‘Our Gang’s’ Jackie Cooper Passes Away At 88

Jackie Cooper, star of the Little Rascals movies and one-time Palm Springs resident, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 88.

TMZ.com reports Cooper, who was nominated for an Academy Award at the age of 9, died of a sudden illness.

Cooper started as a child star in the black-and-white short serials of Hollywood.

Born in Los Angeles in 1922, Cooper appeared for almost 10 years as Jackie in the famous “Our Gang” film shorts. At age 9, he played the lead role in “Skippy,” and became the youngest actor ever nominated for a lead- acting Oscar.

He also played young Jim Hawkins in the 1934 film version of “Treasure Island,” and later went on to develop a successful television career, most notably playing the lead role of a Navy lieutenant in “Hennesey” in the early 1960s.

Although he continued acting, Cooper also made a name for himself behind the camera. He won an Emmy Award in 1974 for directing an episode of “M*A*S*H” and another in 1979 for directing the pilot episode of “The White Shadow.” He also earned a Directors Guild of America nomination for his work on “White Shadow.”

Many others remember Cooper later in life for his role as Clark Kent’s boss Perry White in the Superman movies starring Christopher Reeve.

Cooper lived in Palm Springs’ Las Palmas area during the hey-day of Hollywood. He lived in the same neighborhood as Cyd Charrisse. and stories indicate Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and Frank Sinatra used to come lounge by his pool.

Flowers were placed on his star on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood on Wednesday afternoon.