Thursday, January 6, 2011

Baby Peggy Documentary Poster

Baby Peggy - The Elephant in the Room.
For those of you not interested in silent film and its major stars - you're forgiven.  Baby Peggy was a huge child star - one of three, along with Baby Marie and Jackie Coogan - and thankfully, she is still with us.  (Yes, please click the image to embiggen - the file is huge and detailed.)

Diana Serra Cary is her real name and she has documented many elements of the silent era including "Hollywood's Children" about the plight of many child stars; "Hollywood's Posse" about the real cowboys who became, among other things, stuntmen; and most recently (2003) her biography of "Jackie Coogan: The World's Boy King" and all are fascinating reading.

Most people remember Coogan as Uncle Fester from The Addams Family TV series.  I like to remember him as he first appeared with Chaplin in "The Kid" because he was the most beautiful little boy and a damned good actor. But I digress.

This is the note from my friend, and friend of Diana,  that accompanied the image above:
"HI - Diana just sent me this - it's the bio-film about her made by the Dutch woman I met two years ago at Diana's 90th b'day celebration. The title refers to her supporting the family, surrendering her career and her identity and her money and ..... hope other explanations are forthcoming."
I too, hope more is forthcoming. Of course, the film will never play here, but I look forward to the possibility of seeing it on DVD. Someday.

And so it goes.
*

4 comments:

  1. RonJanuary 6, 2011 at 7:50 PM

    Did you know that you gave me your book on this subject? If you want it back, let me know. I'll be glad to return it (under cover of darkness of course.)

    ReplyDelete
  2. MarkJanuary 7, 2011 at 8:21 AM

    I did not know that Uncle Fester was a child star. I guess I need to do some reading-up.
    Take care.
    Your Friend, m.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousJanuary 8, 2011 at 10:03 PM

    OMG! Baby Peggy is still alive! I have read 2 of her books and would like to read the Coogan book, but can't find it listed anywhere.

    Can you help?

    TTN

    ReplyDelete
  4. the cajunJanuary 8, 2011 at 10:14 PM

    @Ron: it may have been in the boxes of books I was donating to the thrift store that you picked over beforehand, but I must have missed which ever one that was.

    Enjoy it, treasure it. I have no room for these things anymore.

    @Mark: Just Google Jackie Coogan and you will be amazed at what you will discover. Be amazed and enjoy.

    @TTN: Go to your local book seller and ask them to look up the title, I know it's still in print, and order a copy, spend some time enjoying what the silent era was really about.

    Thanks for your comments. I appreciate you all.

    ReplyDelete

Your comments are welcome if they are positive and/or helpful.
If they are simply a tirade or opinionated bullshit, they will be removed, so don't waste your time, or mine.