Dickie Moore (actor) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dickie Moore
Moore in 1944
Born	John Richard Moore Jr. (1925-09-12)September 12, 1925 Los Angeles, California, U.S
Died	September 7, 2015(2015-09-07) (aged 89) Wilton, Connecticut, U.S.
Occupation	Actor producer writer businessman
Years active	1927–1957
Spouse(s)	Pat Dempsey ​ ​ (m. 1948; div. 1954)​ Eleanor Donhowe Fitzpatrick ​ ​ (m. 1959; div. 1978)​ Jane Powell ​ (m. 1988)​
Children	1

John Richard Moore Jr. (born September 12, 1925 – died September 7, 2015), known as Dickie Moore, was an American actor. He was famous for being one of the last actors who appeared in silent films. These were movies made before sound was added. Dickie was a very busy and popular actor when he was a child and teenager. He acted in over 100 movies until the early 1950s. Some of his most well-known roles were in the Our Gang series and films like Oliver Twist, Blonde Venus, and Sergeant York.

Dickie Moore's Acting Journey

Moore with Spencer Tracy in Disorderly Conduct (1932)

Dickie Moore in 1932

Dickie Moore was born in Los Angeles, California. His father was a banker, and his mother was from Ireland. His grandparents were from England and Ireland.

Starting as a Child Actor

Dickie began his acting career very young, in 1927. His first movie was the silent film The Beloved Rogue. He played a one-year-old baby in that movie. When he passed away, he was one of the last actors who had worked in silent films. He quickly got many important supporting roles. He played Marlene Dietrich's son in the movie Blonde Venus (1932). He also acted with famous stars like Barbara Stanwyck in So Big (1932) and Spencer Tracy in Man's Castle (1933).

Joining the Our Gang Kids

Besides his roles in big movies, Dickie was a regular in the Our Gang series. This was during the 1932–1933 season. Even though he was only in eight Our Gang films, he played an important part as the leader of the group. He left the series after one year to act in more feature films. One of his most famous roles, besides Our Gang, was playing the main character in the 1933 movie Oliver Twist. This film was based on Charles Dickens' famous book.

In 1935, he played a real-life person, Joseph Meister, in The Story of Louis Pasteur. In 1941, he played the brother of Gary Cooper in the war movie Sergeant York. He is also known for giving Shirley Temple her first movie kiss in the film Miss Annie Rooney.

Serving His Country and Later Career

Dickie Moore served in the United States Army during World War II. After the war, it was harder for him to find big roles as a teenager and young adult. He often acted in smaller movies. One of his last important film roles was in Out of the Past (1947). In this movie, he played a young assistant who was deaf. His very last movie role was as a young soldier in Eight Iron Men (1952).

After his movie career, Dickie acted on Broadway and on television. He also taught acting and wrote books about it. He even produced a short film that was nominated for an Oscar. He stopped acting in the late 1950s.

Dickie Moore's Life Off-Screen

Dickie Moore was married three times. His first marriage was to Pat Dempsey from 1948 to 1954. They had one child named Kevin Moore. His second marriage was in 1959 to Eleanor Donhowe Fitzpatrick. His third and final marriage was in 1988 to the actress Jane Powell. They stayed married until his death in 2015.

Later Years and Business

Moore in 1998

Dickie Moore owned a public relations company called Dick Moore and Associates. He started it in 1966, and it was open for 44 years. From 1988 until he passed away, he was married to actress Jane Powell. They met when Dickie interviewed Jane for a book. The couple lived in Manhattan and Wilton, Connecticut.

His Passing

Dickie Moore passed away at a hospice in Wilton, Connecticut, on September 7, 2015. This was just five days before his 90th birthday. His body was later cremated.

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Dickie Moore para niños