Stanley Clements (born Stanislaw Klimowicz; July 16, 1926 – October 16, 1981) was an American actor and comedian, best known for portraying "Stash" in the East Side Kids film series, and group leader Stanislaus "Duke" Coveleskie in

The Bowery Boys The Bowery Boys are fictional New York City characters, portrayed by a company of New York actors, who were the subject of 48 feature films released by Monogram Pictures and its successor Allied Artists Pictures Corporation from 1946 through 1 ...

film series.

Life and career

Stanley Clements was born in

Long Island, New York Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United States and the 18th ...

. Young "Stosh" (the Polish diminutive nickname for "Stanislau") realized that he wanted a show-business career while he was in grammar school, and after he graduated from Brooklyn's P.S. 49 in 1938, for the next two years he toured in

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...

and found work in radio. He then joined the touring company of the ''

Major Bowes Amateur Hour The ''Major Bowes Amateur Hour'' was an American radio talent show broadcast in the 1930s and 1940s, created and hosted by Edward Bowes (1874–1946). Selected performers from the program participated in touring vaudeville performances, under ...

''. His career stalled in 1940, and Clements was reduced to panhandling for a time to survive. In 1941, he was signed to a contract by 20th Century-Fox and appeared in juvenile/teen roles in several B films for the studio.

East Side Kids

In 1942 he was loaned to

Monogram Pictures Monogram Pictures Corporation was an American film studio that produced mostly low-budget films between 1931 and 1953, when the firm completed a transition to the name Allied Artists Pictures Corporation. Monogram was among the smaller studios i ...

. Among his friends he was known offscreen as "Stosh," so he adopted the nickname "Stash" in the ensemble-cast film series, 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 ...

. He appeared as an East Side Kid in ''

Smart Alecks ''Smart Alecks'' is a 1942 American film directed by Wallace Fox and starring the East Side Kids. Plot Hank Salko, a member of the Eastside youth gang in New York, is initiated into the world of adult crime when two gangsters, Mike and Butch Br ...

'', '' 'Neath Brooklyn Bridge'', and ''

Ghosts on the Loose ''Ghosts on the Loose'' is a 1943 American comedy horror film and the fourteenth film in the East Side Kids series, directed by William Beaudine. The picture co-stars horror film icon Bela Lugosi as well as Ava Gardner in one of her earliest rol ...

''. He retained the character name of "Stash" in other films: ''

Right to the Heart ''Right to the Heart'' is a 1942 American comedy film directed by Eugene Forde and written by Walter Bullock.The film stars Brenda Joyce, Joseph Allen, Cobina Wright and Stanley Clements. It is based on a short story by Harold MacGrath, which ...

'', ''

Military Academy with That Tenth Avenue Gang ''Military Academy with That Tenth Avenue Gang'' is a 1950 American comedy drama film directed by D. Ross Lederman, and starring Stanley Clements, Danny Welton, and Gene Collins. Plot Cast *Stanley Clements as Stash *Danny Welton as Danny *Ge ...

'', and ''

Boots Malone ''Boots Malone'' is a 1952 American drama film directed by William Dieterle. It stars William Holden as a down-on-his-luck sports agent and Johnny Stewart as a rich runaway who wants to become a jockey. Plot Down on his luck, jockey agent "Boot ...

''.

Marriage

In August 1945, Clements married actress

Gloria Grahame Gloria Grahame Hallward (November 28, 1923 – October 5, 1981) was an Academy Award-winning American actress and singer. She began her acting career in theatre, and in 1944 made her first film for MGM. Despite a featured role in ''It's a Wond ...

, who played bad girl Violet Bick in ''

It's a Wonderful Life ''It's a Wonderful Life'' is a 1946 American Christmas fantasy drama film produced and directed by Frank Capra, based on the short story and booklet ''The Greatest Gift'', which Philip Van Doren Stern self-published in 1943 and is in turn loos ...

'', and who later won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for ''

The Bad and The Beautiful ''The Bad and the Beautiful'' is a 1952 American melodrama that tells the story of a film producer who alienates everyone around him. The film was directed by Vincente Minnelli, written by George Bradshaw and Charles Schnee, and starring Lana T ...

''. The marriage was a stormy one, with Grahame objecting to Clements's drinking and gambling, and Clements being jealous of her dalliances with other men, and it ended in 1948. He married Maria Walek in 1951. In 1964 they adopted her eight-year-old nephew, Sylvester, bringing him to the United States from Poland.

Other roles

After the East Side Kids, Clements then set out on his own again, this time landing roles in more prestigious pictures. He was featured in perhaps his best-known role as teenage street-tough-turned-choirboy "Tony Scaponi" in the 1944

Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, musician and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwide. He was a ...

hit ''

Going My Way ''Going My Way'' is a 1944 American musical comedy drama film directed by Leo McCarey and starring Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald. Written by Frank Butler and Frank Cavett based on a story by McCarey, the film is about a new young priest ta ...

'', and scored a great success as a jockey in the 1945 Alan Ladd feature ''

Salty O'Rourke ''Salty O'Rourke'' is a 1945 American drama film directed by Raoul Walsh and starring Alan Ladd and Gail Russell. It was nominated for an Academy Award in 1946. Plot In New Orleans, racetrack gambler Salty O'Rourke is pursued by gangster Doc Ba ...

''. Clements's acting career was interrupted by U.S. Army service as a private first class just after

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. When he returned in 1947, he began appearing in more adult roles in lower-budgeted films, including '' Johnny Holiday'' (cast against type as a psychopath) and ''

Destination Murder ''Destination Murder'' is a 1950 American crime film noir directed by Edward L. Cahn. The drama features Joyce MacKenzie, Stanley Clements and Hurd Hatfield. Plot During a five-minute movie intermission, Jackie Wales leaves a theater, gets in ...

'' (as a hired killer). He starred in a series of action/detective pictures at the successor to Monogram Pictures, Allied Artists, for producer Ben Schwalb and director

Edward Bernds Edward Bernds (July 12, 1905May 20, 2000) was an American screenwriter and director, born in Chicago, Illinois. Career While in his junior year in Lake View High School, he and several friends formed a small radio clique and obtained amateur li ...

The Bowery Boys

In 1945 after

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 ...

left the East Side Kids in a salary dispute with producer

Sam Katzman Sam Katzman (July 7, 1901 – August 4, 1973) was an American film producer and director. Katzman produced low-budget genre films, including serials, which had disproportionately high returns for the studios and his financial backers. E ...

, Gorcey's teammate Bobby Jordan arranged a meeting with his agent, Jan Grippo. Gorcey partnered with Grippo to produce a new "gang" series called

, with Gorcey owning a 40% share in the franchise. Gorcey's real-life father

Bernard Gorcey Bernard Gorcey (9 January 1886 – 11 September 1955) was a Russian-born American actor. He began in Vaudeville, performed on Broadway, and appeared in multiple shorts and films. He portrayed ice cream shop proprietor Louie Dumbrowski i ...

was added to the cast as Louie Dumbrowski, proprietor of Louie's Sweet Shop, the headquarters of The Bowery Boys. Younger brother

David Gorcey David Gorcey (February 6, 1921 – October 23, 1984) was an American actor and the younger brother of actor Leo Gorcey. Gorcey is best known for portraying "Chuck Anderson" in Monogram Pictures' film series The Bowery Boys, and "Pee Wee" in i ...

, formerly one of the East Side Kids, returned to appear in the new series. After Bernard Gorcey was killed in an auto accident in 1955, a grief-stricken Leo Gorcey turned to alcohol for solace and became a disruptive presence in the studio during the filming of ''

Crashing Las Vegas ''Crashing Las Vegas'' is a 1956 American comedy film directed by Jean Yarbrough and starring the comedy team The Bowery Boys. The film was released on April 22, 1956 by Allied Artists and is the 41st film in the series. It was the last of the s ...

'', trashing scenery and destroying props. In 1956 Gorcey demanded a larger share of ownership from Allied Artists, which was denied, and after a heated conversation, Gorcey stormed off the studio lot and quit the series. When the series's then-producer Ben Schwalb needed a replacement for Gorcey, he asked Stanley Clements to step in as The Bowery Boys' new ringleader, Stanislaus "Duke" Coveleskie (although Huntz Hall received top billing). Clements comfortably settled into the role of

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 ...

's sidekick, and co-starred in the final seven Bowery Boys comedies, beginning with ''

Fighting Trouble ''Fighting Trouble'' is a 1956 American comedy film directed by George Blair and starring The Bowery Boys. It was released on September 16, 1956, by Allied Artists. The 42nd film in the Bowery Boys series, it was the first to feature Stanley Cle ...

''.

Later career and death

Following the end of The Bowery Boys franchise in 1958, Clements went on to a steady career of supporting roles in film and television. Clements co-wrote the film ''

The Devil's Partner ''The Devil's Partner'' is a 1923 American silent film directed by Caryl S. Fleming and starring Norma Shearer, Charles Delaney and Henry Sedley.Jacobs & Braum p.71 Cast * Norma Shearer as Jeanne * Charles Delaney as Pierre * Henry Sedle ...

'' (1958, not released until 1961). In 1960 Clements appeared as Clyde Simpson in the TV western '' Tales of Wells Fargo'' starring ''

Dale Robertson Dayle Lymoine Robertson (July 14, 1923February 27, 2013) was an American actor best known for his starring roles on television. He played the roving investigator Jim Hardie in the television series ''Tales of Wells Fargo'' and railroad owner Ben ...

'' in the episode "Doc Dawson." He appeared in a 1962 episode, "The Craziest Race in Town," of the adventure drama series '' Straightaway''. Clements also appeared in an episode of

Gomer Pyle USMC ''Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.''The show (and CBS) renders the title as ''Gomer Pyle – USMC''. is an American situation comedy that originally aired on CBS from September 25, 1964, to May 2, 1969. The series was a spin-off of ''The Andy Griffith Sho ...

entitled "Sergeant of The Guard" aired April 2, 1965. One of his last jobs was an appearance in a nationally advertised commercial for Pringle's potato chips. On October 16, 1981, Stanley Clements died at age 55 from

emphysema Emphysema, or pulmonary emphysema, is a lower respiratory tract disease, characterised by air-filled spaces ( pneumatoses) in the lungs, that can vary in size and may be very large. The spaces are caused by the breakdown of the walls of the alve ...

Pasadena, California Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commercial district. I ...

, 11 days after the passing of his first wife Gloria Grahame. He is buried at

Riverside National Cemetery Riverside National Cemetery (RNC) is a cemetery located in Riverside, California, dedicated to the interment of United States military personnel. The cemetery covers , making it the largest cemetery managed by the National Cemetery Administratio ...

Riverside Riverside may refer to: Places Australia * Riverside, Tasmania, a suburb of Launceston, Tasmania Canada * Riverside (electoral district), in the Yukon * Riverside, Calgary, a neighbourhood in Alberta * Riverside, Manitoba, a former rural m ...

, California.

Films

*''

Tall, Dark and Handsome "Tall, dark, and handsome" is a phrase that refers to an appealing man, often found in romantic fiction aimed at women. History The term came to prominent use in the early 1900s and was commonly used in Hollywood during the 1920s to describe Ru ...

'' (1941) - Detroit Harry Morrison Jr. *''

Accent on Love ''Accent on Love'' is a 1941 American drama film directed and filmed by Ray McCarey and written by John Larkin. The film stars George Montgomery, Osa Massen, J. Carrol Naish, Cobina Wright, Stanley Clements and Minerva Urecal. It was released ...

'' (1941) - Patrick Henry Lombroso *''

Down in San Diego ''Down in San Diego'' is a 1941 American adventure film directed by Robert B. Sinclair and written by Franz Schulz and Harry Clork. The black-and-white movie was filmed in San Diego and stars Bonita Granville, Ray McDonald, Dan Dailey, Leo Gor ...

'' (1941) - Louie Schwartz *''

I Wake Up Screaming ''I Wake Up Screaming'' (originally titled ''Hot Spot'') is a 1941 film noir. It is based on the novel of the same name by Steve Fisher, adapted by Dwight Taylor. The film stars Betty Grable, Victor Mature and Carole Landis, and features one of G ...

'' (1941) - Newsboy (uncredited) *''

'' (1942) - Stash *'' On the Sunny Side'' (1942) - Tom Sanders *''

''* (1942) - Stash *'' 'Neath Brooklyn Bridge''* (1942) - Stash *''

They Got Me Covered ''They Got Me Covered'', also known as ''Washington Story'' and ''The Washington Angle'', is a 1943 comedy film directed by David Butler and starring Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour. Otto Preminger appears in a supporting role. Plot In mid 1941, a ...

'' (1943) - Office Boy (uncredited) *''

The More the Merrier ''The More the Merrier'' is a 1943 American comedy film by Columbia Pictures starring Jean Arthur, Joel McCrea and Charles Coburn, and directed by George Stevens. The film script — from "Two's a Crowd", an original screenplay by Garson Kan ...

'' (1943) - Morton Rodakiewicz *''

''* (1943) - Stash *'' Thank Your Lucky Stars'' (1943) - Boy (uncredited) *'' Sweet Rosie O'Grady'' (1943) - Danny (uncredited) *'' You're a Lucky Fellow, Mr. Smith'' (1943) - Alexander Archibald "Squirt" O'Reilly *''

Cover Girl A cover girl is a woman whose photograph features on the front cover of a magazine. She may be a model, celebrity or entertainer. The term would generally not be used to describe a casual, once-off appearance by a person on the cover of a maga ...

'' (1944) - Elevator Boy (uncredited) *'' The Girl in the Case'' (1944) - Tuffy *''

'' (1944) - Tony Scaponi (uncredited) *''

See My Lawyer ''See My Lawyer'' is a 1945 American comedy film directed by Edward F. Cline and written by Edmund Hartmann and Stanley Davis. It is based on the 1939 musical ''See My Lawyer'' by Richard Maibaum and Harry Clork. The film stars Ole Olsen, Chi ...

'' (1945) - Willie *''

'' (1945) - Johnny Cates *''

Variety Girl ''Variety Girl'' is a 1947 American musical comedy film directed by George Marshall and starring Mary Hatcher, Olga San Juan, DeForest Kelley, Frank Ferguson, Glenn Tryon, Nella Walker, Torben Meyer, Jack Norton, and William Demarest. It was ...

'' (1947) - Stanley Clements (uncredited) *''

Big Town Scandal ''Big Town Scandal'' is a 1948 American crime film directed by William C. Thomas and written by Milton Raison. The film stars Phillip Reed, Hillary Brooke, Stanley Clements, Darryl Hickman, Carl Switzer and Roland Dupree. It was released on May ...

'' (1948) - Tommy Malone *''

Hazard A hazard is a potential source of harm Harm is a moral and legal concept. Bernard Gert construes harm as any of the following: * pain * death * disability * mortality * loss of abil ity or freedom * loss of pleasure. Joel Feinberg giv ...

'' (1948) - Joe Zinkle, Bellhop *'' Canon City'' (1948) - New *''

The Babe Ruth Story ''The Babe Ruth Story'' is a 1948 biographical film of Babe Ruth, the famed New York Yankees slugger. It stars William Bendix (New York Yankee batboy in the 1920s) as the ballplayer and Claire Trevor as his wife Claire Merritt Hodgson. Critic ...

'' (1948) - Western Union Boy *''

Joe Palooka in Winner Take All ''Joe Palooka in Winner Take All'' is a 1948 American film in the ''Joe Palooka'' series. It was directed by Reginald Le Borg. Cast * Joe Kirkwood, Jr. as Joe Palooka * Elyse Knox as Anne Howe * William Frawley as Knobby Walsh * Stanley Clements ...

'' (1948) - Tommy Malone *'' Racing Luck'' (1948) - Boots Warren *'' Bad Boy'' (1949) - Bitsy Johnson *''

Mr. Soft Touch ''Mr. Soft Touch'' is a 1949 American film noir crime film directed by Gordon Douglas and Henry Levin and starring Glenn Ford and Evelyn Keyes. The film is also known as ''House of Settlement''. Plot Polish American Joe Miracle (Mirakowski) re ...

'' (1949) - Yonzi *'' Red Light'' (1949) - Bellboy *'' Johnny Holiday'' (1949) - Eddie Duggan *''

'' (1950) - Stash Martin *''

'' (1950) - Jackie Wales *''

Pride of Maryland ''Pride of Maryland'' is a 1951 American drama film directed by Philip Ford and written by John K. Butler. The film stars Stanley Clements, Peggy Stewart, Frankie Darro, Joe Sawyer, Robert Barrat and Harry Shannon. The film was released on Jan ...

'' (1951) - Frankie Longworth *''

'' (1952) - Stash Clements *'' Jet Job'' (1952) - Joe Kovak *''

Army Bound ''Army Bound'' is a 1952 American drama film directed by Paul Landres and written by Al Martin. The film stars Stanley Clements, Karen Sharpe, Steve Brodie, Jeffrey Stone, Harry Hayden, Lela Bliss and Gil Stratton. The film was released on Oct ...

'' (1952) - Frank Cermak *'' Off Limits'' (1952) - Bullets Bradley *'' White Lightning'' (1953) - Mike Connors *''

Hot News ''Hot News'' is a 1928 American silent comedy film produced and distributed by Paramount Famous Lasky Corporation, an amalgamation of Famous Players-Lasky and Paramount Pictures. Clarence Badger directed and Bebe Daniels starred. Cast * Bebe ...

'' (1953) - Mark Miller - Reporter *'' The Rocket Man'' (1954) - Bob *''

Air Strike An airstrike, air strike or air raid is an offensive operation carried out by aircraft. Air strikes are delivered from aircraft such as blimps, balloons, fighters, heavy bombers, ground attack aircraft, attack helicopters and drones. The offic ...

'' (1955) - G.H. Alexander *''Mad at the World'' (1955) - Marty aka Ignatz *'' Robbers' Roost'' (1955) - Chuck *'' Wiretapper'' (1955) - Tony *''

Last of the Desperados ''Last of the Desperados'' is a 1955 American Western (genre), Western film directed by Sam Newfield and written by Orville H. Hampton. The film stars James Craig (actor), James Craig, Jim Davis (actor), Jim Davis, Barton MacLane, Margia Dean, D ...

'' (1955) - Bert McGuire *''

''* (1956) - Stanislaus "Duke" Coveleskie *'' Death of a Scoundrel'' (1956) - Taxi Driver (uncredited) *'' Hot Shots''* (1956) - Stanislaus "Duke" Coveleskie *''

Hold That Hypnotist ''Hold That Hypnotist'' is a 1957 American comedy film starring the comedy team of The Bowery Boys. The film was released on March 10, 1957 by Allied Artists and is the forty-fourth film in the series. Plot The Bowery Boys' landlady Mrs. Kelly b ...

''* (1957) - Stanislaus "Duke" Coveleskie *''

Spook Chasers ''Spook Chasers'' is a 1957 horror/comedy film starring the comedy team of The Bowery Boys and Robert Shayne. The film was released on June 2, 1957 by Allied Artists and is the forty-fifth film in the series. Plot Café owner Mike Clancy is told ...

''* (1957) - Stanislaus "Duke" Coveleskie *''

Looking for Danger ''Looking for Danger'' is a 1957 American comedy film directed by Austen Jewell and starring the comedy team of The Bowery Boys. The film was released on October 6, 1957 by Allied Artists and is the forty-sixth film in the series. Plot Duke reco ...

''* (1957) - Stanislaus "Duke" Coveleskie *'' Up in Smoke''* (1957) - Stanislaus "Duke" Coveleskie *''

Official Detective ''Official Detective'' is an American anthology television series which aired in syndication from 1957 to March 19, 1958. The series was hosted by veteran film actor Everett Sloane.McNeil, Alex (1996). ''Total Television'' (4th ed.). New York: P ...

'' (1957, TV Series) - Rudy Armstrong *''

In the Money In finance, moneyness is the relative position of the current price (or future price) of an underlying asset (e.g., a stock) with respect to the strike price of a derivative, most commonly a call option or a put option. Moneyness is firstly a thr ...

''* (1958) - Stanislaus "Duke" Coveleskie *''

A Nice Little Bank That Should Be Robbed ''A Nice Little Bank That Should Be Robbed'' is a 1958 American comedy film directed by Henry Levin and written by Sydney Boehm. The film stars Tom Ewell, Mickey Rooney, Mickey Shaughnessy, Dina Merrill, Madge Kennedy and Frances Bavier. The fil ...

'' (1958) - Fitz *''

Sniper's Ridge ''Sniper's Ridge'' is a 1961 Korean War drama film directed by John A. Bushelman and starring Jack Ging and Stanley Clements. Plot In the days before the Korean War#Armistice .28July 1953 .E2.80.93 November 1954.29, cease-fire, a hard-luck platoo ...

'' (1961) - Cpl. Pumphrey *''

Saintly Sinners ''Saintly Sinners'' is a 1962 American comedy-drama film directed by Jean Yarbrough and starring Don Beddoe, Ellen Corby, Stanley Clements and Paul Bryar."'Saintly Sinners,' a Comedy, Arrives" ''New York Times'' 29 Mar 1962: 28. Plot Ex-con Josep ...

'' (1962) - Slim *''

Devil's Partner ''Devil's Partner'' is a 1958 American film starring Ed Nelson, directed by Charles R. Rondeau and produced by Hugh Hooker, an actor and stuntman who had previously made the 1958 film ''The Littlest Hobo''. However the film was not released unti ...

'' (1962, screenwriter) *''

Tammy and the Doctor ''Tammy and the Doctor'' is a 1963 Eastmancolor romantic comedy film directed by Harry Keller and starring Sandra Dee as Tambrey "Tammy" Tyree and Peter Fonda (in his film debut) as Dr. Mark Cheswick. It is the third of the four Tammy films. Pl ...

'' (1963) - Wally Day *''

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World ''It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World'' is a 1963 American comedy film produced and directed by Stanley Kramer with a story and screenplay by William Rose and Tania Rose. The film, starring Spencer Tracy with an all-star cast of comedians, is a ...

'' (1963) - local reporter at police station (uncredited) *'' Panic in the City'' (1968) - Albert *''

The Timber Tramps ''Timber Tramps'' is a 1975 film directed by Tay Garnett and starring Claude Akins and Leon Ames. It was the final film by Garnett. Cast * Claude Akins as Matt *Leon Ames as Deacon *Eve Brent as Corey *Joseph Cotten as Greedy sawmill mogul *Ces ...

'' (1975) *''

Hot Lead and Cold Feet ''Hot Lead and Cold Feet'' (originally titled ''Welcome to Bloodshy'') is a 1978 American comedy-Western film produced by Walt Disney Productions and starring Jim Dale, Karen Valentine, Don Knotts, Jack Elam and Darren McGavin. It was release ...

'' (1978) - Saloon Man 2 (final film role) - East Side Kids or Bowery Boys series

Television

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Clements, Stanley 1926 births 1981 deaths American male film actors Burials at Riverside National Cemetery Deaths from emphysema Vaudeville performers 20th Century Studios contract players 20th-century American male actors United States Army soldiers