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 is best remembered for playing ice cream shop proprietor Louie Dumbrowski in Monogram Pictures' The Bowery Boys series of B movies.

Bernard Gorcey
Born(1886-01-09)9 January 1886
Russia
Died11 September 1955(1955-09-11) (aged 69)
Hollywood, California, US
OccupationActor
Spouse(s)
Josephine Condon
​
(m. 1914)​
Children3, including Leo Gorcey and David Gorcey

Career

Stage

Early in his career Gorcey found success in comedy roles. Between 1907 and 1937 he played in several stage productions, including Tom Jones (1912), What Ails You? (1918), Somebody's Sweetheart (1920) (as "A Mysterious Conspirator"), Always You (1922) (as "Isaac Cohen"), Abie's Irish Rose (1923), Wildflower (1925) (as "Gaston La Roche"), Song of the Flame (1927) (as “Count Boris”), Cherry Blossoms (1930) (as "George Washington Goto"), Pressing Business (1931), Joy of Living (1931), Wonder Boy (1932) (as "Commodore Cohen"), Keeping Expenses Down (1935) (as "Kent J. Goldstein"), Creeping Fire (1935) (as "Mr. Goodman"), and Satellite (1937) (as "Max Goldblatz").

The most successful show of Gorcey’s theatrical career was Abie’s Irish Rose.[1]

Radio and film

He also performed some radio work for the Popeye Show. At 42 years old, he began working in movies. Starting in 1928, he appeared in 67 movies, with minor roles with both Monogram and Warner Bros.[2]

Forty-four of these were with sons Leo and David in The East Side Kids and The Bowery Boys film series. Between 1946 and 1955, there were between four and five Bowery Boys movies annually, with Bernard playing the role of Louie Dumbrowski, the owner of a sweet shop where the Bowery Boys would hang out, usually getting free sodas while planning their next escapade, much to Dumbrowski's displeasure. He also appeared as Charlie Chaplin's meek Jewish neighbor Mr. Mann in the film classic The Great Dictator (1940).

Personal life

Gorcey married Josephine Condon (1897-1975) in 1914 and had 3 sons: Leo, David, and Fred.

On 31 August 1955, he crashed his car into a bus on 4th & LaBrea Avenue in Los Angeles. He died from his injuries on 11 September.[3]

Filmography
YearTitleRoleNotes
1928Abie's Irish RoseIsaac Cohen
1931Words & MusicWalterShort film
1933Pie a la ModeUnknownShort film
1933Nothing But the ToothUnknownShort film
1934Syncopated CityMr. McGillicuddyShort film
1936Bulldog EditionNewsstand Proprietor
1940The Great DictatorMr. Mann
1941So Ends Our NightCarnival Barker
1941Footlight FeverShrimp
1941Out of the FogSam Pepper
1941Ellery Queen and the Perfect CrimeLittle Man with Car Tires
1942Joan of ParisParisian Waiting at Confessional
1942Black DragonsThe Cabbie
1942A Desperate Chance for Ellery QueenMan with Tires at Nightclub
1942Bowery at MidnightShopkeeper
1943Clancy Street BoysLiquor Store OwnerEast Side Kids film
1943A Rookie's CookieUnknownShort film
1943The Unknown GuestMessenger with Telegram
1944Follow the LeaderGinsbergEast Side Kids film
1944Block BustersLippmanEast Side Kids film
1944Bowery ChampsMr. JohnsonEast Side Kids film
1945I Was a CriminalSecond Railroad Employee
1945Docks of New YorkKesselEast Side Kids film
1945The Picture of Dorian GrayStagehand
1945Mr. Muggs Rides AgainMeyerEast Side Kids film
1946Live WiresJack KaneBowery Boys film
1946The French KeyLittle Man
1946In Fast CompanyLouieBowery Boys film
1946Bowery BombshellLouie DumbrowskiBowery Boys film
1946Spook BustersLouieBowery Boys film
1946Mr. HexLouieBowery Boys film
1947Hard Boiled MahoneyLouieBowery Boys film
1947News HoundsLouie DumbrowskiBowery Boys film
1947Bowery BuckaroosLouieBowery Boys film
1947High WallHirsch
1947The Peanut ManUnknown
1948Jinx MoneyLouieBowery Boys film
1948No Minor VicesMr. Zitzfleisch
1948Trouble MakersLouie DumbrowskiBowery Boys film
1949Fighting FoolsLouieBowery Boys film
1949The Set-UpTobacco Man
1949Hold That Baby!LouieBowery Boys film
1949Angels in DisguiseLouie DumbrowskiBowery Boys film
1949The Doctor and the GirlPatient with Newspaper
1949Master MindsLouieBowery Boys film
1950Blonde DynamiteLouie DumbrowskiBowery Boys film
1950Lucky LosersLouie DumbrowskiBowery Boys film
1950Triple TroubleLouie DumbrowskiBowery Boys film
1950Blues BustersLouie DumbrowskiBowery Boys film
1951Bowery BattalionLouie DumbrowskiBowery Boys film
1951Ghost ChasersLouie DumbrowskiBowery Boys film
1951PickupJoe
1951Let's Go Navy!Louie DumbrowskiBowery Boys film
1951Journey Into LightFlophouse Clerk
1951Crazy Over HorsesLouis Xavier 'Louie' DumbrowskiBowery Boys film
1951Chicago CallingUnknown
1952Hold That LineLouie Dumbrowski / Morris DumbrowskiBowery Boys film
1952Here Come the MarinesLouie DumbrowskiBowery Boys film
1952Feudin' FoolsLouie DumbrowskiBowery Boys film
1952No Holds BarredLouie DumbrowskiBowery Boys film
1953JalopyLouie DumbrowskiBowery Boys film
1953Loose in LondonLouie DumbrowskiBowery Boys film
1953Clipped WingsLouie DumbrowskiBowery Boys film
1953Private EyesLouie DumbrowskiBowery Boys film
1954Paris PlayboysLouie DumbrowskiBowery Boys film
1954The Bowery Boys Meet the MonstersLouie DumbrowskiBowery Boys film
1954Jungle GentsLouie DumbrowskiBowery Boys film
1954I Married JoanJoe Perkins/Bailiff/Frisbee/Auction Assistant7 episodes, TV Series
1955Bowery to BagdadLouie DumbrowskiBowery Boys film
1955High SocietyLouie DumbrowskiBowery Boys film
1955Spy ChasersLouie DumbrowskiBowery Boys film
1955Jail BustersLouie DumbrowskiBowery Boys film; released posthumously
1956Dig That UraniumLouie DumbrowskiBowery Boys film; final film role, released posthumously

References
  1. "Archive for Bernard Gorcey". Travalanche. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  2. Rovi. "Bernard Gorcey Biography". Fandago.
  3. https://victoriaanneparker.wordpress.com/2016/06/07/i-know-you-can-hear-me-the-story-of-leo-and-bernard-gorcey-of-the-bowery-boys/
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