The New York herald., 1921-04-25
Jackie Coogan, New
Child Star, Impish
'Peck's Bad Boy
His Work Exceptionally Nat
ural for One Of His Age
Other Films.

Just as though they were an institu-
ton OF learning that was finally forced
10 admit child prodigies. Now in ''Peck's
Bad Boy" III which Jackie Coogan
makes his debut as a screen luminary
at the Strand this week. the film pro-
ducers. via Irving Lesser. have brought
stellar honors up TO the very brink of
the cradle. Next we shall hear that
Toodleums Royalton I'd. the infant son
in arms of the noted screen actor
Laurence Royalton, has had his name
put in electric lights over a cinema
palace
But the youngster who. despite his
half dozen years. almost out-toddled
Charlie Chaplin for the honors of The
Kid" deserves to be the first boy star.
for he acts like the very mischief. In
this adaptation OF Col. George w.
Peck's classic. which Sam Wood, the
author and director, has fitted TO
Jackie's small shoulders with a liberal
hand. the little lad is up TO everything
in boys repertory of tricks, arousing
conclusions OF laughter in an adult
audience by escapades that probably
would lead them TO give their own off,
spring an enthusiastic spanking. What
keeps one from wanting to larrup
Jackie for his endless incorrigibility Us
his air Of an innocent Kewpie that has
somehow become embroiled with the
cops.
Looks Cherubic Mt Times.
At times one feels that Jackie looks
almost too cherubic, and destined to
grow UP and become a great lover of
-, IT,, H. "a
he does something impish with an air
OF familiarity that makes one realize
he has the saving grace of the devil in
him. There Is the same remarkable
eXpressiveness and spontaneity he
showed in The Kid" and IL is only
when he laughs occasionally that the
directors finger sticks into the film
His work Is exceptionally natural for a
child of his age, and in his engaging
wholesomenesS he makes one think of
a miniature Charles Ray.
The story ambles along in an informal
manner without any particular sense OF
direction, but the Incidents are uni
formly hilarious, including the ruse by
which Jackie wins circus money from
his father. his trick in putting ants in
his fathers lumbago pad AM the ex-
citing rescue from collision between
Jackie and a railroad train, which In
terests him less than the fact that he
narrowly escapes spanking after he Is
saved. Jackie has as distinguished a
supporting company is though he sport
ed curs and dimples, with Wheeler Oak
man. Doris May, James Corrigan, Ray
mond Hatton and Lillian Leighton. not
forgetting Queenie the dog which crawls
out of church In 4 way that many
humans have sometimes wished they
ataltt LAT Irksf sAhh h
titles are clever. which IS their one
weakness. for they are often tao sophls-
ticated for a juvenile still In overalls.
However, children should drag their pa
rents to this amusing picture, for II
may make their elders more tolerant OF
their faults--for Il week
Victor Herberts Little Nemo" over
ture another entertaining number OF the
Adventures of Bill and Boo. called
Catching a Coon" and sel@etions by
the Strand male quartet and Estelle
Carey are in tune with the principal at
traction, while Bang" lively Mermaid
comedy. starts ont with some good farce
material and then runs away with it.
self
Roscoe ArbucIsIe In New Film.
Roscoe (Fatty) Arbuclkle's pores act
In a lively manner in The Travelling
Salesman Mt the Rialto. He perspires
industrlously. But despite this the
ada aptation OF James Forbcs's successful
play is agreeable warm weather enter
tainment This second Paramount YER
sion Of the story OF the drummer who
got off at the wrong railroad station
only to become instrumental In saving a
girls valuable land from an elderly
sltinflint, has been Irnbued with more
action and incidents by Walter Woods,
the scenario writer. than in the first
production in which Frank Mcintyre
PLAYED his original role several years
ago-which is but natural. FIR big as
Mcintyre was. his martle OF Elijah
would have to be enlarged wnen it de-
scended upon Arbuckle
Herold's Tampa" overture. sclos by
Robert Parker and 'Iary Fabian. and
Prizma scenic. Sunshine Gatherers."
are other offerings. while a Charles
Chaplin revival, The Floor Walker"
gives one a chance TO note how far he
has advanced in the deftncss OF his
later vehicles from his earlier pictures.
when his feet carried the blk OF his
art.
while Hush" the Harry Carson
production at the Capitol. Is the kind Of
picture that Will interest a certain class
OF persons, the mind Of one observer was
somewhat held by the speculation
whether the clara kimbaU Young who
Is the star of II was the same &C. Is.
Young. who signed letter TO THE
Nrw York HERALD last week In which
she wrote that she intended TO commit
suicide. and in which she mentioned the
word 'Hush" frequently BY curious
coincidence, the story contrived by Sada
Cowan for the photoplay was Identical
with that In the letter-the tale OF
wife who confessed past indiscretion 10
her husband. which led him 70 make
home everything that Il shouldn't be.
Thomas's Raymond" overture. the
BALLET OF the Egyptians" skilfully
staged by Alexander OumanslSy and his
associate dancers; selections by Erik
Rye. Miss Charlotte Bergh ana the Capt.
tol mixed quartette, and Japanese and
Redoiin shorter reels are pleasant ad