Actor
Jackie Coogan
Born 26 October 1914 · Los Angeles, California, USA — died 1 March 1984
Jackie Coogan (1914–1984) was an American actor who became one of Hollywood's first major child stars in silent films, most famously opposite Charlie Chaplin in The Kid. His lawsuit over his squandered earnings led to California's child-performer earnings protection, known as the Coogan Law. Later, he played Uncle Fester on The Addams Family.
Key films
The Kid (1921)On Cinespective
Chaplin's feature film made Coogan an international child star and remains his defining role.
A Day's Pleasure (1919)
Early short with Chaplin in which Coogan appeared before The Kid, helping launch his screen career.
Oliver Twist (1922)
Coogan played the title role in this silent adaptation, showing his stardom as a child lead.
The Joker is Wild (1957)
A notable adult character role in his post-war comeback as a screen and television actor.
Cahill: United States Marshal (1973)
A later-career supporting role in a John Wayne Western, reflecting his long working life as a character actor.
Key awards
No major awards are documented here.
On Cinespective
Full filmography · 90
- 1917Skinner's Baby · as The Baby (uncredited)Actor
- 1919A Day's Pleasure · as Smallest Boy (uncredited)Actor
- 1921The Kid · as The KidActor
- 1921My Boy · as Jackie BlairActor
- 1921Peck's Bad Boy · as Henry PeckActor
- 1922Nice and Friendly · as BoyActor
- 1922Seeing Stars · as SelfActor
- 1922Oliver Twist · as Oliver TwistActor
- 1922Trouble · as Danny, the KidActor
- 1923Circus Days · as Toby TylerActor
- 1923Daddy · as Jackie Savelli / Jackie HoldenActor
- 1923Long Live the King · as Crown Prince Ferdinand William OttoActor
- 1924Little Robinson Crusoe · as Mickey HoganActor
- 1924Hello, 'Frisco · as Jackie CooganActor
- 1924A Boy of Flanders · as NelloActor
- 1924Meet Jackie Coogan · as HimselfActor
- 1925The Rag Man · as Tim KellyActor
- 1925Old Clothes · as Timothy KellyActor
- 1927Character Studies · as Self (uncredited)Actor
- 1927Buttons · as ButtonsActor
- 1927The Bugle Call · as Billy RandolphActor
- 1927Johnny Get Your Hair Cut · as Johnny O'DayActor
- 1928The Circus: Premiere · as SelfActor
- 1930Free and Easy · as Jackie Coogan - at Premiere (uncredited)Actor
- 1930Tom Sawyer · as Tom SawyerActor
- 1930Estrellados · as Self (Guest Appearance at Premiere)Actor
- 1931Huckleberry Finn · as Tom SawyerActor
- 1935Home on the Range · as Jack HatfieldActor
- 1936Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs · as SelfActor
- 1936Love in September · as JackieActor
- 1938College Swing · as JackieActor
- 1939Sky Patrol · as Carter MeadeActor
- 1939Million Dollar Legs · as Russ SimpsonActor
- 1942Screen Snapshots (Series 22, No. 10) · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1947Kilroy Was Here · as Pappy CollinsActor
- 1948French Leave · as Pappy ReaganActor
- 1951Varieties on Parade · as HimselfActor
- 1951Skipalong Rosenbloom · as Buck LovelaceActor
- 1952Outlaw Women · as Piute BillActor
- 1953Mesa of Lost Women · as Dr AranyaActor
- 1953The Actress · as Inopportune (uncredited)Actor
- 1955Escape from TerrorDirector
- 1955Escape from Terror · as Agent PetrovActor
- 1956The Proud Ones · as Man on Make (uncredited)Actor
- 1956Forbidden Area · as The CookActor
- 1957The Joker is Wild · as Swifty MorganActor
- 1957The Buster Keaton Story · as Elmer CaseActor
- 1957Eighteen and Anxious · as Harold 'Eager' BeaverActor
- 1957The Star Wagon · as Hanus WicksActor
- 1957The Troublemakers · as BenderActor
- 1957Where's Charley? · as Coach SanderfordActor
- 1958The Space Children · as Hank JohnsonActor
- 1958High School Confidential! · as Mr. AActor
- 1958No Place to Land · as SwedeActor
- 1959Lonelyhearts · as Ned GatesActor
- 1959The Beat Generation · as Jake BaronActor
- 1959The Big Operator · as Ed BrannellActor
- 1959Night of the Quarter Moon · as Desk Sergeant BraganActor
- 1960Sex Kittens Go to College · as Wildcat MacPhersonActor
- 1961The Legend of Rudolph Valentino · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1962When the Girls Take Over · as Captain ToussaintActor
- 1965Girl Happy · as Sgt. BensonActor
- 1965John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! · as Father RyanActor
- 1966A Fine Madness · as Mr. FitzgeraldActor
- 1966Clown Alley · as ClownActor
- 1968The Shakiest Gun in the West · as Matthew BaschActor
- 1968Rogue's Gallery · as Funeral DirectorActor
- 1969Marlowe · as Grant W. HicksActor
- 1972Scooby-Doo Meets The Addams Family · as Uncle Fester (Voice)Actor
- 1973Cahill: United States Marshal · as Charlie SmithActor
- 1974The Phantom of Hollywood · as JonathanActor
- 1975The Manchu Eagle Murder Caper Mystery · as Detective Chief AndersonActor
- 1975Lucy Gets Lucky · as Gus MitchellActor
- 1975The Specialists · as RogerActor
- 1976Sherlock Holmes in New York · as Haymarket Hotel ProprietorActor
- 1976Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood · as Stagehand 1Actor
- 1977Halloween with the New Addams Family · as Uncle FesterActor
- 1979Human Experiments · as Sheriff TibbsActor
- 1979When the West Was Fun: A Western Reunion · as SelfActor
- 1980Dr. Heckyl and Mr. Hype · as Sgt. FleacollarActor
- 1980The Kids Who Knew Too Much · as Mr. KleinActor
- 1982The Escape Artist · as Magic Shop OwnerActor
- 1982Hollywood’s Children · as SelfActor
- 1983The Prey · as Lester TileActor
- 1988Hollywood Scandals and Tragedies · as (archive footage) (uncredited)Actor
- 1992The Addams Family Album · as Uncle Fester (archive footage)Actor
- 2000Lon Chaney: A Thousand Faces · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2003Chaplin Today: The Kid · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2015Jackie Coogan: The First Child Star · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2021The Real Charlie Chaplin · as Self (archive footage)Actor
Filmography data from TMDB. The profile text is a draft written for Cinespective.