Jackie Cooper

John "Jackie" Cooper, Jr., was an American actor, producer, director, and executive who departed this life at the age of 88 after a short illness. He was best known for the “Our Gang” shorts. When he was 9, he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for the film "Skippy" (1931) and is the youngest person to be nominated for an Academy Award. Born 1922 in Los Angeles, California, at age three Cooper appeared in Lloyd Hamilton comedies under the name of Leonard. Four years later at the age of seven, he appeared in the film "Sunny Side Up." In 1929, Cooper joined the series "Boxing Gloves" and was signed to a three-year contract. In 1930, his most notable role in the "Our Gang" shorts explored his crush on Miss Crabtree, the schoolteacher played by June Marlowe. His first Academy Award nomination was for his 1931 film "Skippy." After dozens of film roles, from 1964 to 1969, he was vice president of program development at Columbia Pictures Screen Gems TV division. Cooper found