Post by MemphisFFAdmin on Oct 29, 2009 10:36:42 GMT -6
Recently, we lost another prior guest of the Memphis Film Festival. Frank "Junior" Coghlan, who attended the festival in 1986 and 1997, passed away quietly at the age of 93.
"He was one of the busiest child actors of the late '20s and 1930s," said film critic and historian Leonard Maltin. "He was a fresh, freckle-faced boy with great All-American-type appeal."
Frank moved with his parents Frank and Katherine Coghlan to California as a baby. In 1920 eventually all three family members performed extra work in silent pictures, with Frank taking the stage name Junior Coghlan starting at the tender age of three. By 1925, Junior managed the jump from an extra to a popular actor with his name appearing on the official cast lists. Junior quickly became one of the era’s most recognized child actors. He signed a five year contract with Cecil B. DeMille in 1925.
He is probably best remembered as Billy Batson in the landmark 1941 Republic action serial, “Adventures of Captain Marvel” where he transformed into Captain Marvel by saying the magic catch phrase, “Shazam!”
The 12-chapter "Adventures of Captain Marvel" serial from Republic Pictures marked the first time a comic book superhero was depicted on the big screen.
Coghlan was working on the 1941 MGM movie "Men of Boys Town" when his agent called to say Republic wanted to interview him for the role.
"I had no idea who Captain Marvel or Billy Batson were," Coghlan told Tom Weaver in an interview for Comics Scene magazine in 1994.
It was only after he was interviewed by the serial's producer and two directors that he stopped at a drugstore and bought a copy of the comic book.
"I said to myself, 'Hey, I do kind of look like that kid,' " he recalled.
Whenever Batson said "Shazam!" a giant flash and a cloud of white smoke appeared. And when the smoke cleared, Batson had become the mighty Captain Marvel (played by Tom Tyler).
"Every time we did that, they ignited flash powder, which was in a trough in front of me," recalled Coghlan. "And if the wind was unkind, I'd get the powder flash in my face and lose some eyebrows."
Those who reflect on Frank's two visits to the Memphis Film Festival remember him as a very friendly guest who was always willing to sit down and spend time with everyone - talking and sharing about his experiences in Hollywood. He immediately made everyone feel welcome in his company.
"He was one of the busiest child actors of the late '20s and 1930s," said film critic and historian Leonard Maltin. "He was a fresh, freckle-faced boy with great All-American-type appeal."
Frank moved with his parents Frank and Katherine Coghlan to California as a baby. In 1920 eventually all three family members performed extra work in silent pictures, with Frank taking the stage name Junior Coghlan starting at the tender age of three. By 1925, Junior managed the jump from an extra to a popular actor with his name appearing on the official cast lists. Junior quickly became one of the era’s most recognized child actors. He signed a five year contract with Cecil B. DeMille in 1925.
He is probably best remembered as Billy Batson in the landmark 1941 Republic action serial, “Adventures of Captain Marvel” where he transformed into Captain Marvel by saying the magic catch phrase, “Shazam!”
The 12-chapter "Adventures of Captain Marvel" serial from Republic Pictures marked the first time a comic book superhero was depicted on the big screen.
Coghlan was working on the 1941 MGM movie "Men of Boys Town" when his agent called to say Republic wanted to interview him for the role.
"I had no idea who Captain Marvel or Billy Batson were," Coghlan told Tom Weaver in an interview for Comics Scene magazine in 1994.
It was only after he was interviewed by the serial's producer and two directors that he stopped at a drugstore and bought a copy of the comic book.
"I said to myself, 'Hey, I do kind of look like that kid,' " he recalled.
Whenever Batson said "Shazam!" a giant flash and a cloud of white smoke appeared. And when the smoke cleared, Batson had become the mighty Captain Marvel (played by Tom Tyler).
"Every time we did that, they ignited flash powder, which was in a trough in front of me," recalled Coghlan. "And if the wind was unkind, I'd get the powder flash in my face and lose some eyebrows."
Those who reflect on Frank's two visits to the Memphis Film Festival remember him as a very friendly guest who was always willing to sit down and spend time with everyone - talking and sharing about his experiences in Hollywood. He immediately made everyone feel welcome in his company.