Bernard Punsly
Punsly in trailer to "Little Tough Guy" (1938)
Born(1923-07-11)July 11, 1923
DiedJanuary 20, 2004(2004-01-20) (aged 80)
OccupationActor
Years active1937–1943

Bernard Punsly (July 11, 1923 – January 20, 2004) was an American actor[1] who later left show business to become a physician.

His last name was often spelled incorrectly in film credits as Punsley.

Early life and acting career

Punsly was born on July 11, 1923, in New York City. In 1935, he auditioned for a part in the play Dead End, because he thought it might be fun. The success of the play led to a number of its child actors being cast in a 1937 film adaptation, Dead End, including Punsly. Its success led to the group appearing in a series of "Dead End Kids" films. He later appeared in an offshoot group of those films starring what were dubbed the "Little Tough Guys". Punsly worked with well known stars such as Ronald Reagan, James Cagney, Pat O'Brien, John Garfield, and Humphrey Bogart in these films.

After acting

Even as an actor, Punsly was known to read medical books in his spare time. He joined the army after his last film, Mug Town, where he received medical training. He served in the Army Air Forces from March 1943 to March 1946.[2] Upon discharge from the army, Punsly entered the Medical College of the University of Georgia, subsequently obtaining his medical degree in 1949. He returned to California and set up a medical practice in Torrance, never returning to show business.

He became chief of staff in the South Bay Hospital in Redondo Beach, California.

Personal life

Punsly married Marilyn "Lynne" Kufferman in 1950.[3][4] and had two children, Brian and Richard.

He died of cancer on January 20, 2004, at age 80, in a hospital in Torrance, California.[1]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1937Dead EndMilty
1938The Big Broadcast of 1938CaddyUncredited
1938Crime SchoolGeorge "Fats" Papadopoulos
1938Little Tough GuyApe
1938Angels with Dirty FacesHunky
1939They Made Me a CriminalMilt
1939Hell's KitchenPatrick Henry 'Ouch' Rosenbloom
1939The Angels Wash Their FacesSleepy Arkelian
1939On Dress ParadeDutch
1940You're Not So ToughApe
1940Junior G-MenLugSerial
1940Give Us WingsApe
1941Hit the Road
1941Mob Town
1941Sea RaidersButchSerial
1942Junior G-Men of the Air'Creaseball' PlunkettSerial
1942Tough as They ComeApe
1942Junior ArmyBad Eye - Gang MemberUncredited
1943Mug TownApeFinal film[5]

References

  1. 1 2 Lentz, Harris M. III (2005). Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2004: Film, Television, Radio, Theatre, Dance, Music, Cartoons and Pop Culture. McFarland. p. 288. ISBN 9780786421039. Retrieved 29 June 2017.
  2. "Index Record for Bernard Punsly (1923) Veterans Affairs Beneficiary Identification Records Locator Subsystem Death File", Fold3 by Ancestry.com website. Retrieved December 11, 2022. Enlistment Dates are listed as "5 Mar 1943" and "4 Dec 1950", and Release Dates are listed as "17 Mar 1946" and "11 Sep 1952".
  3. Punsly, Bernard (31 Oct 1950). "Los Angeles Mirror 31 Oct 1950, page 33". Los Angeles Mirror. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  4. Associated Press (24 January 2004). "Bernard Punsly, 80, Actor in Dead End Kids". The New York Times. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  5. "In Remembrance: Bernard Punsly". Film Buff Online. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
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