Silver Screen (Nov 1930-Oct 1931)

Better Jackie That's Young Rolcrt Coogans Cnticim Of His Own Acting — and Mayh Hcs Right By J a c k Grant ROBERT COOGAN was taken to the projection room where he was to see himself for the first _ time on the screen. Robert is now five, eleven years the junior of his brother, Jackie Coogan. He made his motion picture debut in "Skippy" at exactly the same age that Jackie originally flashed into fame with Charlie Chaplin in "The Kid." Robert sat silently by his father's side while the day's rushes were being run. He saw himself— heard his own words, so painstakingly learned, reproduced. Surely this was an experience which comes once in a lifetime. The last scene was over and the lights flashed up in the studio projection room. Robert glanced at his father expecting the word of praise he felt he now so richly deserved. But his father said nothing. Robert waited. The others were leaving the theatre. Finally he could contain himself no longer. "Daddy," he said, "do you know what I think? I'm better'n Jackie." Up to that moment Robert (no one calls him "Bobby") had heartily disliked the business of being an actor since the first day he entered the Paramount studio. Calling him an actor had always been an open invitation to fight. Before a scene had been taken for "Skippy," young Robert marched over to the man who was to be his director and asked: "Mr. Taurog, will you do me a favor?" "What is it, Robert?" "I want to go home." "Don't you 'want to become an actor?" queried Taurog in amazement. "No, sir. Anybody who does is crazy." In vain they exphtined that Jackie Coogan, whom Robert adores with the adoration of the typical small brother, is an actor. All Robert would reply was, "He for September 1931 The Million Dollar Brother of the Million Dollar "Kid" Started in "Skippy" and is Headed for the Stars can have it." Not very flattering to the Coogans. Somehow or other during the first day of shooting they kept him from exercising his Garbo complex for going home. Then Robert saw himself on the screen and to his mind he was "better'n Jackie." It made things a litde easier, though even to this day he continues to bristle at the hated epithet. This despite the fact that Robert is now under long-term contract to Paramount as a result of his success in his debut performance. "Don't call me an actor," he says time and again. He ^ emphasizes his words with a downward swing of the hand. "It makes me mad. Anybody who thinks hef wants to be an actor doesn't know. It's a lot of bother. I want to play with the dog and what happens? The] director says 'No.' So I have to wait 'til lunch. Why: can't they take pictures at lunch time when I'm through : playing?" It was only by making a game of acting that Robert was guided at all by Norman Taurog, his director. He won the boy's esteem by being a delightful pla) mate, and by making it fun to play the role of Sooky, the pal of "Skippy." While "make believe" is pretty real to a five-year-old, there were some things Robert did not want to do. For instance, when told he was to fight with Jackie Searl, lie protested, "But I can't fight my pal." However, the boys were finally jjcrsuaded to go through their paces. Toward the end of the take, Robert had the misfortune to ste]) into a hole and fell towartl a punch Jackie Searl couldn't pull in time. It landed squarely on his nose. Not remembering the microphone, Robert turned to his father and observed, "Now you see what being an actor gets a fellow into." Floiding the injured, (hough not bleeding, member, he walked out of the scene. As he ])asscd the director, he muttered, "Gosh, I wish I was [Continued on page ;6] 19