Crashing Las Vegas

At the beginning of the episode, Satch (Huntz Hall) gets electrocuted. But instead of dying, this is a Bowery Boys comedy and so that means that he's suddenly endowed with amazing computational skills. When he and Slip go to see a game show, Satch instantly knows who will be picked each time. After seeing him demonstrate this, Slip insists they head to Vegas to win a fortune in order to help a nice old lady they all know. However, Satch keeps finding ways to win huge fortunate...and then lose it. The second time is to a group of crooks who also convince Satch that he's killed someone--and if he just gives them the money, they'll tell the cops it was all an accident!! By now you've clearly noticed that although Satch's brain is changed, when it comes to common sense he's the same old dope he always was!! And, once they get the money back, once again Satch figures out a way to lose it! Will they ever be able to get the money for the old lady? And, will Satch continue to possess extraordinary computational skills?

Overall, this is a very entertaining entry--much more than normal. My only complaint is that the Boys are getting pretty long in the tooth here...and it's no wonder as it came out towards the end of this VERY long series of B-films.

This was the first and last Bowery Boys comedy Leo Gorcey made after the death of his father, Bernard. While it can be seen that he is intoxicated during most of the filming, this film is hysterical. Leo and Huntz recite the old wheezy jokes as if they were brand new. The supporting players are poor, but their ineptitude adds to the comedy. This is the first film with Jimmy "Myron" Murphy replacing Bennie "Butch" Bartlett. Murphy and David Gorcey actually get to do more than usual and they even get some good punch lines. True, the story revolves around Huntz Hall, but Gorcey has a lot of funny comments to make during the 63 minutes. It is surprising that the film is so funny since neither Ed Bernds nor Elwood Ullman have anything to do with it. Jean Yarbrough directs this time and he makes it look like his work with Abbott and Costello. The Bowery Boys series was never the same after Leo Gorcey left. He was replaced by that "other guy", Stanley Clements. Clements is OK, but it's like Joe Besser replacing Shemp (not to mention Shemp replacing Curly) in the Three Stooges. Besser and Clements are good performers, but they just don't have the spark of their predecessors. I always wondered why David Gorcey just didn't get promoted; "Chuck" could have been the new chief of the Bowery Boys. Why not?

Crashing Las Vegas marked the end of the line for Leo Gorcey and really the end of the line for the Bowery Boys. When Stanley Clements came on to replace Gorcey he was not really a good foil for Huntz Hall to play off. With the death of Bernard Gorcey the year before who played lovable little Louis Dumbrowsky, a whole lot was taken out of the series as well as out of Gorcey who can't quite get animated enough in this film. The rehashed plot line didn't help either, Allied Artists was plain running out of ideas for the Bowery Boys.

An electric shock gives Huntz Hall psychic powers he can pick numbers out of anywhere. Where else to put this power to good use but in Las Vegas. So it's off to Vegas where Frank Sinatra and the rest of the developing Rat Pack were getting started.

The film could have used the Rat Pack. Not much to say about Leaving Las Vegas. Slinky Mary Castle becomes the latest in a long line of women to vamp a secret out of Satch. The old badger game is tried on him as well. Only Huntz Hall could be fooled into thinking the first floor is the 21st floor, that was a gag more silly than funny.

Sad to say The Bowery Boys were running out of gas.

In a plot rehash, an electrical jolt gives Huntz Hall (as Horace Debussy "Sach" Jones) psychic powers, so luckless Leo Gorcey (as Terrence Aloysius "Slip" Mahoney) decides to take his pal and fellow "Bowery Boys" David "Condon" Gorcey (as Chuck) and Jimmy Murphy (as Myron) to Las Vegas. This film featured the last appearance of Mr. (Leo) Gorcey, who had been with the troupe since "Dead End" (1937). Gorcey had already become somewhat secondary to Mr. Hall, who would become the series' credited "star" with the next film ("Fighting Trouble").

Sadly, the noticeably absent "Sweet Shop" owner Bernard Gorcey (who played "Louie" in the series) had just passed away, following a car accident; he was the father of "Bowery Boys" Leo and David Gorcey. In this film, Bowery leader Leo Gorcey is clearly drowning his sorrows, and appears unwell much of the time. In an unrelated milestone, "Crashing Las Vegas" featured the first appearance of a new "Bowery Boy", with Jimmy Murphy's "Myron" replacing Benny Bartlett's departed "Butch". Even without the off-screen drama, this is a less than mediocre series entry.

** Crashing Las Vegas (4/22/56) Jean Yarbrough ~ Huntz Hall, Leo Gorcey, Jimmy Murphy

"Crashing Las Vegas" is not the Bowery Boys' finest hour. It is a lost opportunity. Putting the Boys in Las Vegas is a great premise. Unfortunately, this movie wastes whatever potential the idea may have had. There are very few laughs in "Cashing Las Vegas". It gets tedious after a while. "Crashing Las Vegas" is watchable but just barely.