Gary Cooper was an American actor. He was born Frank James Cooper in 1901 at Helena, Montana and died in 1961. The son of a Montana state supreme court justice, he received his elementary schooling in England, later attending Wesleyan College, an agricultural school, in Montana and Grinnell College in Iowa. After graduation, he worked briefly as a guide at Yellowstone National Park and began submitting political cartoons to his hometownnewspaper, the Helena Independent. In 1924, Cooper set out for California, hoping to become a cartoonist for a Los Angeles newspaper. Instead he found himself a door-to-door salesman for a photographer and space salesman for theatre curtain advertising. In 1925 he was introduced by friends to Hollywoodcasting directors and began playing cowboy extras in Westerns. During 1925 and early 1926 he appeared briefly in many films, including The Thundering Herd, Wild HorseMesa, The Vanishing American, The Eagle, and The Enchanted Hill. He also played heavies in several two-reelers.
His big break came in 1926, when he was cast as a last-minute replacement for the second lead in Goldwyn's 'The Winning of Barbara Worth', starring Ronald Colman and Vilma Banky. The film was a big box-office hit and it started Cooper on his way to becoming one of Hollywood's all-time great stars. Tall, handsome, and laconic, with a shy smile and a hesitant delivery, he had an immediate appeal to both male and female audiences and steadily moved to the top. In the eyes of millions the world over he came to personify the strong, silent American, a man of action and few words. At first taken lightly by the critics, he received more press coverage for his romantic escapades (with Clara Bow, Lupe Velez, Evelyn Brent, etc.) than for his acting in films. But he soon settled down, married socialite Veronica Balfe, who had briefly appeared in films as Sandra Shaw, and gradually developed a natural aptitude for screen acting. By the mid-30s he was generally accepted as a capable performer.
His physique and nonchalant manner had been effective from the start in romantic and adventure films. Now his slightly awkward mannerisms and delayed reactions also proved to be perfect assets for screen comedy, under the guidance of such directors as Lubitsch and Capra. But above all, he remained most closely identified with his roles as a man of the American West. The diversity of his roles was reflected in two of his Oscar nominations: the 1946 'Mr Deeds Goes to Town', and the 1942 'The Pride of the Yankees'. He won his first Academy Award, as well as the New York Film Critics Award, for the 1941 'Sergeant York'. Cooper received another Oscar in 1952 for High Noon, perhaps his most memorable film, and received a Special Academy Award in the 1960 ceremony, held in April of 1961, for his many memorable screen performances and the international recognition he, as an individual, has gained for the motion picture industry. His close friend, James Stewart, accepted this last award in Cooper's behalf with tears in his eyes. He had just learned, along with a few other Cooper intimates, that the belovedstar was suffering from incurable cancer. On May the 13th, 1961, about one month later, Gary Cooper died at 60. Research Gary Cooper
Bend of the River is a western starring James Stewart, Arthur Kennedy, Rock Husdson, Julia Adams and Lori Nelson in a story about a man saving another from a lynching who then agrees to accompany him guiding a wagon train through a perilous journey to Oregon. Bend of the River was directed by Anthony Mann in 1952. Research Bend of the River
Destry Rides Again is a comedy western starring James Stewart and Marlene Dietrich in a story about a mild mannered lawman called in to clean up a lawless town. Destry Rides Again was directed by George Marshall in 1939. Research Destry Rides Again
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