Jackie Coogan

Biography

Jackie Coogan was an American actor who began his film career as a child star in silent films, with Charlie Chaplin's discovery at the Orpheum Theatre marking a pivotal moment in his early success. He later became known for playing Uncle Fester on The Addams Family and was a vocal advocate for protecting the earnings of child performers, inspiring California to enact the Coogan Act. After serving in the U.S. Army during World War II, Coogan continued to act throughout his life, taking mostly character roles until his retirement in the mid-1970s. He passed away on March 1, 1984.