Hollywood, Calif., Oct. 17, (Copyright, 1961, by NANA, Inc.) - Jackie Cooper dislikes piano lessons, geography, most girls, neckties, buttoned collars, going to bed early, mushy love scenes, and school.
Which goes to prove that he is very much the ordinary small boy although he commands a salary that would stagger the average merchant, and has a future which offers limitless promise all at the tender age of eight years.
His idea of a big day is to have certain things to eat - they are the things boys generally want - playing show with the neighbor's kids and having a fine game of marbles when the mood seizes which is pretty frequently.
Sleeping on a train is the boy prodigy's big excitement in life. You can't turn him into a bored star in a hurry for all his tremendous salary and the press notices that have been written about him. His dog means more to him than the good will of the studio officials. He thinks a lot of his new pony, too. He counts it a great privilege to be allowed to hold the steering wheel of a car going at a low speed. A game of football or baseball is the reward of good behavior - a reward that is pretty sure to bring about the behavior wanted. His big ambition is to direct traffic; and if you catch him off guard he will tell you that is what he intends to do when he is old enough. He thinks Mitzi Green is just about right.
Just a normal boy!
A Place of Joy
When Jackie Cooper signed a long term contract with Louis B. Mayer shortly after his phenomenal success in Skippy, he wasn't half so excited over the idea of the contract as he was at the news that from then on, he would have free access to the studio 'prop' room. This room, let me explain, is a four story brick building where every conceivable prop is housed, when it's not being used for dressing motion picture sets.
Here he finds fake guns, swords, stuffed animals, bicycles, toys, athletic goods, costumes, masks and all the things dear to the imaginary life of the small boy.
His first day on the Culver City lot was a strange one. He wanted to call on Marie Dressler when he heard she was there - for Marie Dressler has been the idol of his brief career. He announced himself her boy friend and made it pretty clear that the other lads that were hanging about would have to contend with Jackie Cooper for the privilege.
His first assignment was in "The Champ" with Wallace Beery. King Vidor was his director. The two immediately won Jackie's volatile admiration. He made it his business to call on the big chief that afternoon. Admitted to the office he said: "Mr. Mayer, it just occurred to me that since I think Mr. Vidor is such a very fine director, couldn't we get together on some arrangement which would make it possible for Mr. Vidor to direct all my future pictures?"
Louis B. Mayer, accustomed to the tantrums of temperamental ones, still admits that this was a facer - a problem he had not yet had to face in the cinema industry.
When Jackie found out that Wallace Beery had an airplane, it was easy sailing. All Wallace Beery had to do was to promise young Cooper a ride in his skyboat when the picture was finished and all went well. From then on it was difficult for Beery to get a hand free long enough to light a cigarette. Young Jackie had his own small fist wedged in Beery's every moment when they were not at work.
Both Get A "Kick"
The two lunched together - Wallace Beery seeming to get a tremendous kick out of the small boy. And Jackie Cooper imitated the other's tremendous swagger as much as his own short legs would permit.
Then "Bob" Montgomery flashed across Jackie Cooper's line of vision. "Say, Mr. Montgomery," called young Jackie, "I sure wish you'd play the part of my brother in my next picture."
One such came up during the filming of "The Champ." Mrs. Cooper told young Jackie he was wanted in his dressing room. Arrived there she informed him he might as well remove his make up and don his street clothes as he wouldn't be wanted on the set.
"But why. I'm in the picture aren't I?" asked young Jackie.
"Yes, you were in it," was his mother's answer, "but they've given the part to that other little boy who's been standing in the set every day just waiting for you to pull such a scene."
Jackie burst into tears. He promised to be perfection if his mother would go out and arrange for him to remain in the picture. That other little boy, was the stand in hired to save Jackie the tedious business of posing for lights and camera angles.
But, eight years of age and new to pictures how was Jackie to know that; which proves he isn't a star as yet, just a normal boy!