Skip to content
Join free
Bobby Jordan
Actor

Bobby Jordan

1 Apr 1923Born
10 Sep 1965Died
42Age at death
68Credits

Biography

Though he was the youngest, Jordan was the first of the boys who made up the Dead End Kids to work in films with a role in a 1933 Universal short. In 1935, he became one of the original Dead End Kids by winning the role of Angel in Sydney Kingsley's Broadway drama Dead End about life in the slums of the east side of New York City. The play was performed at the Belasco Theatre and ran for three years with over 600 performances. He appeared for the first season and the beginning of the second but left in mid-November 1936.

Read the full biography

He returned in time to join the others in 1937 in Hollywood, California to make the movie version of the play, starring big names such as Humphrey Bogart, Joel McCrea, Sylvia Sidney, and Claire Trevor.

Following the making of Dead End, Jordan found himself "released" from his contract at Goldwyn, and, subsequently, he appeared at Warner Brothers with the rest of the Dead End Kids. After one year, Warners released most of them, but kept Leo Gorcey and Jordan as solo performers. Jordan appeared (as "Douglas Fairbanks Rosenbloom") in Warner's Damon Runyon comedy A Slight Case of Murder (1938) and at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in Young Tom Edison (1940).

In 1940, Jordan appeared in the film Military Academy and accepted an offer from producer Sam Katzman to star in a new tough-kid series called "The East Side Kids." Leo Gorcey soon joined him, then Huntz Hall, and the trio continued to lead the series through 1943, when Jordan entered the United States Army during World War II as a foot soldier in the 97th Infantry Division. He was subsequently involved in an elevator accident, when the elevator fell five floors, that forced him to have surgery to remove his right kneecap.

Known for

Filmography

  1. 1991Dracula: A Cinematic ScrapbookFilm: Danny (archive footage)
  2. 1986Classic Comedy TeamsFilm: The East Side Kids (archive footage)
  3. 1970The Odd CoupleSeries: Doris Atkins (1 episode)
  4. 1960Route 66Series: Garage Attendant (uncredited) (1 episode)
  5. 1959BonanzaSeries: Thug #2 (1 episode)
  6. 1959RawhideSeries
  7. 195877 Sunset StripSeries: Auto Mechanic (uncredited) (1 episode)
  8. 1957Casey JonesSeries: Billy Mapes (1 episode)
  9. 1957MaverickSeries: Willy, Bank Teller (uncredited) (1 episode)
  10. 1957M SquadSeries: Car Lot Employee (1 episode)
  11. 1957Richard Diamond, Private DetectiveSeries: Connie Thorpe (1 episode)
  12. 1956The Man Is ArmedFilm: Thorne (as Bob Jordan)
  13. 1956High TorFilm: 3rd Sailor
  14. 1955Highway PatrolSeries: Ed (1 episode)
  15. 1955The Matchmaking MarshalFilm: Steven 'Steve' Manson
  16. 1955The MillionaireSeries: Press Agent (1 episode)
  17. 1953The Eddie Cantor StoryFilm: Customer
  18. 1953Secret of Outlaw FlatsFilm: Sandy Smith
  19. 1951DragnetSeries (2 episodes)
  20. 1951Boston BlackieSeries: Waiter (uncredited) (1 episode)
  21. 1951The Adventures of Wild Bill HickokSeries: Conductor (2 episodes)
  22. 1950Lux Video TheatreSeries: Boy at Piano (1 episode)
  23. 1949Treasure of Monte CristoFilm: Tony Torecelli
  24. 1947Bowery BuckaroosFilm: Bobby
  25. 1947News HoundsFilm: Bobby
  26. 1947Hard Boiled MahoneyFilm: Bobby
  27. 1947The Beginning or the EndFilm: Radioman on Tinian Receiving A-Bomb Message
  28. 1946Mr. HexFilm: Bobby
  29. 1946Spook BustersFilm: Bobby
  30. 1946Bowery BombshellFilm: Bobby
  31. 1946In Fast CompanyFilm: Bobby
  32. 1946Live WiresFilm: Bobby
  33. 1944Bowery ChampsFilm: Bobby Jordan
  34. 1943Adventures of the Flying CadetsFilm: Jinx Roberts
  35. 1943DestroyerFilm: Sobbing Sailor
  36. 1943Ghosts on the LooseFilm: Danny
  37. 1943Clancy Street BoysFilm: Danny
  38. 1943Keep 'Em SluggingFilm: Tommy
  39. 1943Kid DynamiteFilm: Danny Lions
  40. 1942Junior ArmyFilm: Jockey
  41. 1942'Neath Brooklyn BridgeFilm: Danny Lyons
  42. 1942Smart AlecksFilm: Danny Stevens
  43. 1942Let's Get ToughFilm: Danny Connors
  44. 1942Mr. Wise GuyFilm: Danny Collins
  45. 1941Spooks Run WildFilm: Danny
  46. 1941Bowery BlitzkriegFilm: Danny Breslin
  47. 1941Flying WildFilm: Danny Graham
  48. 1940Give Us WingsFilm: Rap
  49. 1940Pride of the BoweryFilm: Danny
  50. 1940That Gang of MineFilm: Danny Dolan
  51. 1940Military AcademyFilm: Dick Hill
  52. 1940You're Not So ToughFilm: Rap
  53. 1940Boys of the CityFilm: Danny Dolan
  54. 1940Young Tom EdisonFilm: Joe 'Joey' Dingle
  55. 1939On Dress ParadeFilm: Cadet Ronny Morgan
  56. 1939Dust Be My DestinyFilm: Jimmy Glenn
  57. 1939Angels Wash Their FacesFilm: Bernie Smith
  58. 1939Hell's KitchenFilm: Joel "Joey" Richards
  59. 1939They Made Me a CriminalFilm: Angel
  60. 1939Off the RecordFilm: Mickey Fallon
  61. 1938Swingtime in the MoviesFilm: Crime School Kid (uncredited)
  62. 1938Angels with Dirty FacesFilm: Swing
  63. 1938My BillFilm: Reginald Colbrook
  64. 1938ReformatoryFilm: Pinkey Leonard
  65. 1938Crime SchoolFilm: Lester 'Squirt' Smith
  66. 1938A Slight Case of MurderFilm: Douglas Fairbanks Rosenbloom
  67. 1937Dead EndFilm: Angel
  68. 1934Kid MillionsFilm: Tourist (uncredited)

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.