Little Tough Guy (1938)

67% of users liked it
(55 ratings)

The first of the "splinter" groups to emerge from the Dead End Kids was the Little Tough Guys, consisting of veteran Dead-Enders Billy Halop, Huntz Hall, Gabriel Dell, Bernard Punsly and David Gorcey (Hally Chester and Billy Benedict would also appear in this new grouping from time to time). Though… More The first of the "splinter" groups to emerge from the Dead End Kids was the Little Tough Guys, consisting of veteran Dead-Enders Billy Halop, Huntz Hall, Gabriel Dell, Bernard Punsly and David Gorcey (Hally Chester and Billy Benedict would also appear in this new grouping from time to time). Though most of the "Little Tough Guy" vehicles were played for laugh, the initial entry was not. When labor activist Jim Boylan (Edward Pawley) is executed for a murder he didn't commit, his son Johnny (Billy Halop) decides to become a crook. He and his pals Pig (Huntz Hall), String (Gabe Dell), Sniper (David Gorcey) and Dopey (Hally Chester), embark upon a crime spree, aided and abetted by thrill-seeking rich kid Cyril (Jackie Searl), who happens to be the son of the district attorney. While committing a robbery orchestrated by Cyril, Johnny and Pig are trapped by the police. Pig makes a break for it, only to be killed in a hail of bullets. This startling turn of events convinces Johnny to mend his ways, but not before an obligatory stretch in reform school with his fellow Little Tough Guys-including Cyril! Beyond the spectacle of Huntz Hall dying in agony, Little Tough Guy offers very little that is new and innovational: still, the film made money, prompting a whole series of "Little Tough Guy" quickies from the Universal assembly line. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 24 min.
Directed By: Harold Young
Genres: Drama, Classics

In Theaters: Jul 22, 1938 Wide
On DVD: Mar 1, 2005

No Critic Reviews Found…

Featured Audience Ratings

Cassandra M

have seen this movie and found it to be somewhat entertaining. It is one of only two movies in which the former Broadway star and (later) radio star (Big Town), Edward Pawley, plays the good guy! He plays the role of "Jim Boylan", father of "Johnny Boylan" (Billy… More
have seen this movie and found it to be somewhat entertaining. It is one of only two movies in which the former Broadway star and (later) radio star (Big Town), Edward Pawley, plays the good guy! He plays the role of "Jim Boylan", father of "Johnny Boylan" (Billy Halop). Mr. Pawley usually played villainous roles in his more than 50 movies during a 10-year stint in Hollywood. One other exception was in the movie "Hoosier Schoolboy" in which he played the role of Captain Carter (Mickey Rooney's father)who was also a war hero with a drinking problem. Edward Pawley was probably best known in movies for his role as Danny Leggett (aka, Public Enemy Number One) in the James Cagney vehicle, "G-MEN." He also had feature roles in movies such as "The Oklahoma Kid" in which he played Humphrey Bogart's partner (Ace Doolin), "Romance of the Limberlost" in which he played Jean Parker's suitor (Jed Corson), Thirteen Women in which he played "Burns", Myrna Loy's accomplice in crime, "Romance On The Range" in which he played Roy Rogers' ranch boss and covert outlaw (Jerome Banning), et cetera, et cetera.

Cast

            Billy Halop as Johnny Boylan

            Helen Parrish as Kay Boylan

            Robert Wilcox as Paul Wilson

            Marjorie Main as Mrs. Boylan

            Gabriel Dell as String

            Bernard Punsly as Ape

            David Gorcey as Sniper

            Hally Chester as Dopey

            Jackie Searl as Cyril Gerrard

            Peggy Stewart as Rita Belle Warren

            Edward Arnold Jr. as Fat

            Hooper Atchley as Mr. Randall

            Jack Carr as Domino Cop

            Jack Daley
            
            Mark Daniels as Clerk

            Mike Pat Donovan
            
            Paul Dubov as Chuck

            Alan Edwards as Mr. Gerrard

            Huntz Hall as Carl "Pig" Adams

            Eleanor Hansen as Cashier

            Harry Hayden as Superintendent

            Robert E. Homans as Truant Officer

            Olin Howland as Baxter

            Selmar Jackson as Judge

            Helen MacKellar as Mrs. Wanamaker

            Lon McCallister
            
            Janet McLeary as Dot LaFleur

            Monte Montague as Policeman

            Georgia O'Dell as Woman

            J. Pat O'Malley as Police Sergeant

            Raymond Parker as Secretary

            Edward Pawley as Jim Boylan

            Buster Phelps
            
            Jason Robards Sr. as Supervisor

            William H. Ruhl as Detective

            George Sherwood as Detective

            Edwin Stanley as D.A.

            Ben Taggart
            
            Charles Trowbridge
            
            Paul Weigel as Proprietor

            Johnny Green as Usher

            Pat C. Flick as Peddler

            Victor Adams as Secretary

            Clara Blore as Mrs. Daniels

            John Estes as Office Boy

            Gwen Seager as Salesgirl

            Bert Young as Truck Driver

            Georgie Billings as Kid
See full cast