by: SKYLER McCLESKEY/Staff Writer
From voicing, Tod the fox in “Fox and the Hound,” to Brad Anderson, a teenage boy in love with his babysitter, Keith Coogan is very diverse.
Coogan was born Jan. 13, 1970, in Palm Springs, California. He is the grandson of the late legendary character actor Jackie Coogan. Coogan started acting at a very young age, appearing in commercials. In 1981, he had his first role on the big screen, voicing young Tod in Disney’s “Fox and the Hound.”
In 1987, Coogan’s big hit, “Adventures in Babysitting” came to the big screen. The $7 million budget movie made more then $23 million in profit. It was directed by Chris Columbus, who also directed the first two Harry Potter movies, as well as “Home Alone,” “Mrs. Doubtfire,” and “The Help.” The movie also was released in England as, “Night on the Town.”
“Filming this movie and being a part of it changed my life,” Coogan told the Plainsman Press during an exclusive interview on Sept. 10 at the Alamo Draft House in Lubbock.
Coogan is touring all the Alamo Draft House locations, doing Q&A’s after the showing of “Adventures in Babysitting.” This was his second stop in Texas after visiting Houston the week before. “Adventures in Babysitting” opens with a high school senior, Chris Parker (Elisabeth Shue), having to babysit the Anderson kids, Brad (Keith Coogan) and Sara (Maia Brewton) after her boyfriend stood her up. What should be a quiet night in turns into a series of ridiculous events, starting when they leave the house to pick up Chris’s friend, Brenda (Penelope Ann Miller). Soon, Brad’s buddy, Daryl (Anthony Rapp), is involved, and the group must overcome a series of events that involves car thieves, blues musicians and much more.
Coogan said his favorite scene to shoot was the train scene. That scene was shot in Chicago on the elevated subway.
Coogan explains, “We just road the train in circles a hundred times, shooting and re-shooting that scene.”
After “Adventures in Babysitting,” Coogan played other roles such as, Jonathan “Snuffy” Bradberry in “Toy Soldiers.” Coogan also was a star guest stared on many TV shows such as, “The Love Boat,” “Eight is Enough,” “Mork & Mindy,” “Knight Rider,” “Chips,” “Starman,” and “21 Jump-street.”
Coogan married Kristen “Pinky” Shean on Oct 26, 2013. Their love story is like no other, according to his wife. Shean works as a Disney production assistant and blog writer, but that’s not how they met. Shean’s hobby is what is called “celebrity enthusiast.” She goes around taking pictures with many celebrities. Shean and Coogan met in February at Keith’s first autograph show.
“I was not real sure who he was at first,” Shean recalls. “But after our picture and talking to him, I found out he was from my favorite Disney movie.”
Just six short months later, the two were married. They are now touring with Alamo Draft House, signing autographs and taking pictures. Coogan recently said on a radio talk show that he is currently working on a short film. The film is about a man who only has 6,000 seconds of eyesight left, and what he chooses to see.
For more information, on Coogan and this upcoming film check out his blog at hollywoodkids.blogspot.com.
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