''Kid Dynamite'' is a 1943 American film directed by

Wallace Fox Wallace Fox (March 9, 1895 – June 30, 1958) was an American film director. He directed more than 80 films between 1927 and 1953. He was born in Purcell, Oklahoma, and died in Hollywood, California. Selected filmography * ''Trail of Cour ...

and starring the

East Side Kids The East Side Kids were characters in a series of 22 films released by Monogram Pictures from 1940 through 1945. Many of them were originally part of The Dead End Kids and The Little Tough Guys, and several of them later became members of The B ...

. It was based on the 1942 short story ''The Old Gang'' by Paul Ernst and features additional dialogue by comedian

Morey Amsterdam Moritz "Morey" Amsterdam (December 14, 1908 – October 28, 1996) was an American actor, comedian, writer and producer. He played Buddy Sorrell on CBS's ''The Dick Van Dyke Show'' from 1961 to 1966. Early life Amsterdam was born in Chicago ...

. The

working title A working title, which may be abbreviated and styled in trade publications after a putative title as (wt), also called a production title or a tentative title, is the temporary title of a product or project used during its development, usually ...

of this film was ''Little Mobsters''.

Plot

Muggs McGinnis practices for his boxing match the next night. In order to raise money, Muggs and the gang go to Nick's pool hall and challenge hall regular Harry Wycoff to a game of pool. Muggs has pre-arranged with gang member Danny to use special trick chalk for the pool cue so that Wycoff will lose, but Danny is so convinced of Muggs's talent that he does not use the chalk, and Muggs loses the match. When Wycoff insists that Muggs pay off his wager, Muggs hits him in the stomach and leaves without paying. Seeking revenge, Wycoff plots with bookie Tony to eliminate Muggs from the boxing match. The night of the match, Muggs is abducted by a man pretending to be a reporter, who holds him hostage in the back of a car for the duration of the fight. When Muggs does not show up for the match, Danny goes into the ring so that the East Side Kids will not be disqualified. Although Danny is out of shape, he surprises everyone by winning the match. After Muggs is released, he takes the championship belt from Danny and accuses him of arranging the kidnapping. Muggs continues to harass Danny after he learns that Danny has gotten a job at a garage where he had hoped to work, and that Danny has been dating his sister Ivy. When Danny learns about Wycoff's involvement in Muggs' kidnapping, he tries to tell Muggs, but Muggs ostracizes him from the club. Muggs learns from Scruno's father Jackson that Wycoff works for Tony, who is also Jackson's boss, and the East Side Kids start a brawl with Tony and his thugs. The Kids are arrested for disturbing the peace, but the judge releases them without a sentence, and gives Tony and his pals six-months jail time for bookmaking. Later, Danny and Ivy compete in a jitterbug contest, but Muggs and his date are declared the winners until the judge discovers that Muggs' partner is a professional dancer. Muggs is disqualified, and the fifty-dollar prize is awarded to Danny and Ivy. Danny reluctantly turns the money over to Muggs after he threatens him. Danny's boss, Louis Gendick, a father figure, advises Danny that he has outgrown boys like Muggs, and that he should enlist in the Army. Danny's mother consents to his enlistment, and he leaves for training camp. Muggs, meanwhile, is moved to enlist when he sees headlines announcing the Nazis' destruction of the entire Czechoslovakian town of Lidice. Muggs' mother refuses to consent because he appears to be enlisting out of competition with Danny. When Danny returns on leave from training, he proposes to Ivy. Muggs tells Danny that he can still be a member of the gang if he helps them steal tires from Gendick, but Danny now refuses to take orders from Muggs. Danny bests Muggs in a fistfight, which alleviates the tensions between the two old friends. Muggs, who always vowed that the man who married his sister would have to beat him first, now renews his friendship with Danny, and he and Glimpy join the service.

Cast

The East Side Kids

Leo Gorcey Leo Bernard Gorcey (June 3, 1917– June 2, 1969) was an American stage and film actor, famous for portraying the leader of a group of hooligans known variously as the Dead End Kids, the East Side Kids and, as adults, The Bowery Boys. Gorcey was ...

as Ethelbert "Muggs" McGinnis *

Huntz Hall Henry Richard "Huntz" Hall (August 15, 1920 – January 30, 1999) was an American radio, stage, and movie performer who appeared in the popular "Dead End Kids" movies, including ''Angels with Dirty Faces'' (1938), and in the later " Bowery ...

as Glimpy McGleavey *

Bobby Jordan Robert G. Jordan (April 1, 1923 – September 10, 1965) was an American actor, most notable for being a member of the Dead End Kids, the East Side Kids, and The Bowery Boys. Early life and career Jordan was born in Harrison, New York, At ...

as Danny Lyons *

Benny Bartlett Floyd B. Bartlett, known professionally as Benny Bartlett or Bennie Bartlett (August 16, 1924 – December 26, 1999), was an American child actor, musician, and later a member of the long-running feature-film series ''The Bowery Boys''. Biog ...

as Benny 'Beanie' Miller * Sunshine Sammy as Scruno Jackson *Bobby Stone as Harold "Stoney" Stone * David Durand as Joe "Skinny" Collins

Additional Cast

Gabriel Dell Gabriel Dell (born Gabriel Marcel Dell Vecchio; October 8, 1919 – July 3, 1988) was an American actor and one of the members of what came to be known as the Dead End Kids, then later the East Side Kids and finally The Bowery Boys. Acting care ...

as Harry Wycoff *

Pamela Blake Pamela Blake (August 6, 1915 – October 6, 2009) was an American film actress who acted in almost 50 films. She is known primarily for her roles in western films and serials. Early years Blake was born in Oakland, California as Adele Pea ...

as Ivy McGinnis *

Vince Barnett Vince Barnett (July 4, 1902 – August 10, 1977) was an American film actor. He appeared on stage originally before appearing in more than 230 films between 1930 and 1975. Early years Barnett was born July 4, 1902, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylva ...

as Klinkhammer *

Daphne Pollard Daphne Pollard (born Daphne Trott; October 19, 1891 – February 22, 1978) was an Australian-born vaudeville performer and dancer, active on stage and later in US films, mostly short comedies. Diminutive stage star Born Daphne Trott, in the in ...

as Mrs. McGinnis *

Charles Judels Charles Judels (August 17, 1882 - February 14, 1969) was a Dutch-born American actor. Early years Judels was born on August 17, 1882, in Amsterdam as a third generation in a family of actors. His grandfather owned several theatres throughout th ...

as Nick, pool hall owner *

Dudley Dickerson Dudley Henry Dickerson Jr. (November 27, 1906September 23, 1968) was an American film actor. Born in Chickasha, Oklahoma, he appeared in nearly 160 films between 1932 and 1952, and is best remembered for his roles in several Three Stooges films ...

as Mr. Jackson, Scruno's father * Henry Hall as Louis Gendick *

Minerva Urecal Minerva Urecal (born Florence Minerva Dunnuck; September 22, 1894 – February 26, 1966) was an American stage and radio performer as well as a character actress in Hollywood films and on various television series from the early 1950s to 19 ...

as Judge *

Wheeler Oakman Wheeler Oakman (born Vivian Eichelberger; February 21, 1890 – March 19, 1949) was an American film actor. Early years Oakman was born as Vivian Eichelberger in Washington, D.C., and educated in that city's schools. He grew up in Fairfax, Virg ...

as Tony, bookie *

Marguerita Padula Marguerita Anna Padula (December 20, 1890 – February 22, 1957) was an American actress and performer, active in film, vaudeville and radio. She was often typified as a character actress, with her film credits including ''Hit the Deck'', ''The ...

as Mrs. Lyons *

Jack Mulhall John Joseph Francis Mulhall (October 7, 1887 – June 1, 1979) was an American film actor beginning in the silent film era who successfully transitioned to sound films, appearing in over 430 films in a career spanning 50 years. Early years Mu ...

as Clancy, second abductor *Kay Marvis as Kay, Muggs' dance partner *Ray Miller as Ray, first abductor *Mike Riley's Orchestra as themselves *Marion Miller as singer at dance contest *

Snub Pollard Harold Fraser (9 November 1889 – 19 January 1962), known professionally as Snub Pollard, was an Australian-born vaudevillian, who became a silent film comedian in Hollywood, popular in the 1920s. Career Born in Melbourne, Australia, on 9 No ...

as dance official

Soundtrack

*Mike Riley's Orchestra and Marion Miller - "Comin' Thro' the Rye" (Traditional Scottish music, Words by

Robert Burns Robert Burns (25 January 175921 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who hav ...

)

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Kid Dynamite 1943 films American black-and-white films American boxing films 1940s sports comedy films Monogram Pictures films Films based on short fiction Films produced by Sam Katzman American sports comedy films 1943 comedy films Films directed by Wallace Fox East Side Kids 1940s English-language films 1940s American films