classicsoncall Considering all the stories the East Side Kids/Bowery Boys did that hinted at ghosts in the title, none actually ever showed up, at least not of the white sheet variety. Besides this one, there was "Spooks Run Wild" (1941), "Ghosts on the Loose" (1943), and "Spook Busters" (1946). Trying to pick a 'best' out of this mix is a moot exercise, you haven't a ghost of a chance.The first surprise I got here was during a roll of the opening credits. Topping the list it was unusual to see the name of Bernard Gorcey, a regular in these stories as Louie Dumbrowsky, but his name usually wound up on the second screen of supporting players. It was also unusual to see the amount of quality time that Billy Benedict got in the story, especially in the early going teamed up with Sach (Huntz Hall). The term 'quality' here is used as a pejorative, there wasn't much quality to these pictures, but if you enjoy the goofy antics of the Bowery Boys, it doesn't much matter.You know, if you follow the money trail here, you might wonder why Slip (Leo Gorcey) never got into the investment business. After he snookered Louie out of the hundred bucks during the séance routine to help out Mrs. Parelli (Argentina Brunetti), he wound up collecting two hundred dollars from Madame Zola (Belle Mitchell). Check it out, if you watch that scene again, you'll see that he got his own hundred bucks back for Louie, and Mrs. Parelli got her hundred dollars too! Maybe these guys weren't as dumb as I thought.Well, hold that thought a minute. There was that later scene when Professor Krantz (Marshall Bradford) failed to hypnotize Sach. Even his amazing hypnotic power wasn't strong enough to affect a moron or an idiot. I guess Sach was both.With an able assist from Lloyd Corrigan as a three hundred year old 'ghost', this is a fast paced Bowery Boys flick that wreaks havoc on the spirit racket and leaves the con men (and women) with the short end of the stick. The only problem with the story was that Louie never did get his money back from dead Uncle Jake, but at least he had the best analysis of things when he observed at one point - "It's a long and ridiculous story".

sol1218 ***SPOILERS*** The "Bowery Boys" get the unexpected help from 300 year old ghost Edger in them busting a major spirit & medium racket in the New York City area. This spirit racket has been taking people to the cleaners in claiming to be able to contact their dead friends and loved ones. And in the case of sweet shop owner Louie Dumbrowsky,in his long dead Uncle Jake, those who owed them money but kicked off or died before they had a chance to pay them back.It was Slip who got on the case of exposing this phony medium Madam Zola who tired to gyp his neighbor Mrs. Parnelli out of $100.00 in claiming that she can contact the spirit of her dead son Frankie who was killed in the Korean War. Slip in threatening to turn over Madan Zola to the police bunko squad has her spill the beans on the spirit racket that she's a member of by fingering the big boss Dr.Grandville and his partner in crime phony medium Madam Margo.Going to Dr.Grandville's place where Madam Margo conducts séances,at a hefty price for anyone who's interested, Slip's friend Sach is contacted by a real life not fake ghost Edger who, because of Sach's prominent looking nose,took a liking to him. Edger is more then willing to help expose the fake spirit and medium racket in it using fake ghosts to cheat unsuspecting people out of their hard earned cash. It also gives a bad name to real ghosts like himself who only want to help people in need not enrich themselves off their suffering. It's Sach who by being a moron and low IQ idiot, which keeps his subconscious mind open to being contacted by ghosts & spirits, who can both see an hear Edger which helps him as well as the "Bowery Boys" get the jump on Dr.Grandville and his henchmen.***SPOILERS*** One of the best of the "Bowery Boys" films in that it has far more meat, or story-line, to it then the usual "Bowery Boys" movies your used to watching. In fact it was Edger the 300 year old friendly ghost who not only saved the boys from drowning in a tank that Dr.Grandville had them dump into as well as had Dr.Grandville Margo & Co. busted by the police but got those of us watching to believe that there is really such a thing as ghosts! Friendly or otherwise!

bkoganbing When Leo Gorcey's mother's neighbor Argentina Brunetti starts spending money and borrowing from people to talk to her dead son, it becomes time for the Bowery Boys to spring into action. In their own inimitable style Gorcey, Huntz Hall and the gang track down a whole gang of these fake mediums led by Lela Bliss.In their quest they're aided and abetted by a real ghost, a gentlemen in a Quaker suit played by Lloyd Corrigan. Corrigan also communicates to the world through a medium and the one he's chosen is Huntz Hall. He finds him an amiable fellow and one with 'a nose like Cyrano'.Corrigan is pretty useful when the guys invade the haunted house where the fake mediums do their thing. Of course he creates some real tricks, my favorite being the creation and disappearance of doors when needed.All in all a good Bowery Boys film, the best scenes are those that involve Lloyd Corrigan and Huntz Hall.

JoeKarlosi GHOST CHASERS turns out to be a well-paced comedy, and a little better than usual. It involves Slip, Sach and the gang trying to expose a phony clairvoyant (or"clairvoyage," to quote the ever-prolific Leo Gorcey). Good fun all around, with some humorous assistance added courtesy of Bernard Gorcey (Leo's dad) as Louie Dumbrowski.This is my favorite period for The Bowery Boys films (1946-1956), which was the point where they became all-out comedies. Unfortunately, as of this writing, there are no DVDs planned. Hopefully, Warner Bros. will put them out very soon.**1/2 / ****