Gary Cooper Biography

Gary Cooper (May 7, 1901 - May 13, 1961) was an American film actor of British heritage, whose career spanned from the 1920s up until the year of his death. He was renowned for his quiet, understated acting style and his stoic, individualistic, emotionally restrained, but at times intense screen persona, which was particularly well suited for the many Westerns he made.

During career, Cooper received five Academy Award nominations for Best Actor, winning twice. He also received an Honorary Award from the Academy in 1961.
***

***
Cooper was born Frank James Cooper in Helena, Montana, but as a child lived in Dunstable, England, with his mother Alice and brother Arthur Le Roy (b. January 15, 1895). The two boys attended Dunstable Grammar School between 1910 and 1913.

When he was thirteen years old he was injured in an automobile accident, and had to move to his father's cattle ranch in Montana to recuperate, which is where he gained his riding skills. During this time he became friendly with 10 year old Myrna Loy, who lived near him.

In 1924 Cooper moved to Los Angeles with the intention of becoming a commercial artist, but was not very successful. After three months he became an extra in the motion picture industry. A year later he had a chance at a real part in a two reeler with actress Eileen Sedgewick as his leading lady. After the release of this short film he was called to Paramount Studios and offered a long-term contract, which he accepted. He changed his name to Gary in 1925, following the advice of his agent, who felt it evoked the "rough, tough" nature of Gary, Indiana.

"Coop", as he was called by his peers, went on to appear in over 100 films. In 1952, Cooper won an Academy Award as Best Actor for his performance as Marshal Will Kane in High Noon, considered his finest role.

After high-profile love affairs with actresses Clara Bow and Lupe Vélez, and the American-born socialite-spy Countess Carlo Dentice di Frasso (née Dorothy Caldwell Taylor, the most famous person to hail from Watertown, New York), formerly wife of British aviator Claude Grahame-White, Cooper finally got married. He married Veronica Balfe, a New York Roman Catholic socialite who worked briefly as an actress under the name of "Sandra Shaw". They had one child, Maria (a.k.a. Maria Cooper Janis), and eventually his wife persuaded Cooper to become a Roman Catholic. However, before he converted, while he was married to Balfe, a marriage which lasted until his death, Cooper did have affairs with several famous co-stars, including Grace Kelly and Patricia Neal. Cooper's daughter, Maria, famously spit at Neal when she was a little girl, but many years later Patricia Neal and Maria Cooper reconciled and are now friends.

In 1961, Cooper died of lung cancer at age 60 and was interred in the Sacred Heart Cemetery, Southampton, New York.

For his contribution to the film industry, Gary Cooper has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6243 Hollywood Blvd. In 1966, he was inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

GARY COOPER PICTURES

1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5

GARY COOPER BIOGRAPHY