They Still Call Me Junior: Autobiography of a Child Star; With a Filmography

Once called the "perfect example of a homeless waif" by director Cecil B. DeMille, Junior Coghlan acted in movies for over 70 years. Perhaps best remembered for his role as Billy Batson in the Republic serial The Adventures of Captain Marvel, he has worked with many of the legends of Hollywood, such as Charlie Chaplin, Mickey Rooney, Jackie Cooper, and Shirley Temple. Included here are the stories of Coghlan's 23-year naval service (he enlisted as an aviator during World War II and rose to the rank of lieutenant commander) and his eight years as the naval liaison and technical advisor on such films as The Caine Mutiny and Mr. Roberts. A filmography traces his career.

Table of Contents:
Table of Contents Acknowledgments      Foreword by William C. Cline      Preface      xiii 1. The Beginning      2. California      3. Kids in Early Movies      4. Universal Studio      5. Bits and Small Parts      6. Comedies and Our Gang      7. Hugh Dierker      8. Marshall Neilan and Mike      9. I Meet Cecil B. DeMille      10. Under Contract      11. Rubber Tires      12. The Yankee Clipper      13. Slide. Kelly. Slide      14. The Last Frontier      15. My Father and Booze      16. Pathé Studio and The County Doctor      17. Marked Money      18. Let ‘er Go Gallegher      19. A Harp in Hock      20. Square Shoulders      21. New Haven      22. The Panama Canal      23. Dialogue and Crying      24. Talkies and Agents      25. I Move to a New School      26. Public Enemy and Frankie Darro      27. Racetrack      28. The Last of the Mohicans      29 The Frolics of Youth      30. Pickups. 1930–36      31. Blazing Barriers      32. Scouts to the Rescue and Jackie Cooper      33. “Moe the Gimp” and Romeo      34. Radio      35. Joe E . Brown and New York      36. Gregory La Cava      37. ZaSu Pitts and Slim Summerville      38. The Dead End Kids      39. Mickey Rooney      40. 1939      41. Gone with the Wind      42. I Play a Ghost      43. SHAZAM!      44. War Hits Hollywood      45. Henry Aldrich      46. I Enlist. and Follow the Band      47. The Eyes Have It      48. You’re in the Navy Now      49. Pre-Flight, Robert Taylor, and Jane Wyatt      50. On to Primary      51. Pensacola: The Annapolis of the Air      52. Final Squadron and Wings of Gold      53. Instructor Duty      54. I Get Married      55. Jacksonville, Michael, and the Blue Angels      56. Back to Hollywood and Bill Lear      57. Back in the Navy      58. The Pentagon      59. The Bridges at Toko-Ri      60. Mr . Roberts and Admiral John Ford      61. Washington. Admiral Gallery, and Arline Judge      62. Orders to Sea Duty      63. Flying the Pacific: Japan      64. Flying the Pacific: The Philippines            65. The Embassy Flight      66. Air Evacs      67. Hopalong Cassidy      68. Aloha to Hawaii      69. I Command the Hollywood Navy      70. “Hennesey”      71. Unusual Navy Cooperation      72. Television and the Navy      73. Feature Films      74. The Art Director      75. John Ford      76. “And Darn Well Worth It”      Epilogue      Filmography      Index     

About the Author :
The late Frank (Junior) Coghlan, Jr., (March 15, 1916–September 7, 2009) made 129 film and television appearances between 1920 and 1974. His joke when he visited McFarland in the early nineties was to say with a twinkle in his eye just “They still call me,” referring to his Hollywood and naval friends.

Review :
“a fact-filled autobiography by an actor with a phenomenal memory and a deep affection for the film industry.... Recommended”—Classic Images; “well written autobiography...extensive filmography...well illustrated”—Big Reel; “by far the easiest read and the most pleasant link with the magnificent aura that is the motion picture industry...a book you simply can’t put down...outstanding excursion through motion picture history”—Movie Collector’s World; “a compendium of mass media history...traces Coghlan’s involvement with the golden ages of movies, radio, and television”—Journal of American Culture; “fascinating...demonstrates a remarkable memory and impeccable research...great reading”—Wings of Gold.