CLAUDE JARMAN JR.

(27 September 1934 – 12 January 2025)

Oscar-winning child star Claude Jarman Jr. has passed away from natural causes at the age of 90. Best known for his role in The Yearling (1946), Jarman also made significant contributions in film advocacy and education, particularly in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he became a beloved figure in the cultural arts scene.

Born in Nashville, Tennessee, Jarman’s career began when director Clarence Brown cast him as Jody Baxter in The Yearling, earning Jarman a Juvenile Academy Award. The honour was presented by Shirley Temple at the 1947 Academy Awards and marked the start of a promising Hollywood career. He signed with MGM and appeared in several films, including John Ford’s Rio Grande (1950) and Walt Disney’s The Great Locomotive Chase (1956). Jarman then shifted focus to a career outside of acting, earning a degree from Vanderbilt University in 1956. 

He eventually moved to San Francisco, where he worked in public relations and became Executive Director of the San Francisco Film Society (now SFFilm). Under his leadership, the San Francisco International Film Festival grew into a prestigious event. Jarman brought a star-studded presence to the annual festival, attracting names such as François Truffaut, Bette Davis and Gregory Peck. Jarman’s favourite festival guest was Rita Hayworth, who he described as warm and kind, despite her declining health.

Beyond his festival leadership, Jarman produced the 1972 documentary Fillmore, which chronicled concert promoter Bill Graham and the historic San Francisco rock and roll music venue Fillmore West. In 2018, Jarman published the memoir My Life and the Final Days of Hollywood, reflecting on his Hollywood career and work with SFFILM.

CHAD KENNERK