Encyclopedia

Cooper, Gary

Cooper, Gary, 1901–61, American film actor, b. Helena, Mont., as Frank James Cooper. His first important starring role in A Farewell to Arms (1933) was followed by such films as Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936), Pride of the Yankees (1942), For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943), and Saratoga Trunk (1944). Best known to his public as the shy, lanky man of the West, he won Academy Awards for his performances in Sergeant York (1941) and High Noon (1952), in which his portrayal of the strong, silent sheriff became emblematic of the Western hero. His later films include Vera Cruz (1954), Friendly Persuasion (1956), and They Came to Cordura (1959).

See biography by J. Meyers (1998).

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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