Coy Watson, Jr. remembers auditioning for John Ford's Just Pals
By Diana Saenger

To say that 95-year-old Coy Watson, Jr. – Hollywood’s ‘Keystone Kid’ – is a charmer is an understatement. Anyone who knows him or has interviewed him, is not only wowed by his impressive Hollywood career as both a film actor and photojournalist, but also amazed that at 95 he still sparkles with life, has a deep interest in everyone he meets and tackles each day with an adventurous spirit.

"The Keystone Kid," Watson’s 1991 book about his family’s career in Hollywood, details his family's life living in Edendale and growing up on Mack Sennett's studio lot. Watson earned the name ‘The Keystone Kid’ when he played in Sennett’s “Keystone Kop” comedies from the time he was 9-months old in 1913 until 1935.

J.C. Watson, Coy's father, served in several capacities in Hollywood including as an actor, assistant director, stuntman, work in westerns with horses and as a pioneer special effects artist. All nine of the Watson children were continually summoned by Sennett to play kids' parts in early silent films.

Before his first role in Fox's feature film, "While the Devil Laughs" (1921), Coy Watson had played many minor parts. So it was no surprise when he was summoned to audition for John Ford's 1920 "Just Pals."

"We were living at 2211 Berkley in Edendale. My dad had left Mack Sennett and was working as a casting director for Fox comedies on Western Avenue. He was one of Sennett's first assistant directors, and he knew all the comedy actors, where to find them and was very well liked by everyone. All of us Watson kids were working in many films, so I assume someone said to my dad, 'What about Coy? Maybe John would think he's right for "Just Pals," which starred Buck Jones."

Like most elders in their latter years, Watson may not remember what he had for breakfast, but memories from his early life seem ever abundant. Just mention the word Hollywood and the white-haired, cherub-faced former star blinks once then opens eyes full of excitement as he recalls vivid details of a happening 82 years prior. Like the day he went to audition for John Ford.

"I was only 8 years old but real pleased that Ford wanted to see me," said Watson. "I think it was my aunt that drove me over to Fox Studios in our car. I was then escorted to an outdoors set on Fox's back lot where Ford was directing a movie with a desert scene and French soldiers. They were shooting the scene so I had to watch a little while. Then he came over to me and we chit-chatted for a bit. He asked if I knew who he was, and I said yes. He commented on some of the movies I had been in. Then he gave me directions, 'like run over there, come over here, look at me and say this.' He asked if I knew Buck Jones, and I replied yes, my dad had made a few movies with him."

Watson said he found Ford's style unassuming. "He had been at Universal and then he came over to Fox and made some good films. Our interview was very unofficial as far as an interview was concerned," said Watson. "He did take his time to explain the story was about a man (Jones) who befriends a kid in someway, and they become good pals. 'Your friend is in trouble,' Ford explained. 'He's going to be sent to jail, and you're going to be sorry to see him go to jail, because you know he didn't do what they say and that he was a good man. And he helped you (the kid) a lot.'

"In other words Ford wanted me to understand that the kid and Buck Jones were friends. I liked that. I had seen Buck on the lot many times and knew about him. He was one of my favorite people, not just as an actor, but as a cowboy. My dad knew Buck Jones from his cowboy days before he went to work for Fox. I appreciated that Ford took the time to explain the story and how my character would think and walk. 'Look at me like you're looking at your best friend,' he told me. This approach always stood in my memory even years later when I was auditioning for other directors.

"Next he asked, 'Will you be able to cry about your friend going away when I want you to?' And he looked at me very closely to see how I answered his question. I had cried in films before, as later on did my brother Bobs – born on my 18th birthday – who was known in the business as Bobs Watson baby crier."

Watson said once he left the interview he felt good about their conversation and optimistic about landing the role." I had heard about Ford and how he didn't want to do things that others had done. He was a tough yet kind of a nervous guy. He knew what he wanted to do but he'd worry and chew on a handkerchief all the time."

Even at 8 years old Watson was a seasoned showbiz veteran so he wasn't too disappointed when he didn't get the role in "Just Pals."

"I thought of several reasons why. Mainly that he might be afraid to hire me since my dad was the casting director for Fox comedies. And maybe Ford didn't think I looked rugged enough for the part. I remember spending extra time getting all cleaned up that morning. But I was pleased for the kid who got the role. He must have been just what Ford wanted for the part.

"Ford's big film came shortly after that with "The Iron Horse." It was a big Hollywood premiere. They opened it at the Egyptian Theatre. Ford really knocked 'em over during his career."

In his possession Watson has a clipping that his family got a big kick out of when "Just Pals" was being released, although he doesn't remember the actual taking of the photograph. "Instead of the boy (George Stone?) who played the runaway kid, it was a photo of me with Helen Ferguson, who later starred with me in "The Right of The Strongest," said Watson.

For any true classic fan, it's hard to determine who has more fun interviewing Watson, the interviewee or Watson himself who never seems to tire of walking down memory lane. "It was so much fun making movies," he said. "I love talking about those days and remembering those early old timers."

Photo: Coy Watson, Jr., as Gus in "While The Devil Laughs"
Photo courtesy: Coy Watson, Jr.