Poverty Row/Eastside/Dead End Kids, et.al.
by Ten-Inch-Toni | created - 28 Dec 2020 | updated - 17 Jan 2021 | PublicThese are what was called Poverty Row films mainly from the '30s & '40s. Mostly set in New York although they were filmed mainly in California. Many will be NY street kids. Some will be Oakeys like Ma & Pa Kettle. All are considered B movies. From the B side of the 45rmp records. In no specific order of preference.
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1. Hell's Kitchen (1939)
Passed | 81 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
A group of tough city kids have 'graduated' from reform school and are assigned to a "Boy's Town" type of inmate self-government city shelter. The shelter is run by Hiram Krispan (Grant ... See full summary »
Directors: Ewald André Dupont, Lewis Seiler | Stars: The Dead End Kids, Margaret Lindsay, Ronald Reagan, Stanley Fields
Votes: 386
2. Dead End (1937)
Approved | 93 min | Crime, Drama, Film-Noir
The lives of a young man, a young woman, an notorious gangster, and a group of street kids converge one day in a volatile New York City slum.
Director: William Wyler | Stars: Sylvia Sidney, Joel McCrea, Humphrey Bogart, Wendy Barrie
Votes: 8,586
3. Portia on Trial (1937)
Approved | 72 min | Crime, Drama
Lady lawyer Portia Merryman (Frieda Inescourt) defends woebegone Elizabeth Manners (Heather Angel), who is on trial for shooting her lover Earle Condon (Neil Hamilton).
Director: George Nicholls Jr. | Stars: Walter Abel, Frieda Inescort, Neil Hamilton, Heather Angel
Votes: 88
4. Headin' East (1937)
Approved | 67 min | Drama, Western
Buck Benson (Buck Jones), whose father, M.H.Benson (John Elliott),heads a lettuce growers association, volunteers to go to New York City to put an end to the racketeering activities of a ... See full summary »
Director: Ewing Scott | Stars: Buck Jones, Ruth Coleman, Shemp Howard, Donald Douglas
Votes: 24
5. Angels Wash Their Faces (1939)
Approved | 86 min | Drama, Romance
A young man just released from a reformatory moves to a new neighborhood with his sister, intending to start a new life, but he gets mixed up with the local mob boss and corrupt politicians... See full summary »
Director: Ray Enright | Stars: Ann Sheridan, Billy Halop, Bernard Punsly, Leo Gorcey
Votes: 572
6. On Dress Parade (1939)
Passed | 62 min | Action, Comedy, Drama
The Dead End Kids are sent to military school.
Directors: William Clemens, Noel M. Smith | Stars: Billy Halop, Bobby Jordan, Huntz Hall, Gabriel Dell
Votes: 358 | Gross: $0.10M
7. Quick Millions (1931)
72 min | Crime, Drama
Truck driver Bugs Raymond organizes the trucking associations and takes protection money. Now rich, he decides to marry socialite Dorothy Stone. She rejects him for another, so he plots to kidnap her on her wedding day.
Director: Rowland Brown | Stars: Spencer Tracy, Marguerite Churchill, Sally Eilers, Bob Burns
Votes: 405
8. Boys of the City (1940)
Approved | 68 min | Comedy, Mystery, Thriller
Street kids get sent to the country, where they get mixed up in murder and a haunted house.
Director: Joseph H. Lewis | Stars: Bobby Jordan, Leo Gorcey, Hal E. Chester, Frankie Burke
Votes: 665
9. Gallant Sons (1940)
Approved | 76 min | Mystery
Two childhood friends have a falling out because of their fathers' occupations, which lands one father in jail.
Director: George B. Seitz | Stars: Jackie Cooper, Bonita Granville, Gene Reynolds, Gail Patrick
Votes: 299
10. Pride of the Bowery (1940)
Approved | 61 min | Comedy, Drama
New York City street principles get an East Side kid in trouble at a Civilian Conservation Corps camp.
Director: Joseph H. Lewis | Stars: Leo Gorcey, Bobby Jordan, Kenneth Howell, Mary Ainslee
Votes: 628
11. Flying Wild (1941)
Passed | 64 min | Comedy, Mystery
A group of young men who work at an aviation factory begin to suspect that a doctor who runs an air ambulance service is secretly a spy transporting secret information from the plant to enemy agents.
Director: William Beaudine | Stars: Leo Gorcey, Bobby Jordan, Joan Barclay, Dave O'Brien
Votes: 537
12. Angels with Broken Wings (1941)
Passed | 72 min | Comedy, Music, Romance
Charlotte Lord, a widow in her early forties and owner of Manhattan's smartest modiste shop, is about to marry Guy Barton, a wealthy businessman. The marriage has the full approval of ... See full summary »
Director: Bernard Vorhaus | Stars: Binnie Barnes, Gilbert Roland, Mary Lee, Billy Gilbert
Votes: 80
13. Spooks Run Wild (1941)
Approved | 65 min | Horror, Comedy
The boys are stranded in a small rural town, they hear about a "monster killer" roaming the countryside. At night, they sneak out. Peewee is shot by a grave-digger, and they are forced to seek aid at an old mansion.
Director: Phil Rosen | Stars: Bela Lugosi, Leo Gorcey, Bobby Jordan, Huntz Hall
Votes: 1,831
14. The Return of Doctor X (1939)
Passed | 62 min | Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi
A hotshot reporter and a young doctor team up to investigate a series of grisly murders and a mysterious sample of synthetic blood.
Director: Vincent Sherman | Stars: Humphrey Bogart, Rosemary Lane, Wayne Morris, Dennis Morgan
Votes: 2,557
15. Whistling in Brooklyn (1943)
Passed | 87 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
Radio crime show host "The Fox" finds himself on the trail of a serial killer while a suspect himself.
Director: S. Sylvan Simon | Stars: Red Skelton, Ann Rutherford, Jean Rogers, Rags Ragland
Votes: 724
16. Whistling in the Dark (1941)
Passed | 78 min | Comedy, Crime, Mystery
Radio crime show host 'The Fox' along with his fiancée and ex-girlfriend are kidnapped by a larcenous cult who demand that he help them plan a perfect murder.
Director: S. Sylvan Simon | Stars: Red Skelton, Conrad Veidt, Ann Rutherford, Virginia Grey
Votes: 1,097
17. Born to Sing (1942)
Approved | 82 min | Action, Crime, Musical
Show promoter Cartwright has stolen the songs that Frank wrote while he was in the big house. The boys go to Cartwright to get Frank credit for his work, and Cartwright has them arrested ... See full summary »
Director: Edward Ludwig | Stars: Virginia Weidler, Ray McDonald, Leo Gorcey, Douglas McPhail
Votes: 222
18. Smart Alecks (1942)
Approved | 67 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
Danny comes into money for capturing an elusive criminal - money which Mugs insists he split equally with the gang while gangsters want to split open Danny.
Director: Wallace Fox | Stars: Leo Gorcey, Bobby Jordan, Huntz Hall, Gabriel Dell
Votes: 547
19. 'Neath Brooklyn Bridge (1942)
Approved | 61 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
The East Side Kids uncover the body of a murder victim, but must protect the innocent girl accused of the crime.
Director: Wallace Fox | Stars: Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, Bobby Jordan, Gabriel Dell
Votes: 708
20. Kid Dynamite (1943)
Passed | 66 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
When gamblers kidnap Muggs to throw a fight, friend Danny steps in and wins the scheduled boxing bout, leaving Mugs jealous, resentful and wrongfully suspicious.
Director: Wallace Fox | Stars: Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, Bobby Jordan, Gabriel Dell
Votes: 610
21. Clancy Street Boys (1943)
Passed | 66 min | Comedy
Muggs' rich Uncle Pete comes to visit. Unfortunately, Muggs' late father bragged that he had seven kids, so Muggs recruits members of the gang to pose as his family.
Director: William Beaudine | Stars: Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, Bobby Jordan, Noah Beery
Votes: 558
22. Ghosts on the Loose (1943)
Approved | 67 min | Comedy
The East Side Kids try to fix up a house for newlyweds, but find the place next door "haunted" by mysterious men.
Director: William Beaudine | Stars: Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, Bobby Jordan, Bela Lugosi
Votes: 1,537
23. Ghosts on the Loose (1943)
Approved | 67 min | Comedy
The East Side Kids try to fix up a house for newlyweds, but find the place next door "haunted" by mysterious men.
Director: William Beaudine | Stars: Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, Bobby Jordan, Bela Lugosi
Votes: 1,537
24. Million Dollar Kid (1944)
Approved | 65 min | Comedy
In ridding the area of muggers, the East Side Boys acquire a wealthy benefactor whose privileged son, unbeknownst to him, has fallen in with thugs.
Director: Wallace Fox | Stars: Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, Gabriel Dell, William 'Billy' Benedict
Votes: 600
25. Block Busters (1944)
Approved | 60 min | Comedy
Muggs must fight a new French kid who has just moved into the neighborhood.
Director: Wallace Fox | Stars: Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, Gabriel Dell, William 'Billy' Benedict
Votes: 374
26. Midnight Manhunt (1945)
Approved | 64 min | Comedy, Crime, Mystery
A gem heist gone wrong leaves a wanted man dead. A female reporter finds his body and, to claim the reward, hides the body in a wax museum. When the body vanishes, the hunt is on.
Director: William C. Thomas | Stars: William Gargan, Ann Savage, Leo Gorcey, George Zucco
Votes: 477
27. Bear Facts (1938)
Approved | 11 min | Family, Comedy, Short
In an effort to impress Darla, Alfalfa tells her that he's a famous bear trainer. Little does he know that Darla's father owns a circus - and a bear costume. It's time for everyone to uncover the "bear facts".
Director: Gordon Douglas | Stars: Darla Hood, Eugene 'Porky' Lee, George 'Spanky' McFarland, Carl 'Alfalfa' Switzer
Votes: 125
28. Bored of Education (1936)
Approved | 10 min | Comedy, Family, Short
Spanky and Alfalfa fake a tooth-ache to get out of school.
Director: Gordon Douglas | Stars: Darla Hood, Eugene 'Porky' Lee, George 'Spanky' McFarland, Carl 'Alfalfa' Switzer
Votes: 368
29. Glove Taps (1937)
Approved | 11 min | Family, Short, Comedy
Butch challenges Alfalfa to a fight.
Director: Gordon Douglas | Stars: Eugene 'Porky' Lee, George 'Spanky' McFarland, Carl 'Alfalfa' Switzer, Billie 'Buckwheat' Thomas
Votes: 173
30. Mail and Female (I) (1937)
Approved | 20 min | Short, Comedy, Family
The Gang's male members, headed by Spanky, decided to create the "He-Man Woman Haters Club" in reaction to not being invited to one of the girl's parties.
Director: Fred C. Newmeyer | Stars: Darla Hood, Eugene 'Porky' Lee, George 'Spanky' McFarland, Carl 'Alfalfa' Switzer
Votes: 132
31. Little Daddy (1931)
20 min | Family, Comedy, Short
When local authorities find out that Farina is Stymie's guardian, they try to take him away. The kids try to stop it.
Director: Robert F. McGowan | Stars: Matthew 'Stymie' Beard, Norman 'Chubby' Chaney, Jackie Cooper, Allen 'Farina' Hoskins
Votes: 166
32. Birthday Blues (1932)
Approved | 20 min | Comedy, Family, Short
Dickie throws a birthday party to try to raise money to buy his mother a birthday present.
Director: Robert F. McGowan | Stars: Matthew 'Stymie' Beard, Dorothy DeBorba, Kendall McComas, George 'Spanky' McFarland
Votes: 240
33. Honky Donkey (1934)
Approved | 20 min | Short, Comedy, Family
Wally (the rich kid of our gang team) brings his pet mule along with the gang back home.
Director: Gus Meins | Stars: Wally Albright, Matthew 'Stymie' Beard, Scotty Beckett, Tommy Bond
Votes: 203
34. Shrimps for a Day (1934)
Approved | 20 min | Short, Comedy, Family
A magic lamp lets a young couple become kids again and exposes a mean old man who runs his orphanage like a prison.
Director: Gus Meins | Stars: Matthew 'Stymie' Beard, Scotty Beckett, George 'Spanky' McFarland, Billie 'Buckwheat' Thomas
Votes: 231
35. Fishy Tales (1937)
Approved | 11 min | Family, Comedy, Short
Alfalfa tries to back out of a fight by pretending to be incapacitated.
Director: Gordon Douglas | Stars: Eugene 'Porky' Lee, George 'Spanky' McFarland, Carl 'Alfalfa' Switzer, Billie 'Buckwheat' Thomas
Votes: 160
36. Rushin' Ballet (1937)
Approved | 11 min | Comedy, Family, Short
While trying to track down Butch, Spanky and Alfalfa get caught up in a dance recital.
Director: Gordon Douglas | Stars: Eugene 'Porky' Lee, George 'Spanky' McFarland, Carl 'Alfalfa' Switzer, Billie 'Buckwheat' Thomas
Votes: 166
37. Spooky Hooky (1936)
10 min | Comedy, Family, Short
The gang puts a phony absent note on their teacher's desk so they can go to the circus, then have to get it back when they find out that the class was going on a field trip to the circus anyway.
Director: Gordon Douglas | Stars: Eugene 'Porky' Lee, George 'Spanky' McFarland, Carl 'Alfalfa' Switzer, Billie 'Buckwheat' Thomas
Votes: 249
38. Pay As You Exit (1936)
11 min | Comedy, Family, Short
The Our Gang put on their own production of "Romeo and Juliet", with some lines from "Hamlet" and a strong man act thrown in for good measure. Buckwheat saves the day by playing Juliet ... See full summary »
Director: Gordon Douglas | Stars: Darla Hood, Eugene 'Porky' Lee, George 'Spanky' McFarland, Carl 'Alfalfa' Switzer
Votes: 200
39. Choo-Choo! (1932)
20 min | Short, Adventure, Comedy
The gang trades places with a group of orphans about to take a train ride.
Director: Robert F. McGowan | Stars: Sherwood Bailey, Matthew 'Stymie' Beard, Dorothy DeBorba, Bobby 'Wheezer' Hutchins
Votes: 290
40. Buried Treasure (1926)
20 min | Comedy, Family, Short
Using a rickety boat barely floatable, the gang sets out to find treasure. Settling on an island, they were attacked by what they thought were real natives, but instead a film crew and cast dressed in native garb.
Director: Robert F. McGowan | Stars: Joe Cobb, Jackie Condon, Mickey Daniels, Johnny Downs
Votes: 65
41. Mama's Little Pirate (1934)
Approved | 20 min | Family, Short, Comedy
The gang goes after pirate treasure they believe is hidden in a cave.
Director: Gus Meins | Stars: George 'Spanky' McFarland, Matthew 'Stymie' Beard, Scotty Beckett, Billie 'Buckwheat' Thomas
Votes: 238
42. You're Not So Tough (1940)
Approved | 65 min | Drama
The Dead End Kids are out of the slums of New York's East Side and running around the sunny valleys of California looking for a way to make a quick buck. The idea of working never enters ... See full summary »
Director: Joe May | Stars: The Dead End Kids, Nan Grey, Rosina Galli, Henry Armetta
Votes: 58
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