame of the Kids dwindled Leo Gorcey continued in his wild ways. "Me and the Dead End Kid" is the story of Leo Gorcey Jr., and his search for his famous father. As many children of famous fathers find, the life of Leo Jr. was no picnic. When Leo Sr. was `on' he was funny, and had his friends rolling in the aisles. When he was `off', he was unpredictable. Leo Sr. could be drunk, he could be in a fighting mood, or he could be agreeable.

Leo Jr. relates the story of his father's rise in Hollywood starting from his early childhood in New York working at his Uncle's plumbing shop, to his first Broadway and Hollywood success with the Bowery Boys. `Dead End Kids' with Humphrey Bogart was a big success in 1937, and it parlayed into a string of movies for Warner, Monogram, and MGM. By the time he was finished with his movie career in 1966, he had acted in 81 movies, the majority of them as Muggs, Terrence Aloysius `Slip' Mahoney, or Terrence J. Montgomery Mahoney.

His on stage personna as the leader of the Dead End Kids was not so far from reality. The explosive, irreverent, disrespectful, quarrelsome characters he portrayed were very much Leo Gorcey. His five marriages were not quiet, they were confrontational and filled with drunken rages and mental/physical abuse. However, the characters he portrayed clicked with his viewers. Inside the psyche of everyone of us, we wanted to lash out, just like the Boys. That quality which made him popular, was also his downfall.

Fast forward.

Leo Gorcey Jr. stood by his father's gravesite. He struggled with his emotions. Would he mourn his famous father? Or would he be thankful his torment was over? Fast forward again.

Therapy. Leo Gorcey Jr. had found the strength to seek professional help with his problems. He soon realized that through his own life he had inadvertently lived out his father's. He had abused alcohol, he had controlled women with anger and fear, and he had to stop. His struggle to learn about his father, to learn who his father was, was his therapy and the turning point in his life came when he was able to forgive his father. With the help of God, he did, and he was free.

He wrote a letter to his father, and it went: "Dear Dad:

Where do I begin? How do I describe the pain I buried deep in my heart when they lowered you into the ground that day in Los Molinos?...."

It is amazing the depth of pain that Leo Jr. endured at the hands of his father, most of it unknowingly planted. It is even a greater miracle that he has been able to grow out of his pain and share his story with us. This book is amazing. Not just from the first person perspective of Leo Gorcey Jr., or the rare photographs that dot the pages, not from the rarely heard story of a Kid, but from the deeply personal, deeply reaching consequences for NOT dealing with our pasts, and our hurts. All I can say, as I put down the book, and finish this review, is "Thanks." Thanks for your memories, and your honesty, and your not so pleasant memories of your father. Thanks for your candor and courage to tell the truth about the Dead End Kid, and his son who came back from the Dead End, and took a U-turn into a life worth living.

`Me and the Dead End Kid' is available directly from the author online at www.leogorcey.com or from www.amazon.com.

Hi Everyone,

Of course the 5-Star review is tongue-in-cheek since I'm the author of ME AND THE DEAD END KID. ;-)

I want to say a heartfelt THANK YOU to all of you who have read my book and particularly to those who took the time to write reviews (both favorable and unfavorable). Looking back nearly 7 years to the self-publication of ME AND THE DEAD END KID, like any author, I would make some changes. Nonetheless, I'm pleased to see that the book has stood the test of time for nearly 7 years and continues to serve as a source of entertainment, comfort and even healing for many. I still laugh out loud when I peruse it every now and then. Knowing that the book is imperfect, I'm deeply grateful for all of you who got the message and penned your responses with such love.

Now, I turn to my critics (mercifully few as it turns out):

To Scott: Did the Brooklyn dialect hurt? I don't know. I've often thought about that. My Dad did actually speak that way and from what I've heard the added dimension of realism seemed to enhance the experience for many readers. "Tanks fer bringin it to my suspension." ;-)

To Hollywood Hack: You make a good point about including the fans' thoughts. Perhaps I came across too hard on the fans. In my defense I was writing about a certain type of fan. I met many fans during and after writing the book and have spent time with many of them both in person and through correspondence. They've been thoughtful, loving, respectful and supportive. As for the letter, it wasn't my therapist's suggestion. I would likely still include it today as it serves well to 'bookend' a 53-year journey and I think expresses my transformation in a profound way. Was it too vulnerable? Maybe. Thanks for taking the time to write.

To George: Sounds like the book may have hit too close to home. ;-)

To the two reviewers who felt ME AND THE DEAD END KID was "self-pitying": I suspect you may have missed the point. Perhaps my vulnerability made you uncomfortable. My aim in writing the book was precisely to 'own my stuff', let go of the past, forgive my father and re-connect with my love and admiration for him in an authentic way as many of his fans did. I lack the objectivity to judge whether I accomplished that. By reading the other 30-odd reviews, it appears I did, at least on some level.

ON THE FUTURE OF MDEK: I've sold through the hardcover edition and recently released a "Soft Cover" edition. It's a very nice matte finish cover with 'fly pages' which resembles a hard-cover dust jacket. I prefer to refer to it as a "Soft Cover" vs. 'paperback' because it's a lot nicer than a standard glossy cover paperback.

There is a screenplay in the works as well.

To All, may God bless you richly as you have blessed me!

Leo Gorcey, Jr.

Leo Gorcey is best known for his stint in B-movies, a tough guy and comic actor. He started out with the Dead End Kids, moved onto the East Side Kids, and graduated to the Bowrey Boys. There is very little information available about the man other than his penchant for women and his rough demeanor. Gorcey's son attempts to shed some light on the man who was vastly different in his real life than his on-screen persona. He also goes on a personal journey of forgiveness to an abusive father.

In the early days, Gorcey wanted to be a plumber but stumbled upon acting accidentally. His authenticity helped him and soon he was getting rave reviews although he rarely stuck to his scripts. As he aged, he became further dependend on alcohol and tempestuous women. His selfishness led him to ignore his family, many times more interested in his gun collection than the people around him.

This is certainly not the definitive biography, but it does shed some light into the personality of the star. It also helps to know that the stars were not necessarily what they appeared to be on screen, just as Gorcey was not.

Your heart will go out to Leo Gorcey, Jr. as you read this book written about his father, Leo Gorcey: Muggsy, the "Dead End Kid." Years of heart-wrenching torment and thorough soul searching are visible in every word penned by this wonderful man whose account of a turbulent life with the Hollywood legend stirs up similar agonies for those who have encountered life in the household of an alcoholic. Leo, Jr. is a wonderful soul who has written mainly to inspire others that it is possible to overcome, while at the same time he has been able to release his own inner suffering and achieve forgiveness. Leo, Jr. is the true hero of this story as he tells us of his father's lifelong, unfortunate suffering and battling with a most afflicting disease, alcoholism, a disease that cost Leo Gorcey years of love and devotion extended toward his only son. You will not be able to put the book down. I recommend this book to fans of Leo Gorcey, to those who have lived within the depths of alcoholic despair, and to those who simply enjoy reading about life triumphant. God Bless Leo Gorcey, Jr. and believe in his quest to unravel the true legacy of Leo Gorcey, the original, one and only, "Dead End Kid."

"Me And The Dead End Kid", by Leo Gorcey Jr. tells the story of his life with his famous father, who was one of the original Dead End Kids, and later the leader of the "East Side Kids" and "Bowery Boys" as the team came to be known in it's later incarnations at other studios. Although Leo Jr. suffered abuse at the hands of his father, he still loved him, and the last chapter has a fine message about love and forgiveness that is usually missing from other books about abused children of movie star parents. Some readers could be offended by some of the language used by Leo Gorcey in passages quoted in the book, but he did talk that way in real life, if not in his movies.

This is an interesting story of a colorful but very troubled actor. Unfortunately, the son and author has incurred a similar set of demons. After reading the book, I felt I had a lot of knowledge of Leo's bad behaviour, but didn't come away with much respect for the lingering attitudes of the son. Maybe not his fault, but he just doesn't come across as a sympathetic character.

This is a wonderful and unique book. For many baby boomers, Leo Gorcey, aka Spit, Muggs and Slip Mahoney to film fans, is the quintessential Ameican anti-hero. A cutural icon in the truest sense. Yet, as his son describes in the book, he was evidently a tortured sole, numbed by alcohol and violent in his demeanor. Can we still love his characters? Yes. Can his son still love him? Yes. Read Leo Gorcey's Jr.'s incredible story and see how. Unlike most entertainment biographies, this book involves coming to terms with and ultimately accepting those we love. The book is entertaining, funny, sad and insightful. Order it now. You'll ge glad you did.

Ever been asked if you remember The Dead End Kids or The Bowery
Boys films ? 90% of the answers I get start with a mild double take, pause , then a warm smile . My guess is they're remembering Saturday matinee's for a nickle or , if they are my age , eyes
glued to a Zenith TV , laughing like a Hyena.
The Author of,' Me & The Dead End Kid 'has had more conversations about Spit & the gang than all of us put together,
his memories fall under a different catagory.He is Leo Gorcey Jr. son & namesake of Leo Gorcey . Cool , right ! Your dad must
have been a hoot ! Did you know the one with the baseball cap?
Ever meet Humphrey Bogart ? Yeah , that's what I thought too.
Seems Leo Sr. (AKA- Spit,Slip,Chief,Muggs etc.) not only
created the essence of these characters & for the most part ad-
libbed much of their dialogue .Guess what ? Leo Sr. was not acting & was in fact this abusive , always right , bulldog 24/7.
Throw in wealth , vice ,guns & real life without a script to
distinguish good guys from bad & you have one hell of a read.
Rollercoaster from start to finish. Can't help but root for Leo
Jr. to find his way out of this madness.
And that ain't all (far from it).For fanboys like myself ,
there are plenty of detailed information concerning the films,
cast , studios & Hollywood's Golden Age .