In 1927, Universal Studios was in the process of making Uncle Tom's Cabin. Not satisfied with the boys who auditioned for the role as Little Harry, Ahern was contacted and requested to take the part. Her acting in the film turned out to be a success, and she won the best reviews of her career. Despite this, her career as a child Actress ended the same year, with Little Mickey Grogan being her last silent film and her only movie to feature her in a starring role (alongside Frankie Darro). A crowdfunding campaign was started in 2016 to Finance a restoration project for the film, following a similar campaign in 2015 to acquire a digital copy of Little Mickey Grogan in Paris.