Leo Gorcey

Known for ActingBorn 1917-06-03Died 1969-06-02New York City, New York, USA

Leo Gorcey's parents were actor Bernard Gorcey (born 1888) who stood 4' 10", and Josephine Condon (born 1901), who stood 4' 11" and weighed 95 pounds; they worked in vaudeville in New York. In 1915, 14-year-old Josephine gave birth to Fred. In 1917, Leo was born, a large baby at 12 lb. 3 oz.; as an adult he would be 5' 6". In 1921 his brother David Gorcey was born. In 1935, Leo and David appeared in the stage play "Dead End." In 1937, this was made into a movie, and Leo became one of the busiest actors for the next 20 years -- from 1937-1939 he starred in seven Dead End Kids movies, from 1940-1945 in 21 East Side Kids films, from 1946-1956 in 41 Bowery Boys movies. In 1939, Leo married 17-year-old dancer Kay Marvis, who appeared in four of his movies. They divorced in 1944 after five years of marriage; she went on to marry Groucho Marx. In 1945, Leo married Evalene Bankston; they divorced in 1948. Leo was to have paid her $50,000 in a divorce settlement; however, when two detectives she hired broke into his home, he retaliated by firing his gun at them. They sued, and Leo countersued for illegal entry and won $35,000 back. In 1949, Leo married Amelita Ward, whom he met while filming Smugglers' Cove (1948). Their marriage produced Leo Gorcey Jr. in 1949, and a baby girl they named Jan (after Leo's producer and manager, Jan Grippo) in 1951. They divorced in 1956. That year Leo married his young nanny, Brandy, who was taking care of his two kids. They had a baby girl, Brandy Jo, in 1958. The couple divorced in 1962. Leo went to the altar one last time in February, 1968, marrying Mary Gannon. He stayed married to her until his death from liver failure on June 2, 1969, in Oakland, California.Read more

Movies & web series

Dracula: A Cinematic Scrapbook

Headin' East

The Bowery Boys: Legends of Laughter

Bowery Battalion

Spy Chasers

Let's Go Navy!

Docks of New York

Block Busters

Mr. Muggs Steps Out

Private Eyes

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

Blonde Dynamite

Come Out Fighting

Angels with Dirty Faces

Classic Comedy Teams

Here Come the Marines

Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage

Gallant Sons

Bowery Champs

Mr. Hex

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

Clipped Wings

Hold That Line

Triple Trouble

Mr. Muggs Rides Again

Kid Dynamite

Dead End

Private Detective

Hard Boiled Mahoney

News Hounds

Ghost Chasers

Hell's Kitchen

Jail Busters

Destroyer

In Fast Company

Crazy Over Horses

Blues Busters

So This Is New York

Maisie Gets Her Man

Lucky Losers

Down in San Diego

Bowery Buckaroos

Angels Wash Their Faces

Mr. Wise Guy

Clancy Street Boys

On Dress Parade

Bowery Bombshell

Master Minds