SNOOKUMS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 276, 11 February 1928, Page 23

SNOOKUMS

Star of Three Who Visited White House HIS MAJESTY THE BABY I | CNOOKUMS, the baby actor, is one of the most remark- ) able characters in filmdom. I Here is an American writer’s impression of the star, aged three. I THE McKeen household in Los An- “** geles was all aflutter. The stork had just paid a visit. In its wake was left a pudgy, red-faced baby boy. L. D. McLean, the proud papa, expanded his chest to the last shirt button, which was some expansion, since Papa McKeen was an athletic instructor and breasted a mean tape. “I’ll never rest until that younster reaches the White House!” announced McKeen, raising his voice loud enough to be heard by all those within a wide radius. His boast has come true. In June, 1927, less than three years after the eventful September 1, 1924, above noted, Lawrence McKeen, Jr., marched proudly into the White House grounds. Received by President Young McKeen, better known as “Snookums” of screen comedy fame, was making an official call upon President Coolidge, and, being the first baby of the land in point of popularity and notoriety, the President welcomed him, frolicked with him on the White House lawn and smiled with him while newsreel cameras clicked and news photographers stepped on each others toes to snap close-ups of the young prodigy. “Snookums” is the bay in “The Newlyweds and Their Baby” comedies, put into screen form by the Stern Brothers from the famous newspaper comic strip by George McManus. He was picked out of the air for the job, as it were, being selected as the result of a radio broadcast appeal by Julius Stern. »The youngster was picked because of

two qualifications. The first was his general brightness and physical perfection. The second was his ability to follow directions. McKeen Senior did not use ordinary methods with “Snnokums.” He maintains that young Snookums obeys because he wants to. Here is the story in McKeen’s owns words. “I determined to bring up Sonny on the basis of love and affection. Since he was born he has been my principal interest in life and I have lavished every ounce of love and affection possible upon him. He has responded to an amazing degree. “Also, we have treated him as an individual, right from the start. This has engendered in him a distinct personality, even at his tender age. This factor is one of the important reasons why he has done so well before the camera. “Physically, I have given Sonny the best possible attention. My former work as an athletic instructor fitted me for bringing up our baby as a perfect physical specimen. When the comedy official decided he wanted Sonny I was a bit reluctant, and consented to put the baby into pictures only ff allowed absolute supervision over his screen work. So far Snookums has made eighteen two-reel comedies. After his six weeks’ tour of the East and Middle West he is now back at his home in Los Angeles enjoying a few weeks of general romping and mud-pie activities before work is started on “The Newlyweds and Their Baby” comedies. At the rate at which he is going Snookums will probably be a seasoned actor before he has reached the age of —let us say, ten. His field will probably be limited, however, to the screen and legitimate. If our memory does not fail us, Snookums doesn’t particularly favour vaudeville.

In fact, not so very long ago he emphatically expressed his disapproval of