Gary Cooper Biography

MARITAL STATUS
Professions Actor , Producer
Nationality American
Birth May 7, 1901
Death May 13, 1961
BIOGRAPHY
Gary Cooper, whose real name is Franck James Cooper, was born on May 7, 1901, in Helena, in the state of Montana. He grew up in England where he received a solid education. During the First World War, he returned to the United States to work on his father’s ranch and subsequently intended to study agriculture. But, he quickly realized that this field did not attract him in any way and he decided to leave for California, where he developed a passion for drawing, and in particular for caricatures. He tries to have his works published in different newspapers, but can hardly make a living from them.
He then sought to put his riding talents to good use by appearing on horseback in numerous works. He thus made a series of appearances, and faced with the emergence of his success, decided to change his first name. Indeed, not being the only one to be called Franck Cooper in Hollywood, he replaces his first name with that of Gary. He owes this pseudonym to the name of the town of Gary, located in Indiana, where his agent was from.

In 1926, he obtained a role in Henry King’s film, Barbara, Girl of the Desert , where he was noticed by Paramount. He then appeared in numerous films for the company and the arrival of talkies considerably changed his career. His clear and soothing voice and his slow delivery allow him to compose new characters. In addition, he marks the screen with his incredible physical presence: tall (he measured 1m91), with a calm gait and simple gestures, he occupies space in a captivating way wherever he goes. His first talking film was a western called The Virginian directed by Victor Fleming . He then appeared in Hearts burned , where he shared the bill with Marlene Dietrich . He also develops his range of acting and is very impressive in various registers: drama (let’s also mention Peter Ibbetson ), adventure ( The Three Lancers of Bengal ) and comedy ( Bluebeard’s Eighth Wife ). It was in 1936 that his character as an American with a big heart was truly established, with The Extravagant Mr. Deeds by Frank Capra . His performance earned him his first Oscar nomination. But it was the film Sergeant York , which brought him his first Oscar for Best Actor in 1941.

At the end of his career, he made a return to the big westerns, with films like The Adventures of Captain Wyatt , Vera Cruz by Robert Aldrich , The Man of the West ,Grace Kelly , which allowed him to obtain his second Oscar.

Gary Cooper was one of the most gifted actors of his generation. His filmography is one of the most impressive in the history of cinema: Ernst Lubitsch , Josef von Sternberg , King Vidor , Frank Capra , Fritz Lang , Billy Wilder , Raoul Walsh , Henry Hathaway , Cecil B. DeMille (with whom he films his first film in color, Les Tuniques ecarlates ) followed one after the other. But he also experienced missed appointments: twice, he refused to film with Alfred Hitchcock , who had offered him the main roles in Correspondent 17 (1940) and The Fifth Column (1942), which he later regretted. the following. He also said no for the character of Rhett Butler in Gone with the Wind , the film appearing to him in advance to be a failure.

An upright and sincere man, he counted among his friends the writer Ernest Hemingway , whom he had met in 1940, and with whom he maintained a strong friendship. He also appeared in the credits of two films inspired by the author’s novels: A Farewell to Arms (1932) (a triumph) and For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943). He was also good friends with James Stewart and Pablo Picasso , whom he deeply admired.

A great seducer with an eventful emotional life, Gary Cooper has had a considerable impact on American cinema. Through him, his whole story unfolds. He starred in 107 films, only 16 of which were in color, and 14 of which were silent. In 1961, weakened by illness, Gary Cooper was unable to receive the honorary Oscar given to him by the prestigious film academy and sent James Stewart , upset by the absence of his friend, to collect it for him. A few weeks later, the whole world learned of the actor’s death, six months after that of Clark Gable . A death which marked the end of a huge star, a famous figure of the seventh art, and with him, the end of a certain golden age of Hollywood cinema.