Jackie Cooper Day on TCM

Recently I discovered a new blog (well, new to me). It's called A Novel Menagerie by Sheri. Well, Sheri has decided that along with books she reads she will do reviews of movies. In doing so she designed her own Icon for the "theater" and then will use boxes of popcorn to rate the movie (5 popcorn boxes are the most.. one the least) I thought this was really a cute idea and emailed her and asked if old movies seen on television count, and if so I'd do that when I talk of the old movies I enjoy seeing on tv. Well.. she liked it! So, as a sort of introduction to this I am reporting on some happenings on the TCM channel. I won't rate anything today but I will in the future. I wanted you all to know I will link to Sheri's blog whenever I talk of movies.

I've also found Daniel's blog, Daniel's Critical Corner, who does movie reviews and of course Ladytink, The Movieholic and Bibliophile's Blog, does too, and don't miss Kailana at The Written Word! So if you like movies of all kind you might want to check these three out and mark them in your favorites list!

Now.. on to Turner Classic Movies!.................

Once I noticed that TCM seemed to be running a group of Jackie Cooper movies I had to check on IMDb to be sure he hadn't passed away on us!.. luckily he has NOT!

As I write this, so far I've watched two Jackie Cooper movies.. Tough Guy and The Champ.

Jackie Cooper is a name that not everyone remembers. Jackie was one of many child stars, that the studio's used extensively back in the day of black and white movies. When he became older he did have a television series in the 1950's called The Peoples Choice which ran for three years, and then when he was older yet, he played Perry White in the Christopher Reeves Superman movies. It was about then he dropped out of "the biz" and hasn't been seen since. (well.. not in movies).

Although he had quite an extensive career, he seems to be one of those actors that is rarely recognized for the work he has accomplished... and he sure did a lot! Jackie Cooper appeared in 124 films, I would consider that hard to forget.

Some of his accomplishments are:

1931 Skippy : nominated best actor

1980 the White Shadow : nominated for best director

1979 won Emmy for White Shadow

1974 won Emmy for directing a MASH episode

Biography: by Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

American actor Jackie Cooper was in movies at the age of three; his father had abandoned the family when Jackie was two, forcing his mother to rely upon the boy's acting income to keep food on the table. Shortly after earning his first featured part in Fox Movietone Follies of 1929. Cooper was hired for producer Hal Roach's "Our Gang" two-reeler series, appearing in 15 shorts over the next two years. The "leading man" in many of these comedies, he was most effective in those scenes wherein he displayed a crush on his new teacher, the beauteous Miss Crabtree. On the strength of "Our Gang," Paramount Pictures signed Cooper for the title role in the feature film Skippy (1931), which earned the boy an Oscar nomination. A contract with MGM followed, and for the next five years Cooper was frequently co-starred with blustery character player Wallace Beery. Cooper outgrew his preteen cuteness by the late 1930s, and was forced to accept whatever work that came along, enjoying the occasional plum role in such films as The Return of Frank James (1940) and What a Life! (1941). His priorities rearranged by his wartime Naval service, Cooper returned to the states determined to stop being a mere "personality" and to truly learn to be an actor. This he did on Broadway and television, notably as the star of two popular TV sitcoms of the 1950s, The People's Choice and Hennessey. Cooper developed a taste for directing during this period (he would earn an Emmy for his directorial work on MASH in 1973), and also devoted much of his time in the 1960s to the production end of the business; in 1965 he was appointed vice-president in charge of production at Screen Gems, the TV subsidiary of Columbia Pictures. From the early 1970s onward, Cooper has juggled acting, producing and directing with equal aplomb. Modern audiences know Cooper best as the apoplectic Perry White in the Christopher Reeve Superman films. In 1981, Cooper surprised (and sometimes shocked) his fans with a warts-and-all autobiography, -Please Don't Shoot My Dog. Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Tough Guy 1936

The Champ with Wallace Berry. 1931

1929-1931 found Jackie Cooper in The Little Rascal Movies. Pictured here are Miss Crabtree, the teacher, with Norman "chubby" Chaney and my dear friend Echo (Dorothy DeBorba)

Cooper and Lionel Barrymore in Treasure Island. 1934

Cooper, Pat Breslin and Cleo in the television show

The People's Choice which ran from 1955-1958.

Cooper as Perry white in the Superman movies. 1978/ 1980/ 1983

While I was looking for some photo's of Jackie I came across the one below.. a priceless photo to be sure!

There are three of the child stars of long ago.. actors one and all.

(Mickey Rooney - Freddie Bartholomew - Jackie Cooper)

I love TCM for continually making me want to tell everyone about some of the movies they show. For wanting others to find these actors and actresses that many of the younger generation have never even heard of.

If any of those younger generation people consider theirselves movie buffs... well.. TCM shows the movies that you can't just go to a theater to watch, and most are not available on dvds yet (but they are working on that!).

So.. if you want to see some new but very old movies.. take the time to watch some movies on the TCM station, and get to know the actors and actresses of the past.. you just might enjoy them!