Jackie Coogan
Jackie Coogan ( born October 26, 1914 as John Leslie Cooper in Los Angeles, † March 1, 1984 in Santa Monica ) was an American actor and child star.
Life
Jackie Coogan is one of the first child stars of cinema history. The first film in which he played with less than three years, was Skinner's baby from the year 1917. 1921 he turned to the side of the Charlie Chaplin film, which made him world famous, The Kid. Especially the silent films of his childhood are legendary to this day. He then played even still in the sound era, could later build but never as an adult on earlier successes. Only in the 1960s he was rediscovered for his role as Uncle Fester on the hit television series The Addams Family.
During his time as a child star Jackie Coogan earned a total of approximately $ 4,000,000. The money was invested in a fund for Jackie. His parents lived in isolation and Jackie with his father. His mother had entered into a relationship with Jackie's former manager Arthur L. Bernstein. The money was managed by his father, and Jackie should get his fortune coming of age. However, five months before Jackie's coming of age, his father was killed with his car. The inheritance went to Jackie's mother, as the marriage had not yet been legally divorced. When Jackie even months later did not get his money, he sued his mother and stepfather. The trial ended after over a year with a settlement. However, from the fortune was left by this time not much.
As a consequence of this process, the so-called Coogan Law, which should protect from then on the income of minors arose. The child's income remain the property of the child. 15 percent of gross income resulting from employment in sports or entertainment, are credited to an escrow account for the benefit of the minor and manages up to his majority.
Jackie Coogan died in 1984 of a heart attack and was buried in the cemetery "Holy Cross Cemetery " in Culver City.
In his honor, a star on the Walk of Fame was founded.