Junior Durkin

Trent Bernard Durkin was born in New York City in 1915. He began his acting career in theater as a child. Durkin first appeared in films in 1930, playing the role of Huckleberry Finn in Tom Sawyer (1930) and in Huckleberry Finn (1931), both times with Jackie Coogan playing Tom Sawyer. Under contract to RKO Radio Pictures, he was cast in a series of "B" films in comedy roles that capitalized on his gangly appearance. He co-starred in Hell's House (1932) with then newcomer Bette Davis.

RKO began grooming him for more adult roles. In his final film Chasing Yesterday (1935), he was billed as Trent Durkin.

In 1935, Durkin was returning from a hunting trip in Mexico with Jackie Coogan and three others, including Coogan's father, Charles Jones (manager of the Coogan Ranch) and writer Robert Horner. Coogan's father had to swerve to avoid colliding with a car coming straight at him, and his car left the road, rolling repeatedly until it landed in a creek bed. The accident occurred about 50 miles (80 km) from San Diego, California.[1] Jackie Coogan was the only survivor.

At the time, Durkin was living with agent Henry Willson, and they were rumored to be lovers.[2]

Durkin was interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.

• Junior Durkin at IMDb
• Junior Durkin at the Internet Broadway Database
• Junior Durkin at Find a Grave
• Down the road less traveled..: Trent Bernard Junior Durkin