Gary Cooper

Gary Cooper (May 7, 1901- May 13, 1961) was an American film actor known for his natural, authentic, and understated acting style and screen performances. His career spanned thirty-six years, from 1925 to 1961, and included leading roles in eighty-four 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 of performances included roles in most major movie genres. Cooper's 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.

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Ball of Fire (1941)

A group of academics have spent years shut up in a house working on the definitive encyclopedia. When one of them discovers that his entry on slang is hopelessly outdated, he ventures into the wide world to learn about the evolving language. Here he meets Sugarpuss ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Howard Hawks
CAST:  Gary Cooper  •  Barbara Stanwyck  •  S.Z. Sakall  •  Henry Travers

A group of academics have spent years shut up in a house working on the definitive encyclopedia. When one of them discovers that his entry on slang is hopelessly outdated, he ventures into the wide world to learn about the evolving language. Here he meets Sugarpuss ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Howard Hawks
CAST:  Gary Cooper  •  Barbara Stanwyck  •  S.Z. Sakall  •  Henry Travers

Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925)

Erstwhile childhood friends, Judah Ben-Hur and Messala meet again as adults, this time with Roman officer Messala as conqueror and Judah as a wealthy, though conquered, Israelite. A slip of a brick during a Roman parade causes Judah to be sent off as a galley slave ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Fred Niblo
CAST:  Ramon Novarro  •  Francis X. Bushman  •  May McAvoy  •  Betty Bronson

Erstwhile childhood friends, Judah Ben-Hur and Messala meet again as adults, this time with Roman officer Messala as conqueror and Judah as a wealthy, though conquered, Israelite. A slip of a brick during a Roman parade causes Judah to be sent off as a galley slave ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Fred Niblo
CAST:  Ramon Novarro  •  Francis X. Bushman  •  May McAvoy  •  Betty Bronson

Bright Leaf (1950)

Two tobacco growers battle for control of the cigarette market.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Michael Curtiz
CAST:  Gary Cooper  •  Lauren Bacall  •  Patricia Neal  •  Jack Carson

Two tobacco growers battle for control of the cigarette market.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Michael Curtiz
CAST:  Gary Cooper  •  Lauren Bacall  •  Patricia Neal  •  Jack Carson

For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943)

Spain in the 1930s is the place to be for a man of action like Robert Jordan. There is a civil war going on and Jordan—who has joined up on the side that appeals most to idealists of that era—has been given a high-risk assignment up in the mountains. He awaits the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Sam Wood
CAST:  Gary Cooper  •  Ingrid Bergman  •  Akim Tamiroff  •  Katina Paxinou

Spain in the 1930s is the place to be for a man of action like Robert Jordan. There is a civil war going on and Jordan—who has joined up on the side that appeals most to idealists of that era—has been given a high-risk assignment up in the mountains. He awaits the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Sam Wood
CAST:  Gary Cooper  •  Ingrid Bergman  •  Akim Tamiroff  •  Katina Paxinou

Friendly Persuasion (1956)

The story of a family of Quakers in Indiana in 1862. Their religious sect is strongly opposed to violence and war. It's not easy for them to meet the rules of their religion in everyday life but when Southern troops pass the area they are in real trouble. Should ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  William Wyler
CAST:  Gary Cooper  •  Dorothy McGuire  •  Anthony Perkins  •  Richard Eyer

The story of a family of Quakers in Indiana in 1862. Their religious sect is strongly opposed to violence and war. It's not easy for them to meet the rules of their religion in everyday life but when Southern troops pass the area they are in real trouble. Should ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  William Wyler
CAST:  Gary Cooper  •  Dorothy McGuire  •  Anthony Perkins  •  Richard Eyer

High Noon (1952)

PowerfulClassicDramatic

Will Kane, the sheriff of a small town in New Mexico, learns a notorious outlaw he put in jail has been freed, and will be arriving on the noon train. Knowing the outlaw and his gang are coming to kill him, Kane is determined to stand his ground, so he attempts to ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Fred Zinnemann
CAST:  Gary Cooper  •  Grace Kelly  •  Thomas Mitchell  •  Lloyd Bridges

Will Kane, the sheriff of a small town in New Mexico, learns a notorious outlaw he put in jail has been freed, and will be arriving on the noon train. Knowing the outlaw and his gang are coming to kill him, Kane is determined to stand his ground, so he attempts to ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Fred Zinnemann
CAST:  Gary Cooper  •  Grace Kelly  •  Thomas Mitchell  •  Lloyd Bridges

Love in the Afternoon (1957)

RomanticClassicCaptivating

Lovestruck conservatory student Ariane pretends to be just as much a cosmopolitan lover as the worldly mature Frank Flannagan hoping that l’amour will take hold.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Billy Wilder
CAST:  Gary Cooper  •  Audrey Hepburn  •  Maurice Chevalier  •  John McGiver

Lovestruck conservatory student Ariane pretends to be just as much a cosmopolitan lover as the worldly mature Frank Flannagan hoping that l’amour will take hold.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Billy Wilder
CAST:  Gary Cooper  •  Audrey Hepburn  •  Maurice Chevalier  •  John McGiver

Man of the West (1958)

Heading east to Fort Worth to hire a schoolteacher for his frontier town home, Link Jones is stranded with singer Billie Ellis and gambler Sam Beasley when their train is held up. For shelter, Jones leads them to his nearby former home, where he was brought up an ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Anthony Mann
CAST:  Gary Cooper  •  Julie London  •  Lee J. Cobb  •  Arthur O'Connell

Heading east to Fort Worth to hire a schoolteacher for his frontier town home, Link Jones is stranded with singer Billie Ellis and gambler Sam Beasley when their train is held up. For shelter, Jones leads them to his nearby former home, where he was brought up an ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Anthony Mann
CAST:  Gary Cooper  •  Julie London  •  Lee J. Cobb  •  Arthur O'Connell

Meet John Doe (1941)

As a parting shot, fired reporter Ann Mitchell prints a fake letter from unemployed "John Doe," who threatens suicide in protest of social ills. The paper is forced to rehire Ann and hires John Willoughby to impersonate "Doe." Ann and her bosses cynically milk the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Frank Capra
CAST:  Barbara Stanwyck  •  Gary Cooper  •  Edward Arnold  •  Walter Brennan

As a parting shot, fired reporter Ann Mitchell prints a fake letter from unemployed "John Doe," who threatens suicide in protest of social ills. The paper is forced to rehire Ann and hires John Willoughby to impersonate "Doe." Ann and her bosses cynically milk the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Frank Capra
CAST:  Barbara Stanwyck  •  Gary Cooper  •  Edward Arnold  •  Walter Brennan

Morocco (1930)

The Foreign Legion marches in to Mogador with booze and women in mind just as singer Amy Jolly arrives from Paris to work at Lo Tinto's cabaret. That night, insouciant legionnaire Tom Brown catches her inimitably seductive, tuxedo-clad act. Both bruised by their ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Josef von Sternberg
CAST:  Gary Cooper  •  Marlene Dietrich  •  Adolphe Menjou  •  Ullrich Haupt

The Foreign Legion marches in to Mogador with booze and women in mind just as singer Amy Jolly arrives from Paris to work at Lo Tinto's cabaret. That night, insouciant legionnaire Tom Brown catches her inimitably seductive, tuxedo-clad act. Both bruised by their ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Josef von Sternberg
CAST:  Gary Cooper  •  Marlene Dietrich  •  Adolphe Menjou  •  Ullrich Haupt

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)

Longfellow Deeds lives in a small town, leading a small town kind of life. When a relative dies and leaves Deeds a fortune, Longfellow moves to the big city where he becomes an instant target for everyone. Deeds outwits them all until Babe Bennett comes along. When ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Frank Capra
CAST:  Gary Cooper  •  Jean Arthur  •  George Bancroft  •  Lionel Stander

Longfellow Deeds lives in a small town, leading a small town kind of life. When a relative dies and leaves Deeds a fortune, Longfellow moves to the big city where he becomes an instant target for everyone. Deeds outwits them all until Babe Bennett comes along. When ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Frank Capra
CAST:  Gary Cooper  •  Jean Arthur  •  George Bancroft  •  Lionel Stander

Sergeant York (1941)

Action-packedClassicDramaticHeartbreaking

Alvin York a hillbilly sharpshooter transforms himself from ruffian to religious pacifist. He is then called to serve his country and despite deep religious and moral objections to fighting becomes one of the most celebrated American heroes of WWI.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Howard Hawks
CAST:  Gary Cooper  •  Walter Brennan  •  Joan Leslie  •  Margaret Wycherly

Alvin York a hillbilly sharpshooter transforms himself from ruffian to religious pacifist. He is then called to serve his country and despite deep religious and moral objections to fighting becomes one of the most celebrated American heroes of WWI.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Howard Hawks
CAST:  Gary Cooper  •  Walter Brennan  •  Joan Leslie  •  Margaret Wycherly

The Eagle (1925)

Vladimir Dubrouvsky, a lieutenant in the Russian army, catches the eye of Czarina Catherine II. He spurns her advances and flees, and she puts out a warrant for his arrest, dead or alive. Vladimir learns that his father's lands have been taken by the evil Kyrilla ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Clarence Brown
CAST:  Rudolph Valentino  •  Vilma Banky  •  Louise Dresser  •  Albert Conti

Vladimir Dubrouvsky, a lieutenant in the Russian army, catches the eye of Czarina Catherine II. He spurns her advances and flees, and she puts out a warrant for his arrest, dead or alive. Vladimir learns that his father's lands have been taken by the evil Kyrilla ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Clarence Brown
CAST:  Rudolph Valentino  •  Vilma Banky  •  Louise Dresser  •  Albert Conti

The Hanging Tree (1959)

Joseph "Doc" Frail is a doctor with a past he's trying to outrun. While in Montana, he comes across a mining camp with a hanging tree and rescues a man named Rune from the noose. With Rune as his servant, Frail decides to settle down, and he takes over as town ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Delmer Daves
CAST:  Gary Cooper  •  Maria Schell  •  Karl Malden  •  George C. Scott

Joseph "Doc" Frail is a doctor with a past he's trying to outrun. While in Montana, he comes across a mining camp with a hanging tree and rescues a man named Rune from the noose. With Rune as his servant, Frail decides to settle down, and he takes over as town ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Delmer Daves
CAST:  Gary Cooper  •  Maria Schell  •  Karl Malden  •  George C. Scott

The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (1935)

In the Northwest Frontier of India, the 41st Bengal Lancers leaded by the harsh Colonel Tom Stone are having trouble with the rebellious leader Mohammed Khan. After two casualties, the experienced but insubordinate Lieutenant Alan McGregor receives as replacement, ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henry Hathaway
CAST:  Gary Cooper  •  Franchot Tone  •  Richard Cromwell  •  Guy Standing

In the Northwest Frontier of India, the 41st Bengal Lancers leaded by the harsh Colonel Tom Stone are having trouble with the rebellious leader Mohammed Khan. After two casualties, the experienced but insubordinate Lieutenant Alan McGregor receives as replacement, ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henry Hathaway
CAST:  Gary Cooper  •  Franchot Tone  •  Richard Cromwell  •  Guy Standing

The Pride of the Yankees (1942)

The story of the life and career of the baseball hall of famer, Lou Gehrig.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Sam Wood
CAST:  Gary Cooper  •  Teresa Wright  •  Babe Ruth  •  Walter Brennan

The story of the life and career of the baseball hall of famer, Lou Gehrig.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Sam Wood
CAST:  Gary Cooper  •  Teresa Wright  •  Babe Ruth  •  Walter Brennan

The Westerner (1940)

Drifter Cole Harden is accused of stealing a horse and faces hanging by self-appointed Judge Roy Bean, but Harden manages to talk his way out of it by claiming to be a friend of stage star Lillie Langtry, with whom the judge is obsessed, even though he has never ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  William Wyler
CAST:  Gary Cooper  •  Walter Brennan  •  Doris Davenport  •  Fred Stone

Drifter Cole Harden is accused of stealing a horse and faces hanging by self-appointed Judge Roy Bean, but Harden manages to talk his way out of it by claiming to be a friend of stage star Lillie Langtry, with whom the judge is obsessed, even though he has never ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  William Wyler
CAST:  Gary Cooper  •  Walter Brennan  •  Doris Davenport  •  Fred Stone

Wings (1927)

Two young men, one rich, one middle class, both in love with the same woman, become US Air Corps fighter pilots and, eventually, heroic flying aces during World War I. Devoted best friends, their mutual love of the girl eventually threatens their bond. Meanwhile, a ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  William A. Wellman
CAST:  Clara Bow  •  Charles "Buddy" Rogers  •  Richard Arlen  •  Jobyna Ralston

Two young men, one rich, one middle class, both in love with the same woman, become US Air Corps fighter pilots and, eventually, heroic flying aces during World War I. Devoted best friends, their mutual love of the girl eventually threatens their bond. Meanwhile, a ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  William A. Wellman
CAST:  Clara Bow  •  Charles "Buddy" Rogers  •  Richard Arlen  •  Jobyna Ralston

Alice in Wonderland (1933)

In Victorian England, a bored young girl dreams that she has entered a fantasy world called Wonderland, populated by even more fantastic characters.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Norman Z. McLeod
CAST:  Charlotte Henry  •  Richard Arlen  •  Roscoe Ates  •  William Austin

In Victorian England, a bored young girl dreams that she has entered a fantasy world called Wonderland, populated by even more fantastic characters.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Norman Z. McLeod
CAST:  Charlotte Henry  •  Richard Arlen  •  Roscoe Ates  •  William Austin

It (1927)

A flapper shopgirl woos her rich boss with animal magnetism, otherwise known as "it."  (more)

DIRECTION:  Clarence G. Badger
CAST:  Clara Bow  •  Antonio Moreno  •  William Austin  •  Priscilla Bonner

A flapper shopgirl woos her rich boss with animal magnetism, otherwise known as "it."  (more)

DIRECTION:  Clarence G. Badger
CAST:  Clara Bow  •  Antonio Moreno  •  William Austin  •  Priscilla Bonner
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