Bernard Punsly, 80, Actor in Dead End Kids, Dies

NY Times ^ | January 24, 2004 | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

[Pharmboy]

Photofest
Bernard Punsly, third from left, in 1937 with the other Dead End Kids: from left, Huntz Hall, Billy Halop, Bobby Jordan and Leo Gorcey.

TORRANCE, Calif., Jan. 23 (AP) — Bernard Punsly, the last surviving member of the Dead End Kids, a band of teenage actors who starred in films in the 1930's and 40's and paved the way for the Bowery Boys, died here on Tuesday, his son, Brian Punsly, said. He was 80.

After his career in movies, Dr. Punsly became a physician and practiced for almost 50 years in the Los Angeles area. He died at Little Company of Mary Hospital, where he had once been chief of medicine.

The son of a tailor, Dr. Punsly was born in New York and began his professional acting career at 8 in a Broadway play called "I Love an Actress."

At 12 he was cast as Milty in the play "Dead End," which ran for two years on Broadway. He went on to play the same character in the 1937 movie version, which starred Humphrey Bogart.

The film started a popular phenomenon that stretched over two decades, with the actors portraying the kids, a band of juvenile delinquents, as victims of society in a series of movies.

Dr. Punsly had parts in 18 other films, including "Angels With Dirty Faces" (1938) and "Hell's Kitchen" (1939).

Dr. Punsly left acting and joined the Army in 1943. After World War II he earned a medical degree from the University of Georgia. He then moved to the Los Angeles, where he worked at Little Company of Mary Hospital, had a private practice and was chief of staff at South Bay Hospital in Redondo Beach.

Besides his son, he is survived by his wife, Lynne; two grandchildren; and a sister.

[Pharmboy]

Those older than 45 will likely remember this series.

RIP, Dr.Punsly.

[Pharmboy]

You should always be pinged for obits.

[Fred Hayek]

I recognize Leo Gorcey(sp?) there, is Huntz Hall also there?

[nuconvert]

Huntz Hall > far left

I had no idea he became a Dr. What an interesting life.
Wonder how many of his patients recognized him?

[Pharmboy]

[tallhappy]

What's happening now is there are all sorts of DVDs of old movies starting to be released and sold for very cheap.

Bowery Boys may not be shown on TV on saturdays anymore but they may become ubiquitous again thanks to the cheap DVDs.

I certainly wasn't expectorating him to die.

[Kirkwood]

To me only Leo and Huntz were memorable - the rest were interchangable characters. Never liked Leo. Too much of a punk. Huntz was funny and a sympathetic character even though he was the fool.

[Consort]

I think they later became The East Side Kids.

[Pharmboy]

Indeed...though I think it was earlier.

The "dead end" was the East 70s and the East River; that's where they were from--Yorkville, a mostly German neighborhood at the time, was named after Sgt. York. Jimmy Cagney grew up there. I used to live there...my kids went to the same public school (PS 158) that cagney attended (it's at 77th and York).

[InvisibleChurch]

Bernard Punsly, third from left,

they coulda said, "middle"

[Pharmboy]

They might get paid by the word at the Times.

[JennysCool]

From left: Clark, Sharpton, Kerry, Lieberman and Dean in younger days.

[Consort]

The Dead End Kids = The East Side Kids = The Bowery Boys = The Little Tough Guys.....

[Azzurri]

they coulda said, "middle"

Yeah, but that might confuse the liberals because if you tell them he's in the middle they won't know whether to start from the right or left.

[cabbieguy]

LOL, thanks, started my day just right(or was it left).

[N. Theknow]

I recognize Leo Gorcey(sp?) there, is Huntz Hall also there?

Waddy waddy foo foo
Waddy waddy fee fee
*blowing out cheek*

[Morgan's Raider]

From left: Clark, Sharpton, Kerry, Lieberman and Dean in younger days.

You owe the Dead End Kids an apology for that one -- they had some socially redeeming values. Now hightail it over to Louie's Malt Shop and tell 'em you're sorry.

As for comedy value, however...

[Rome2000]

He is also third from the right and bisects the assemblage in this photograph.

I'm going to by a few Bowery Boys DVDs

[JennysCool]

LOL! Sorry, kids!

[Dajjal]

RIP, bttt