Working class stiff Jerry Flynn loves two things in life: the poor but beautiful Mary Stephens and hanging around the pool hall placing bets with bookies. Mary dreams of an easier life filled with fine clothes, jewels and parties. Gangster Wire Arno, who controls the horse racing syndicate, is her ticket out of Palookaville. Although Mary falls easily into Arno's glitzy world, she never really loses her feelings for Jerry. After losing the love of his life, Jerry doesn't fall into the gutter of despair. He turns his corner newspaper stand into a major distribution center, and earns wealth beyond his wildest dreams. But Jerry knows money can't buy happiness and sets out to win back Mary. Jerry succeeds, but the shadow of Arno forever haunts the lovers and Jerry will not be satisfied until he destroys Arno's corrupt empire, even at the risk of losing his beloved Mary.
Lew Ayres, who stars as Jerry Flynn in King of the Newsboys, also appeared in All Quiet on the Western Front. Heeding that film's anti-war message, he became a conscientious objector during WWII, joining the Medical Corps rather than serving as a soldier. Ayres' co-star, sassy beauty Helen Mack, is best known for following in Fay Wray's shoes as the heroine of Son of Kong.