Actor Jackie Cooper Dead at 88

He was one of the first child stars of Hollywood's golden era. Actor Jackie Cooper, 88, died yesterday after a brief illness at a Beverly Hills hospital, reports TMZ. Cooper holds the record as being the youngest performer to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role; he was recognized for his work in the 1931 film "Skippy."Cooper, a native of Los Angeles, was born to a showbiz mother, who was a pianist and former child actress herself. His earliest film appearances were as an extra in various films in the mid-1920s. By the early 1930s, Cooper was one of the well-known kid performers in the "Our Gang" movie franchise. After serving in World War II, Cooper grew into adult roles, and continued to work on and off screen in the following decades. He enjoyed a renewed popularity in the 70s and 80s as Daily Planet editor Perry White in the "Superman" film series.

In 1982, Cooper published his autobiography, called "Please Don't Shoot My Dog," named for Cooper's childhood experience of being told by his "Skippy" director and uncle, Norman Taurog, that his dog would be shot if young Cooper did not cry on cue. Cooper retired in 1989, and lived in Beverly Hills.