Eugene Jackson Movies
Rising to fame as Pineapple in Hal Roach's Our Gang shorts in the mid-1920s, comic child actor Eugene Jackson performed in vaudeville in addition to his film work, and later continued to work alongside such comic icons as Redd Foxx. Born in Buffalo, NY, in 1916, Jackson got his break in show business while performing the shimmy for a bag of groceries at Central Avenue's Rosebud Theater in 1923. Winning the competition for three weeks in a row, his mother recognized the youngster's talents and soon took him to Hollywood to attempt a career in the entertainment industry. Soon signed to a two-year contract by Roach (who dubbed the child Pineapple due to his afro-frizz), Jackson made his Our Gang debut in The Mysterious Mystery! Later working for Mack Sennett and alongside Mary Pickford, Jackson made a successful transition into talkies with his role in the 1928 musical Hearts in Dixie, and toured in vaudeville when adolescence took hold. Later turning up on television in both Julia and Sanford and Son, the former child-star published a biography titled Eugene Pineapple Jackson: His Own Story in 1998. Jackson also established studios in both Compton and Pasadena, where he taught dance. Eugene Jackson died of a heart attack in Compton, CA, on October 26, 2001. He was 84. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Thirty-two year old Mary Pickford returned to form as America's Sweetheart as Little Annie Rooney, a tough teenager from the streets who gets into mischief with her little gang of ruffians. She has a boyfriend, Joe Kelly (William Haines), whom she is sweet on. But when her father (Walter James) is killed, her brother Tim (Gordon Griffith) thinks that Joe is the murderer. Tim shoots Joe with his father's gun, but Annie, convinced of Joe's innocence, gives him a blood transfusion and saves his life. She then organizes her gang of street kids to search for the real killer of her father. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mary Pickford, William Haines, (more)
- 1925
Determined to get out of school to attend the circus, the Our Gang kids fake an epidemic by splotching their faces with ersatz measles. The doctor quickly figures out what the kids are up to and orders the young tricksters to remain in bed, even after it is announced that everyone else in their classroom has been given free circus tickets. A few clever gags notwithstanding, Circus Fever, originally released on February 8, 1925, does not hold up that well. Far better are the later Our Gang films that borrowed the basic plot elements of Circus Fever, notably Teacher's Pet, Fish Hooky, Spooky Hooky, and Three Smart Boys. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mickey Daniels, Mary Kornman, (more)
- 1925
Accidentally hitching a ride in an empty boxcar, the Our Gang kids end up in New York City. Hoping to pay a visit to their vacationing pal Skinny, the youngsters embark upon an unguided tour of the Big Apple, including the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, and even Washington Square in Greenwich Village. Back in their hometown, the kids' mothers send out an APB for their missing children. But the New York cops know exactly where the gang members are -- on a runaway double-decker bus, with little Mickey Daniels at the controls. The trip home on the train is equally eventful, as a collection of fearsome-looking insects is inadvertently released upon the hapless passengers. The silent, two-reel Our Gang comedy The Big Town was originally released on January 11, 1925. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mickey Daniels, Mary Kornman, (more)
- 1925
This silent, two-reel Our Gang comedy was first released on May 3, 1925. Shootin' Injuns finds the Our Gang kids collectively deciding to run away from home and strike out for the Wild West. The youngsters get no further than a nearby house, which has been outfitted with magnetic gimmicks for the benefit of an amusement park impresario. After spending a hair-raising night in what seems to be a haunted house, the kids are more than happy to return to their parents -- that is, if they can catch up with their parents, who have likewise been frightened away by the spooky house. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mickey Daniels, Mary Kornman, (more)
- 1925
Romance enters the lives of the Our Gang kids, prompting them to go to their surrogate "grandma" for advice. After Joe Cobb, Mickey Daniels, and Allen "Farina" Hoskins go a-courting, the gang reassembles at a fancy beauty salon where their pal Eugene "Pineapple" Jackson is working as a page. Within a few minutes, the kids reduce the establishment to shambles, and the cops arrive to cart them off to reform school -- where Grandma comes to the rescue once more. Originally released on April 5, 1925, the silent, two-reel Our Gang comedy The Love Bug is seldom shown in its original form; most prints have been struck from the radically edited version included in the Mischief Makers TV package of the early 1960s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mickey Daniels, Mary Kornman, (more)
- 1925
The Our Gang kids argue amongst themselves over which of their dogs is the cleverest and best trained. This brouhaha is forgotten when Gang member Mickey Daniels rescues rich girl Mary Kornman after her pony runs away. As a reward, Mary invites Mickey and his pals to her parents' ritzy mansion for a high-society party, which of course the youngsters quickly reduce to their low-society level. The story concludes when one of the dogs proves beyond question that she can do something none of the male dogs will ever be able to accomplish. Originally released on March 8, 1925, the silent, two-reel Our Gang comedy Dog Days is available only in the abbreviated, stretch-framed print prepared for home viewing by Walton Films in the early '50s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mickey Daniels, Mary Kornman, (more)
- 1925
Presented here are three silent episodes from the "Our Gang" series. Shown are: "The School Play," "Summer Daze," and "Dog Days." ~ All Movie Guide
- 1924
Imagining himself to be a master detective, Our Gang member Mickey Daniels -- also known as "Sherlock Hawkshaw" -- tries to solve the kidnapping of wealthy youngster Adelbert Wallingford (Jackie Condon). With the help of his friends, Mickey captures a likely suspect, who turns out to be one of the police detectives assigned to the case. The gang finally manages to round up the kidnappers and rescue Adelbert through the flukiest of flukes: Another crook pays them a dollar to deliver the ransom note. The hilarious slapstick climax finds little Mickey at the controls of a runaway airplane, with Joe Cobb and Allen "Farina" Hoskins nervously clinging to the wings. The silent, two-reel Our Gang comedy The Mysterious Mystery! was originally released on December 14, 1924. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mickey Daniels, Jackie Condon, (more)
- 1923
Penrod (Ben Alexander) and his pal Sam (Joe Butterworth) are the all-American boys growing up in a small town in this comedy drama taken from Booth Tarkington's popular novel. The boys form an exclusive club and conspire to keep the neighborhood wimp and his toady companion away from their clubhouse. Penrod's beloved pet terrier Duke dies and is buried in a somber ceremony on the vacant lot. When the wimp's father buys the land, the boys are kicked off what they consider to be hallowed ground. Perod's mother (Gladys Brockwell) convinces his father (Rockcliffe Fellows) to buy back the land to make the boy happy. Mary Philbin, Gareth Hughes, and William V. Mong appear along with Buddy and Gertrude Messinger. Martha Mattox plays the schoolmarm Miss Spence, and Vic Potel is the town drunk. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ben Alexander, Joe Butterworth, (more)
