Lassie Lou Ahern

Lassie Lou Ahern
Lassie Lou Ahern in mid-1920s
Born (1920-06-25)June 25, 1920
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Died February 15, 2018(2018-02-15) (aged 97)
Prescott, Arizona, U.S.
Occupation Actress
Years active 1923–1975
Relatives Peggy Ahern (sister)

Lassie Lou Ahern (June 25, 1920 – February 15, 2018) was an American actress. She was best known for her recurring appearances in the Our Gang films. Ahern was also known for her role as Little Harry in the 1927 silent film Uncle Tom's Cabin.

Early life

Ahern was born on June 25, 1920, in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Fred and Elizabeth Ahern.[1] She was the third in a family of four children; one of her siblings was Peggy Ahern.[1]

Career

Ahern got her acting career started in 1923 in the silent film The Call of the Wild, produced by Hal Roach.[2] Also making her first screen appearance was her older sister Peggy Ahern.[3] It was the actor Will Rogers who recommended that Ahern's father put Ahern and her sister in show business.[3] She appeared in numerous Our Gang films with Hal Roach Studios, including Cradle Robbers, and was one of the last surviving Our Gang members.[4]

In 1927, Universal Studios was in the process of making Uncle Tom's Cabin.[2] Not satisfied with the boys who auditioned for the role as Little Harry, the studio contacted her and requested her to take the part. Her acting in the film turned out to be a success, and she won the best reviews of her career.[4] Despite this, her career as a child actress ended the same year, with Little Mickey Grogan being her last silent film and her only movie to feature her in a starring role (alongside Frankie Darro).[5] A crowdfunding campaign was started in 2016 to finance a restoration project for the film, following a similar campaign in 2015 to acquire a digital copy of Little Mickey Grogan in Paris.[6]

In 1932, she teamed up with her sister Peggy and started putting on performances that included dancing, singing, and playing instruments.[5] The duo, billed as "The Ahern Sisters," mostly appeared in nightclubs and hotels. Lassie later went on to work as a dance teacher at the Ashram Health Spa, where many known stars were students.[5] During the 1970s, she made several guest appearances on television shows such as The Odd Couple.[7]

Later life and death

Ahern died in Prescott, Arizona, on February 15, 2018, of complications from influenza at the age of 97.[1] At the time of her death, she was one of three surviving silent-era Our Gang members.[4]

Filmography

Year Title Role Reference
1923 Call of the Wild Baby Girl [8]
Derby Day Girl Applauding Band [8]
1924 Robes of Sin Baby [9]
That Oriental Game [8]
Cradle Robbers Little Girl in Attic [8]
Jubilo, Jr. Tiny Man Circus Performer [8]
Sweet Daddy Daughter [8]
The Fortieth Door [8]
The Sun Down Limited Passenger on train [9]
Going to Congress Little Girl [8]
Fast Company Little girl [9]
1925 Excuse Me [8]
The Family Entrance Daughter [8]
Webs of Steel McGregor's motherless child [9]
The Lost Express Alice Standish [8]
Hell's Highroad [8]
The Dark Angel Flower Girl [8]
Thank You [8]
His Wooden Wedding Fantasy Daughter [8]
1926 Thundering Fleas Flower Girl at the Adult Wedding [9]
1927 Surrender Little Jewish Girl [8]
The Forbidden Woman Little Arabian Girl [8]
Uncle Tom's Cabin Little Harry [9]
Little Mickey Grogan Susan [9]
1941 City of Missing Girls Nightclub Performer [8]
1943 Top Man Dancer [8]
Mister Big Dancer [8]
1944 Gaslight Young Girl [8]
1945 Patrick the Great Dancer [8]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Lassie Lou Ahern, Child Actress in the 'Our Gang' Comedies, Dies at 97". The Hollywood Reporter. February 16, 2018. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
  2. 1 2 "Lassie Lou Ahern hopes to finally see silent movie she acted in as a child". Review Journal. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
  3. 1 2 "Laurel and Hardy – Newsletter Mar-Apr 1998". Wayoutwest.org. Retrieved January 6, 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 "'I spent most of my life as a nobody': the last of the silent movie stars'". The Guardian. May 23, 2015. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 Hedler, Ken (November 7, 2011). "Ariz. woman, 91, recalls child-acting career". Deseret News. Retrieved January 6, 2014.
  6. ↑ ""Little Mickey Grogan" Restoration by Jeff Crouse – GoFundMe". GoFundMe. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  7. ↑ "Child Stars & Teen Idols". Young Hollywood Hall of Fame. Retrieved January 6, 2014.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 "Lassie Lou Ahern". Young Hollywood HOF. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Overview of Lassie Lou Ahern". TMC. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
  • Lassie Lou Ahern on IMDb
  • Mike Barnes, 'Lassie Lou Ahern, Child Actor of the Our Gang Comedies, Dies at 97', The Hollywood Reporter, 2/16/2018.
  • Carol Cling, 'Restoring 1927 Silent Movie Presents Challenges, Rewards', The Las Vegas Review-Journal, September 11, 2016.
  • Carol Cling, 'Wishing on a Star: Lassie Lou Ahern hopes to finally see silent movie she acted in as a child', The Las Review-Journal, September 11, 2016.
  • Jeffrey Crouse, 'Gutter Kids: Little Mickey Grogan at 90,' Film International, Vol. Vol. 16, No. 1, 2018, pp. 17-30.
  • Jeffrey Crouse, 'Lassie Lou Ahern obituary: Hollywood child actor was one of the last surviving performers from the silent film era', The Guardian, 26 February 2018.
  • Jeffrey Crouse, 'We Were All Rushing. Why? Because We Were Preparing to Go to the Movies!': Actress Lassie Lou Ahern reminiscences about her gorgeous career in Hollywood silent pictures', Film International, Vol. 13, No. 1, 2015, pp. 20-42.
  • Leonard Maltin, 'Silent Film Actress Stars in Fundraising Video', Leonard Maltin's Movie Crazy, 7 October 2016.
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