- Freddie Bartholomew, David Copperfield, 1934. Two only of the finalists from thousands of lads seen for the Dickensian hero’s boyhood matched the rule: being British and speaking with a cultured accent. Therefore, producer David O Selznick rejected Paramount’s “male Shirley Temple” (his younger brother, Ricky Holt, was Melanie’s son in Gone With The Wind), plus Jackie Morow and LB Mayer’s obvious favourite, The Champ’s kid Jackie Cooper, for being too American. Plus the English Peter Trent – while awaiting the other Britkid, Bartholomew, to leave London for LA. And instant, global stardom. He was soon Hollywood’s highest paid kiddy – at $2,500 a week. At six, Holt had been Cheetah’s body double during Tarzan The Fearless, 1933. He went on to be a songwriter with Sammy Cahn, Johnny Mercer, etc.
Birth year: 1927Death year: 2003Other name: Casting Calls: 1