Who was Gary Cooper? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Also Known As: Frank James Cooper

Died At Age: 60

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Veronica

father: Charles Cooper

mother: Alice H.

siblings: Arthur

children: Maria Cooper

Actors American Men

Height: 6'3" (190 cm), 6'3" Males

political ideology: Republican

Died on: May 13, 1961

place of death: Los Angeles, California, United States

U.S. State: Montana

Cause of Death: Prostate Cancer.

Ancestry: British American

More Facts

education: Grinnell College

Recommended For You

1

What was Gary Cooper's first major film role?

Gary Cooper's first major film role was in the silent film "The Winning of Barbara Worth" in 1926.
2

Which famous actress did Gary Cooper frequently collaborate with?

Gary Cooper frequently collaborated with actress Barbara Stanwyck in films such as "Meet John Doe" and "Ball of Fire."
3

What role is Gary Cooper best known for?

Gary Cooper is best known for his role as Marshal Will Kane in the classic Western film "High Noon."
4

Did Gary Cooper serve in the military during World War II?

Yes, Gary Cooper served in the military during World War II, where he worked as a radio operator.
5

Which iconic Western film did Gary Cooper star in alongside Grace Kelly?

Gary Cooper starred alongside Grace Kelly in the iconic Western film "High Noon."

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Childhood & Early Life

Gary Cooper was born in Helena, Montana, to Alice and Charles Henry Cooper. His father was an English immigrant farmer from Bedfordshire but after coming to the States he became a lawyer and Judge.

Cooper and his brother attended the Dunstable Grammar School in Bedfordshire, since their mother thought that the education was much better in England. But they were called back to Montana after the World War I broke out.

He was enrolled at the Gallatin Valley High School, Montana, and later studied at Grinnell College, Iowa but he did not finish the college and came back to the ranch and started contributing cartoons to a local newspaper.

When his father left the Montana Supreme Court to work in LA in 1924, Cooper too moved to LA with his parents. He took this decision as his career was not taking off in the desired manner in Montana.

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Career

Cooper tried out his luck in LA by first working as a salesman of electric signs and theatrical curtains, then as a promoter and later by applying for newspaper job, but nothing seemed to work for him.

In 1925, he found some work in acting and worked as an extra - usually in the cowboy movies. He had an uncredited role as a cowboy extra in the Tom Mix Western ‘Dick Turpin’.

He appeared in ‘The Winning of Barbara Worth’ in 1926 and with this his career in films took off. The same year, he was cast in ‘Children of Divorce’ along with the silent movie star Clara Bow.

In 1927, Cooper did movies like ‘Wings’—the movie won an Academy Award, ‘Nevada’—co-starring with Thelma Todd and William Powell, ‘The Last Outlaw’, ‘Beau Sabreur’, ‘The Legion of the Condemned’ and ‘Doomsday’.

His position as an A-listed star established in Hollywood with his first sound picture, ‘The Virginian’ in 1929. He starred in the movie along with Walter Hudson and Richard Arlen – the movie was based on a novel by Owen Wister.

During the ‘30s, he did movies like: ‘The Spoilers (1930)’, ‘Morocco (1930)’, ‘His Woman (1931)’, ‘Devil and the Deep (1932)’, ‘Alice in Wonderland (1933)’, ‘The Plainsman (1936)’, ‘The Cowboy and the Lady (1938)’, ‘The Real Glory (1939)’, etc.

He was offered ‘Gone with the Wind (1939)’ but he turned it down by saying that ‘it is going to be the biggest flop in Hollywood history’. In the coming years, he also turned down Hitchcock’s ‘Foreign Correspondent’ and ‘Saboteur’.

Cooper won the audience with his cowboy talents again in ‘The Westerner’ in 1940, starring alongside Walter Brennan. He also acted in ‘North West Mounted Police’, which cast Paulette Goddard opposite him and was directed by Cecil B. DeMile.

He won his first Academy Award in 1942 for his portrayal of ‘Alvin York’ in the movie ‘Sergeant York’. It is said that it was on York’s persuasion that producer Jesse L. Lasky cast Cooper in the movie.

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Cooper won his second Oscar for his role as ‘Marshal Will Kane’ in ‘High Noon (1952)’. He was not present to receive his Award and asked John Wayne to accept it on his behalf.

Some of his works from towards the end of his career are: ‘Friendly Persuasion (1956)’, ‘Love in the Afternoon (1957)’, ‘Man of the West (1958)’, ‘Alias Jesse James (1958)’, ‘They Came to Cordura (1959)’, ‘The Naked Edge (1961)’, etc.

Major Works

‘High Noon’ in 1952 is one of the finest movies of Cooper. He was 50 at the time - almost 30 years older than his co-star Grace Kelly but despite the controversy, he won an Oscar for the movie.

Awards & Achievements

In his entire film career, Cooper received five Academy Award nominations for Best Actor and bagged the same twice for ‘Sergeant York’ and ‘High Noon’. He also received an Honorary Award in 1961 from the Academy.

Personal Life & Legacy

In 1933, Cooper got married to Veronica Balfe, a Roman Catholic socialite who appeared in movies like ‘No Other Woman’ and ‘King Kong’. The couple together had one girl named Maria.

Cooper and his wife separated in 1951 because of Cooper’s affair with Patricia Neal. The couple never got divorced as Cooper was scared that he might lose the respect of their daughter if he divorced his wife. They got back together in 1955.

In 1961, Cooper died at the age of 60 because his prostate cancer had spread to his lungs and bones. He was originally buried in California but his wife got his body reburied in Sacred Heart Cemetery, New York.

Facts About Gary Cooper

Gary Cooper was known for his unique sense of style, often wearing his cowboy hat both on and off the screen.

He was an avid outdoorsman and enjoyed spending his free time hunting and fishing.

Cooper was a skilled equestrian and loved riding horses, a passion that he often incorporated into his film roles.

Despite his tough-guy persona in many of his films, Cooper was known for his gentle and kind demeanor in real life.

He had a talent for languages and was able to speak several fluently, including French and Spanish.

1953	Best Actor in a Leading Role	High Noon (1952)
1942	Best Actor in a Leading Role	Sergeant York (1941)

Gary Cooper Biography

You wanted to know

What was Gary Cooper's first major film role?

Which famous actress did Gary Cooper frequently collaborate with?

What role is Gary Cooper best known for?

Did Gary Cooper serve in the military during World War II?

Which iconic Western film did Gary Cooper star in alongside Grace Kelly?