Spooks Run Wild (1941)
Plot: The film, which is the seventh entry in the popular "East Side Kids" series, follows the misadventures of the rambunctious New York City youths (led by Muggs and Glimpy) who are sent to a summer camp in the countryside as a reform measure. Upon arriving, they hear radio reports about a maniacal "monster killer" loose in the area. When the boys sneak out of camp at night, they wander into a graveyard and end up taking refuge in the nearby, long-abandoned Billings Mansion after one of them is accidentally shot by the cemetery keeper. The mansion is now occupied by the mysterious, caped figure, Nardo (played by horror icon Bela Lugosi), and his dwarf assistant, Luigi. The East Side Kids immediately suspect Nardo is the monster killer, especially with his bizarre behavior and a hearse full of coffins. The story becomes a comedic "old dark house" thriller as the boys explore the mansion, encountering secret panels, strange objects, and getting separated, all while trying to evade Nardo, find their missing pal, and ultimately expose the identity of the real killer who is lurking in the shadows.
