Jackie Coogan’s Star Turn

Although he wasn’t the first child actor to gain recognition, Jackie Coogan outstripped all his peers in popularity when, at the tender age of six, he starred opposite Charlie Chaplin in the 1921 silent masterpiece The Kid. He delivers a remarkable performance as the titular waif, who is rescued from the streets by Chaplin’s charming Tramp. On our new release of The Kid, you can watch an archival interview with Coogan, in which he discusses his formative experiences working with Chaplin. In the clip from that piece below, he describes having to weep on cue for one of the film’s most memorable moments.