“Film World Opens Doors Wide”

In November 1925, the New York American announced a “Motion Picture Contest” for children. For weeks it promoted that competition with articles and pictures of the entrants.

The top prize was $1,000, a trip to Culver City, and an appearance in a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer movie at a weekly salary of $200 with an option for a two-year contract. The judges included Louis B. Mayer, Irving Thalberg, and other MGM executives.

On 4 Jan 1926, the newspaper announced the winner: “little Irene Nanette Butler, of 425 Riverside Drive,” age three. More stories about her ran over the next two days.

Later in the year little Irene appeared in The Fire Brigade along with the winner of a similar contest in California. She never made another picture.

On 13 January, however, the New York American shared an additional story with these headlines:

Film World Opens Doors Wide to “Skipper,” 5

$1,000 Check Starts Child Toward Fame

Elmer Lowery, Second Prize Winner in New York American Contest, to Go West

In fact, Elmer’s surname was spelled Lowry, his family nickname was “Skippy,” and he had turned six years old in December. But he was receiving all the benefits of the top prize, more than originally announced for the second-place winner, so who could complain?

In February, Elmer Lowry started performing before the cameras in Culver City—not at MGM but at the smaller Hal Roach Studio, in its Our Gang series. From then on he was “Scooter.”

The New York American said the boy came from Roosevelt, Long Island. But on 8 Aug 1926 the Chattanooga Times–Free Press claimed him for that city:

Chattanooga Boy in ‘Our Gang’ Comedy

Elmer (“Skippy”) Lowry, a Chattanooga boy, now in Hollywood, will appear at the Tivoli theater during the first part of the week in the latest “Our Gang” comedy, entitled “Thundering Fleas.”

“Skippy” is the son of H. D. Lowry, who is now connected with the Read house. “Skippy,” who is only 7 years old, has shown for some time an extraordinary histrionic ability that won the admiration of friends and that made him participate in several benefit shows.

While in New York with his mother, the New York American opened a contest, looking for young talent in the motion picture field. “Skippy” entered and won a prize of $1,000, securing at the same time a contract with Hal Roach as one of the cast in all the new “Our Gang” comedies.

Elmer’s father was named Willard D. Lowry, but even the local press didn’t get that right.

Elmer’s mother heading off to New York was probably a sign of trouble in the Lowry family. On 25 May 1927 the Knoxville News-Sentinel ran this United Press dispatch out of Chattanooga:

“Our Gang” Boy Hardly Needed Father’s Aid

“Yes, judge, I provided for my children as long as they needed it, but they don’t need it now,” said William D. Lowry when applying for a divorce before Judge Yarnell.

“But why don’t they need your help; they aren’t grown?” asked the court.

“Well, you see, judge, the youngest, my seven-year-old boy, Elmer Camden Lowry, belongs to the ‘Our Gang’ kids in the movies, and he makes $350 a week himself,” was Lowry’s reply.

He got the divorce from Anna Lowry on grounds of desertion.

(A briefer version appeared in that day’s Imperial Valley Press.)

Anna Lowry having taken the children off to Hollywood, Willard Lowry declared that she had left him. And he got out of child support on the grounds that Elmer was making so much money for the family—$350 a week!

In fact, Hal Roach was paying “Scooter” Lowry only $60 per week.

Even more sadly, the same month that divorce came through, the studio quietly ended its contract with “Scooter,” as I related yesterday. The movies he made in early 1927 would be released through the end of the year, but he no longer brought in a steady income.

According to IMDB, Elmer “Scooter” Lowry acted in only one more film: a small role in Chinatown Charlie, an independent production now lost in whole or in part.

COMING UP: An ex–gang member.

Elmer “Scooter” Lowry’s Short Movie Career

Elmer Lowry was born in 1919 in New York City. By the age of five he was singing and dancing on stage. His family called him “Skippy.”

According to later articles, the boy won first prize in a dance contest and came to the attention of Hal Roach.

By February 1926, Elmer was filming his first Our Gang movie, “Thundering Fleas.” His nickname became “Skooter” or “Scooter.” After a few months his weekly pay rose from $50 to $60. That year “Scooter” Lowry made eight Our Gang films, plus a cameo appearance in the feature 45 Minutes From Hollywood.

“Scooter” was never the lead character, but in the gang he stood out in a couple of ways. He was athletic, somersaulting around in “Shivering Spooks.” And though he was one of the smaller boys in the gang, he was cast as the tough guy; in “Seeing the World” he offers to beat up an Italian kid for no reason at all.

The July 1927 issue of Photoplay magazine contained this anecdote:

Rare intuition belongs to “Scooter” Lowry, smallest and most acrobatic member of “Our Gang.” He was twirling and twisting on a rail near Hal Roach’s office. At the door stood Roach, talking with a business conferee. “Scooter,” with small boy impetuosity, attempted to enter the conversation.

“Go on with your gymnastics, Scooter, and let us talk business,” Roach admonished.

But “Scooter” kept on with his turns and talk.

“Keep still, ‘Scooter’! I can’t even think with all that noise.”

“Scooter” arose with dignity—

“How did I know you were trying to think?”

Roach and his friend retired to his office.

That’s a cute story, but the actual incident might have had a darker side.

By the time that article appeared, “Scooter” Lowry was no longer on the Hal Roach Studio payroll. He’d been let go in April 1927 in the middle of filming “Olympic Games,” the fifth Our Gang movie made that year. The studio paid out three weeks’ salary and sent him off.

At that time a little blonde girl named Jean Darling was becoming a series regular. Decades later, fans asked her if she remembered what happened to “Scooter.” Darling replied, “I was told Scooter left because he was rather disruptive. That’s all I know.”

Looks like it might have been a bad idea to interrupt the boss’s conversation.

TOMORROW: How it all started.