"The Bowery Boys" Actor Bernard Gorcey 1955 Sholom Cemetery

Bernard Gorcey (January 9, 1886 – September 11, 1955) was a Russian actor. He was a professional vaudeville actor on Broadway who starred in 72 movies. He is best remembered for playing ice cream shop proprietor Louie Dumbrowski in Monogram Pictures' The Bowery Boys series of B movies.

Acting career

Very early on Gorcey focused on comedy roles in his acting career, rather than trying to get the lead role. Between 1907 and 1937 he had a role in the following productions: 1907. Stage Play: Tom Jones. Musical comedy/opera (1912). Stage Play: What Ails You? (1918). Stage Play: Somebody's Sweetheart. Musical (1920) (as "A Mysterious Conspirator"). Stage Play: Always You. 1922 (as "Isaac Cohen"). Stage Play: Abie's Irish Rose. Comedy; 1923. Stage Play: Wildflower. Musical (as "Gaston La Roche") (1925). Stage Play: Song of the Flame (as “Count Boris”) (1927). Stage Play: Cherry Blossoms, Musical (as "George Washington Goto") (1930). Stage Play: Pressing Business. Comedy. (1931). Stage Play: Joy of Living. Comedy (1931). Stage Play: Wonder Boy. Comedy. (as "Commodore Cohen")(1932). Stage Play: Keeping Expenses Down. (as "Kent J. Goldstein") (1935). Stage Play: Creeping Fire. Melodrama. (as "Mr. Goodman"), (1935). Stage Play: Satellite. Farce (as "Max Goldblatz"), (1937).

The most successful show of Gorcey’s entire career was Abie’s Irish Rose.[1]

Other professions

He also did some radio work also, for the Popeye Show. At 52 years old, he began working in movies. From 1940 he appeared in 55 movies, with minor roles with both Monogram and Warner Bros.[2]

Forty-four of these were with sons Leo and David. Between 1946 and 1955, there were between four and five Bowery Boys movies annually. Bernard always had the role of Louie Dumbrowski, the owner of a sweet shop where the Bowery Boys would "hang out," usually getting free sodas while planning their next escapade, much to Dumbrowski's displeasure. 

He also appeared as Charlie Chaplin's meek Jewish neighbour Mr. Mann in the film classic The Great Dictator (1940).

Death

On August 31, 1955, Gorcey was driving a car that smashed into a bus on 4th and LaBrea, Los Angeles. On September 11, 1955, he died from his injuries.

Bernard Gorcey is buried at Sholom Memorial Park in San Fernando, California. 

References

1. "Archive for Bernard Gorcey". Travalanche.
2. Rovi. "Bernard Gorcey Biography". Fandago.