Gary Cooper

Gary Cooper (born Frank James Cooper; May 7, 1901 – May 13, 1961) was an American actor known for his strong, quiet screen persona and understated acting style. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice and had a further three nominations, as well as an Academy Honorary Award in 1961 for his career achievements. He was one of the top-10 film personalities for 23 consecutive years and one of the top money-making stars for 18 years. The American Film Institute (AFI) ranked Cooper at number 11 on its list of the 25 greatest male stars of classic Hollywood cinema.

Cooper's career spanned 36 years, from 1925 to 1961, and included leading roles in 84 feature films. He was a major movie star from the end of the silent film era through to the end of the golden age of classical Hollywood. His screen persona appealed strongly to both men and women, and his range included roles in most major film genres. His ability to project his own personality onto the characters he played contributed to his natural and authentic appearance on screen. Throughout his career, he sustained a screen persona that represented the ideal American hero.

Cooper began his career as a film extra and stunt rider, but soon landed acting roles. After establishing himself as a Western hero in his early silent films, he appeared as the Virginian and became a movie star in 1929 with his first sound picture, The Virginian. In the early 1930s, he expanded his heroic image to include more cautious characters in adventure films and dramas such as A Farewell to Arms (1932) and The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (1935). During the height of his career, Cooper portrayed a new type of hero, a champion of the common man in films such as Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936), Meet John Doe (1941), Sergeant York (1941), The Pride of the Yankees (1942), and For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943). He later portrayed more mature characters at odds with the world in films such as The Fountainhead (1949) and High Noon (1952). In his final films, he played nonviolent characters searching for redemption in films such as Friendly Persuasion (1956) and Man of the West (1958).

Birth and Death Data: Born May 7, 1901 (Helena), Died May 13, 1961 (Beverly Hills)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1953

Roles Represented in DAHR: narrator

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca L 7242 6/5/1953 Matareva (The arrival) Gary Cooper narrator  
Decca L 7243 6/5/1953 Maeva Gary Cooper narrator  
Decca L 7244 6/5/1953 The reef Gary Cooper narrator  
Decca L 7245 6/5/1953 Turia the return Gary Cooper narrator  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Cooper, Gary," accessed November 10, 2024, https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/309650.

Cooper, Gary. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 10, 2024, from https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/309650.

"Cooper, Gary." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 10 November 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adpprod1.library.ucsb.edu/names/309650

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