I grew up watching the "Bowery Boys" on the weekends and even at a young age I could tell this was low rent stuff as the name implies. Still it was fun to watch Satch (Hall) get the better of Muggs (Gorcey) after Muggs would beat the crap out him. The East Side Kids stuff were never shown on TV even though it was public domain stuff and probably cheap to run, it was just to low a standard for kids to tune in even though we only had like 5 channels to watch. Enter the year 2005 and I am repossesin about my childhood. I can't find any Bowery Boys on DVD but I found The East Side Kids on disc and also on a public domain website. Leonard Maltin said in his mini bio that this flick is one of the better ones, so you can just imagine the rest. To get specific concerning "Ghost on the Loose", it is to me must watch for Bowery Boys Fans because this is where the formula starts to gel. Mugg's is the bossy one leading the gang and he is using his vernacular in this one to good effect. Hall's character starts to get some real good bits (I actually laughed out loud when he sweeps the dust under a cobweb and he gets "German Measles that are sores in the form of swastika's). Sunshine Sammy Morrison "Scruggs" has a good amount of material but isn't listed in the top billing while Bobby Jordan is, such a shame but hey thats the way it was. The bottom line is usually a comedy team starts out strong in their career and tapers off, these muggs blew chucks early on (pre this flick) then slowly picked it up (probably around when this flick was made) until Hall's antics dominated than they were at their best. Still 2nd tier stuff way below the 3 Stooges, who they imitate; amusing for those who grew up with them. As far as Lugosi who I love to watch, he has a bit part similar to one I saw him in I think called My Mother The Vampire, pretty low and I'm losing more and more respect for the guy the more of these roles I see him in. Ava Gardner is barely recognizable because she weighs like 20 pounds less then her 50's figure that I am used to and you hardly ever see her whole face, the guy who played her husband probably died a lonely death sittin at the bar telling his fellow bums how he planted one on Ava's lips and look where I am now, lol. Oh the irony of life.
Review of Ghosts on the Loose
