R.I.P. Jackie Cooper

Newt · May 06, 2011, 12:52:09 AM

Former child star Jackie Cooper dies at 88
May 4, 2011, 5:53 PM EST
By Tim Kenneally
TheWrap

Former child actor Jackie Cooper passed away on Tuesday in a Beverly Hills hospital, his family has announced. He was 88.

Cooper, who was featured in Hal Roach's "Our Gang" series, became the youngest actor to ever be nominated for a Best Actor Academy Award, when he was nominated at the age of 9 for his work in the 1931 film "Skippy."

In later years, Cooper served as a VP of program development for Columbia Pictures' Screen Gems division. He also worked behind the screen as a director, and won two Emmy Awards for directing work on "M*A*S*H*" and "The White Shadow."

As an actor, Cooper experienced renewed fame as gruff newspaper editor Perry White in the "Superman" film series of the late '70s and early '80s. He announced his retirement in 1989.

Born John Cooper Jr. in Los Angeles in 1922, he was married three times, to June Horne from 1944 to 1949; to Hildy Parks from 1950 to 1951; and to Barbara Kraus from 1954 until her passing in 2009.

In all, Cooper had four children, though he outlived his two daughters, Julie and Cristina. Cooper is survived by sons John and Russell.

RCMerchant · May 06, 2011, 05:58:32 AM

Very sad. Most of the original Our Gang are gone now....

RIP

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exRbv4aKfIA

Raffine · May 06, 2011, 07:00:02 AM

TCM aired SKIPPY recently and I finally got to see it. I recall thinking how great it was Cooper was still with us.

RIP, Jackie. Give Miss Crabtree a kiss for me.

AndyC · May 06, 2011, 09:16:47 AM

Hate to say it, but I was surprised to hear that he was still alive up to now. That's what happens with older actors who retire, I suppose.
Always liked Jackie Cooper. I'll never forget Officer Kennedy giving him advice on how to get a woman.

Allhallowsday · May 06, 2011, 10:36:15 AM

Good night, JACKIE. We all loved you.

Psycho Circus · May 06, 2011, 12:31:20 PM

R.I.P.

Allhallowsday · May 07, 2011, 01:25:58 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmzbYYBYbZ0

Umaril The Unfeathered · May 10, 2011, 11:24:07 PM

Quote from: AndyC on May 06, 2011, 09:16:47 AM
Hate to say it, but I was surprised to hear that he was still alive up to now. That's what happens with older actors who retire, I suppose.
Always liked Jackie Cooper. I'll never forget Officer Kennedy giving him advice on how to get a woman.

Yeah! And he goes over to Maryanne and says "I'm a caveman, and you're my woman!" and she gets up and beats the tar out of Jackie while Kennedy sits there laughing his ass off until he's nearly dead from exhaustion. lmfao

And then there's the infamous "Chubbsie Ubbsie" episode. Every time Chubby tried to tell Ms. Crabtree how much he loved her, Jackie came out from behind the curtain making faces and noises. I laugh so hard everytime I see that one!

Another one is where Jackie and another kid had a duel over Maryanne. They wore catchers' masks and used garbage can lids as shields and went around the yard beating the hell out of each other with long steel rods that looked like fencing swords.

Good night, Jackie. You were a real American original. Love ya', dude, and thanks for all the laughs.

Raffine · May 11, 2011, 07:20:49 AM

QuoteAnother one is where Jackie and another kid had a duel over Maryanne. They wore catchers' masks and used garbage can lids as shields and went around the yard beating the hell out of each other with long steel rods that looked like fencing swords.

I think Jackie's sparring partner in that one was also Chubby Chaney.

Warp Ninja X · May 11, 2011, 06:16:57 PM

One of my favorite Our Gang shorts is The Bear Hunters when the gang go safari in the woods trapping a guy in a gorilla suit and put limburger cheese on Wheezer's neck lol. R.I.P. Mr. Cooper.

JaseSF · May 13, 2011, 01:21:44 AM

R.I.P. We've lost another screen legend.

Umaril The Unfeathered · May 18, 2011, 01:36:39 AM

Quote from: Warp Ninja X on May 11, 2011, 06:16:57 PM
One of my favorite Our Gang shorts is The Bear Hunters when the gang go safari in the woods trapping a guy in a gorilla suit and put limburger cheese on Wheezer's neck lol. R.I.P. Mr. Cooper.

Oh yeah! "Bear Shooters" was the right title though, I think (could be wrong though.)

If I also remember right, the guy in the gorilla suit was trying to stop the gang from fishing on his private property, thus the suit.

I liked when they got the guy in the trap and kept shooting him with the air rifles and the bow and arrows. Whenever they hit him in the ass with an arrow, he'd go "ooo-HOOOOO!" and that used to make me lmao. That was one funny episode!

BoyScoutKevin · May 20, 2011, 02:43:05 PM

His acting career spanned 61 years. From 1929 to 1990. The youngest actor ever to be nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor for his work in "Skippy."

And his peacetime military career equaled that of his acting career. Co-pilot of U.S. Navy jets, he eventually earned the rank of Captain in the U.S. Naval Reserve, which puts him with Glenn Ford as the only other actor to obtain the rank of Captain and behind only John Ford who was made a honorary rear admiral in the U.S. Naval Reserve and Jimmy Stewart who was a brigadier general in the U.S. Air Force Reserve.

They don't make actors like that anymore. R.I.P. Jackie.