Philip Hurlic

Philip Raymond Hurlic (December 20, 1927 – July 7, 2014) was an American child actor.

Biography Hurlic appeared in a number of films in the 1930s and early 1940s. Hurlic's income from his film work was used to support his East Los Angeles family. Hurlic's earliest roles were as a toddler in the Baby Burlesks series, which starred a pre-fame Shirley Temple. His largest roles in film include Little Jim in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1938), Verman Diggs in the Penrod films, and Zeke in Zenobia (1939), in which the 12 year old played one of the earliest positive roles for a Black male when he recited the Declaration of Independence from memory at the behest of co-star Oliver Hardy. He also appeared in a number of Our Gang comedies alongside another child actor from his neighborhood, Billie Thomas (Buckwheat).

He retired from film business in 1942 after 30 films. According to Hurlic's daughter Zee, Hurlic died peacefully on July 7, 2014, surrounded by his family.

Filmography