Richard Donner Remembered: Jeff Cohen, Who Played Chunk in ‘Goonies,’ On Director’s Astounding Generosity

Jeff Cohen first met Richard Donner while making “The Goonies,” the 1985 adventure classic about a group of misfit kids hunting for treasure. Cohen played Chunk, a mischevious preteen who loves ice cream and prank calls. Decades later, he credits Donner with coaxing out his performance, but Cohen owes more to the late director than a memorable role in an iconic film. Donner and his wife, Lauren Shuler Donner, paid his college tuition and provided a critical source of emotional and financial support when he needed it the most.

Cohen is now a prominent entertainment attorney and the co-founder of the Cohen & Gardner firm in Beverly Hills. Donner died Monday in Los Angeles at age 91. In addition to “Goonies,” his credits include “Superman,” “The Omen,” “Scrooged,” and the Lethal Weapon series. Tributes to Donner’s talent have been offered from the likes of Steven Spielberg, Danny Glover, and Mel Gibson, but