Jackie Moran

One of the lesser remembered but quite active child actors during the 30s and 40s was 'Jackie Moran' (qv). Born in 1923, he was a tyke model placed into films as a teen, often cast as a feisty street orphan. David O. Selznick took an interest in the gangly, fair-haired lad and cast him as Huckleberry Finn in _The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1938)_ (qv) and in _Since You Went Away (1944)_ (qv), not to mention a bit part in his epic classic _Gone with the Wind (1939)_ (qv). Jackie made a solid appearance in the _Buck Rogers (1939)_ (qv) serial in which he played young Buddy, who co-piloted the giant dirigible along with Buster Crabbe's titular hero. In the 40s Jackie played in a number of youth-oriented programmers, none particularly memorable, though he did create the role of teenager Jimmy Forrest in a mildly popular series of be-bop musical comedy romps that included _Junior Prom (1946)_ (qv), _Freddie Steps Out (1946)_ (qv), and _High School Hero (1946)_ (qv). He retired from acting in 1947 and became interested in screen writing and public relations work. He died at 67 of cancer in 1990.::Gary Brumburgh / gr-home@pacbell.net