The Washington times., 1931-04-20

-~l<=S wrenching sobs.
The tiny figure
JACKIE COOPER on the bed
shook all over in poignant
childish grief and you could
almost feel an enormous wave OF
audience sympathy going out to
The lad. All these tears because
Penny, Sooky's NUT dog who
licked your hand, had been
cruelty dispatched by the dog
catcher. Skippy first asked God
if he couldn't do something about
it, then sought solace in tears.
Remarkable Likeness
Paramount has made re.
narkably fine picture out OF
chat heart-of- gold kid, "Skippy,"
who frolics daily on The Wash
ington Times comic pages. Its
overpowering appeal comes mostly
from the inspired performance
which is contributed by Jackie
Cooper, juvenile whose screen
likeness to the cartoon character
is uncanny in its verify, whose
knowledge of acting is something
at which to marvel.
Percy Crosby told me Saturday
afternoon that he intends send
ing a gold watch to Master
Cooper as a token of apprecia-
ton to the boy who makes his
character live on the screen.
"When I saw him first had
almost a sick feeling" said the
cartoonist. "He looked so much
like my Skippy that I had a
horrible dread he couldn't pos
sibly act as real as he looked.
And then / watched and / was
won. 1 realized / was seeing a
boy who had GOd-given talent
for this job, the wonderful gift
of Submerging his own person
atty in that of the character,
which is the real art of the
actor"
There is nothing to be added
20 such a testimonial except that
young Master Cooper's screen
portrait of "Skippy' will go down
in the celluloid archives as the
most memorable and worthy act
ing exhibit by precocious child
since Jackie Coogan leaped into
aminence in "The Kid"
Is Simple Story
The screen story is really an
engrossing study of child psychol-
ogy with a series of engaging
incidents in the lives of Skippy
and his shantytown pal, Sooky
(played by Robert Coogan), and
their dogs. Skip has little use
for his ariStocratic neighbor, Sid
ney, but likes to 60 across the
railroad track and conSort with
his little friend Of the Slums,
Sooky. When Sooky's NUT is
nabbed by the dog catcher, real
tragedy enters their lives. They
try to raise SO to reprieve him
with a license, but by the time
they have gathered the money,
Penny has gone to the dog's
hereafter. What woe.
To me the most fun compelling
scene-in a picture which is full
of them-came when Skippy was
cannilly questioning his pop CDR.
Skinner) while the latter was try
ing to take a shower bath; the
most satisfying when DR.. Skinner
takes a crack at the crabby dog
catcher, knocks him down, while
Skippy looks on with childish glee
and admiration.
COogan Boy FalterS
Young Robert Coogan is stumped
q little by the obstacles Of dia-
logue. He looks "Sooky'' but his
tongue falters with the big words
and any thought of another Coo
gan prodigy must come in later
pictures. Jackie Searles is a fine
little william for picture purposes,
but Mitzi Green was too adult and
matured in acting tricks to lend
the casual unsophistication which
made the performance Of Jackie
Cooper distinguished. Willard
Robertson and Enid Bennett make
splendid contrast in the grown-up
roles.
On the stage is a better than
average revue. Al Wohlman is a
breezy and apt master OF cere-
monies introducing a team OF
graceful ballroom dancers in John
and Mary Jennings, George
Fellows, a skillful juggler; Hites.
Kenny and Casey, good tap
dancers; Cecilia Blair, contortion-
1st; Fred Sanborn, in comedy
musical act, and Warren Harri-
man in Russian type dancing.
The Hearst-Movietone News and
music by the Palace Syncopators
completes a real bargain bill Of
entertainment.