Although I had briefly met Frank “Junior” Coghlan twice during visits to California – the first at the Hollywood Collectors Show in 1995, and the second at the Way Out West Tent 30th Anniversary banquet in 1997, I had never really sat down to talk to him or gotten a photo with him. And to tell the truth, I had no intention of trying to look him up during any of my most recent visits. He had only appeared in one Our Gang film, the early silent Giants Vs. Yanks in 1923, and Bob had already gotten me a signed photo. But thankfully, Bob suggested that we stop by and pay him a visit – and as usual, I am all the better for it.
Frank Coghlan – or “Junior” as he was billed throughout his career – started as a young child actor in the early 1920’s, graduating to teen roles and then to small parts in over 100 films. Although the roles were generally small, some of the names of the films he appeared in are huge: The Public Enemy (in which he played James Cagney as a child), Gone With the Wind, Knute Rockne, All American, and a couple of the Mickey Rooney Andy Hardy films to name a few. After retiring from acting in the 1940’s for a 23-year stint in the Navy, he made a brief return to pop into a couple of Don Knotts film in the 1960’s – as well as some TV appearances on shows like The Beverly Hillbillies for example.
Junior Coghlan with Shirley Temple in the Frolics of Youth series of short films
So on the way to visiting Lois Laurel Hawes and her family on the afternoon of Saturday, October 4, 2008, Bob and I decided to drop in at the nursing home facility in Valencia where he currently lives to pay him a visit. Unfortunately, he was out with some family or friends, so we stopped by again after we had left Lois’ house. Mr. Coghlan was having dinner so Bob and I took a seat to wait for him to finish. He was living in the Alzheimer’s ward, so I was hoping that he would remember Bob and be receptive to company.
Fortunately, he was an absolute delight. At 92 years old, he seemed to be sharp as a tack – and while we were there, he exhibited no signs of his ailment. He signed a couple of photos for Bob with a steady hand and gladly posed for pictures with us. His small room was adorned with photos from his past film career, which I’m sure brings him great comfort. Our stay was brief but it was such a pleasure to greet and acknowldege a man who had seen the motion picture industry from the 1920’s onward.
As we left his room, he asked me if I wouldn’t mind shutting his door.
Return to Saturday in California…
Shazam! I’m so glad to learn he’s still around. I used to see him at meetings of SPERDVAC (the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Radio Drama, Variety and Comedy) in LA and various other old movie functions in the ’80s and ’90s, and then he just seemed to vanish. He was Billy Batson in one of the greatest movie serials, “Captain Marvel.” I believe he’s written an autobiography–at least I hope so. He had, as you mention, a varied and highly colorful career.
Randy Skretvedt
November 11th, 2008
Yep, he has written a book. Here’s the info:
http://tinyurl.com/5z96gt
Randy Skretvedt
November 11th, 2008