Spook Chasers

I really enjoyed this Bowery Boys caper "Spook Chasers". In it, Sach (Huntz Hall), Duke (Stanley Clements) and the rest of the boys accompany sweet shop owner Mike Calncy (Percey Hilton) to his newly acquired country home "Cedarcrest". Upon arriving, they discover that the dwelling is nothing more than a ramshackled old farmhouse. Furthermore, it's haunted! Or is it? Gangsters start to figure prominently in the proceedings (sort of like in Abbott and Costello's "Hold That Ghost"). I must say that Stanley Clements was likable as Leo Gorcey's replacement in the series. He had appeared in one of the early East Side Kids movies "Ghosts on the Loose" (1943) and then stayed away from the gang until 1957 (when Leo Gorcey left the series). Gorcey's brother, David, is here as Chuck. He had been one of "the boys" since the East Side Kids series (featuring Leo Gorcey) had commenced at Monogram in 1940. It's too bad that the film "Spook Chasers" is rarely seen. It would be nice to see these later Bowery Boys films, which were made by Allied Artists, get released on DVD.

Following the death of Bernard Gorcey ('Louie') in a traffic accident, his son, Leo ('Slip'), decided he'd had enough and retired from The Bowery Boys. After all, he'd completed 40 films in the series as well as those made with previous incarnations (such as the East Side Kids). However, instead of just allowing the series to die, the studio was apparently greedy and decided to make seven more pictures! However, the chemistry isn't there and the film highlight Huntz Hall alone....with Stanley Clements ('Duke') playing a Slip- like character and Percy Helton ('Mike') playing what was essentially Louie's part. Because this is a late Bowery Boys film, it's one of these third-rate imitations of a second-rate series.

When the film begins, Mike is told by his doctor to retire as his job at the cafe is killing him. However, he unwisely buys a place sight unseen and it turns out to be a termite-trap! He's furious...until they discover a hidden treasure in this craptastic home. However, Mike and the gang are idiots...and the fact that they AREN'T angry about being swindled makes the crooks suspicious. Plus, the Boss says he wants that property back...as some loot is hidden there! So, as we've already seen in MANY Bowery Boys films, it becomes a haunted house flick with baddies trying, yet again, to scare the boys away from the place. Talk about unoriginal!

The chemistry just isn't right---and I would say that about ALL the later Bowery Boys films. While I am not a huge Leo and Bernard Gorcey fan, they were what everyone associates with the films...not just Huntz Hall and his idiot act. B-movie series like this and the Ma and Pa Kettle films being continued AFTER losing one of the leads is, perhaps, a way to squeeze a few dimes off a moribund series...but it seriously short-changes the audience. Not worth your time.

Now hanging out at "Clancy's Cafe" in New York City, "The Bowery Boys" are concerned about fatherly proprietor Percy Helton (as Mike Clancy), who has been ordered to get some rest and relaxation. Coincidently, crooked real estate agent Bill Henry (as Harry Shelby) and his busty companion Darlene Fields (as Dolly Owens) arrive to sell Mr. Helton a farmhouse in the country. Insuring that a lack of rest is in the offing, Helton takes "The Bowery Boys" with him to "Cedarcrest", which turns out to be falling apart, connected to gangsters, and possibly haunted!

With two decades behind them, and only three movies to go, "Spook Chasers" was the last time around for what was possibly the group's second most recycled storyline (give or take a few). Despite its frequency, this plot was never one of the Bowery's best.

"The Bowery Boys" herein are: Huntz Hall (as Horace Debussy "Sach" Jones), Stanley Clements (as Stanislaus "Duke" Coveleskie), David Gorcey (as Chuck), Jimmy Murphy (as Myron), and Eddie LeRoy (as Blinky). Although his assignment did not last, Mr. Helton was a better replacement for Bernard Gorcey's "Louie" than Mr. Clements was for Leo Gorcey. Also note, with his brother and father gone, David Gorcey no longer uses his "Condon" surname. And, this was the first appearance for bespectacled Mr. LeRoy, who would stay for the remaining films.

*** Spook Chasers (6/2/57) George Blair ~ Huntz Hall, Stanley Clements, Percy Helton, Darlene Fields

The bowery boys, minus the owner of the franchise, leo gorcey, and his dad bernard. Bernard had died in an odd car accident in 1955, and leo made his last bowery film in 1956, crashing las vegas. In spook chasers, when mike and the guys buy a ramshackle house, they think it's a big money pit. But when the previous owners decide they want the house back, things begin to go wrong. And why do they really want it back? The usual wacky bowery boys shenanigans, but without the word play and slip's leadership, it's definitely a weaker story. They only made a couple more after this. Directed by george blair. He had directed a bunch of superman works. The bowery boys had also made "spook busters in 1946.

This particular post Gorcey Bowery Boys film is distinguished by having Stanley Clements adopt Leo Gorcey's gift for the malaprop without the same humor. It also is an attempt to use character actor Percy Helton as the proprietor of a Bowery diner as a substitute for Bernard Gorcey. Spook Chasers is just a pale imitation of the series at its height.

A couple of sharp real estate agents unload a lemon of a house on poor Helton who has been prescribed a nice country rest. But the joke gets turned on them when it turns out a whole lot of stolen loot from a former gang boss is found by the Bowery Boys and Helton. Now gangster Peter Mamakos is after it as well as the agents William Henry and Darlene Fields.

Some good bits are in this especially when Fields decides to vamp poor Sach and gets him drunk in the process. Also Sach manages to wreck and mix up all the house utilities in a bit lifted from Abbott&Costello.

The title Spook Chasers comes from the gangsters efforts to frighten the boys away with ghosts as a last gambit. Still it was all done before in this series and elsewhere.