Frank James Cooper (1901 - 1961)

Born 7 May 1901 in Helena, Lewis and Clark, Montana, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Veronica (Balfe) Converse — married 15 Dec 1933 (to 13 May 1961) in 778 Park Avenue, New York City, New York, USA

Died 13 May 1961 at age 60 in Los Angeles, California, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: David Pierce [send private message]

Biography

Gary Cooper is Notable.

Gary Cooper was "an American actor known for his natural, authentic, and understated acting style. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice and had a further three nominations, as well as receiving an Academy Honorary Award for his career achievements in 1961. 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 No. 11 on its list of the 25 greatest male stars of classic Hollywood cinema."^[1]

"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 of performances 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."^[2]

He was born Frank James Cooper 7 May 1901 in Helena, Montana, the son of Judge Charles Henry Cooper and Alice Louise Brazier. His parents were both natives of England. Frank had the distinction of being enumerated in the Dunstable, Bedfordshire census of 1911, along with his mother and brother, all visitors at the home of Walter Henry Barton, his father's cousin.^[3] While in England, Cooper, along with his elder brother, attended the Dunstable Grammar School. In 1912, Cooper, along with his mother and brother, returned to Helena, Montana, where he lived with his parents. His father owned a ranch, and Cooper learned to ride horses, hunt and fish there.^[4][5]

After attending college briefly and then trying his hand at being an artist, Cooper moved to Los Angeles in 1924 with his parents and ended up finding work as an extra in the film industry. And the rest, as they say, is history.

He was married to Vermonica Balfe 15 December 1933 in Manhattan, New York.^[6] They were the parents of one child, a daughter named Maria Veronica Cooper, born 15 September 1937. The family maintained homes in Encino, Brentwood, and Holmby Hills, and owned a vacation home in Aspen.^[7] Gary and Veronica were separated 16 May 1951, when he moved out of their home; however, the separation only last a little more than two years. Today, Maria Cooper, is a producer and actress, known for Sleepy Hollow High and the Jack Benny Program. She wrote a book about her father entitled "Gary Cooper Off Camera."

Cooper's death came 13 May 1961 in Beverly Hills after a months-long battle with prostate cancer. ^[8]He was 60. His remains were initially interred in Los Angeles, but after several years his remains were moved to Sacred Hearts of Jesus & Mary Roman Catholic Cemetery, Southampton, New York.^[9]

Sources

1. ↑ Gary Cooper, Actor, on Wikipedia.
2. ↑ Gary Cooper, Actor, on Wikipedia.
3. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1911," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X7KS-MMF : 22 July 2019), Frank James Cooper in household of Walter Henry Barton, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, England, United Kingdom; from "1911 England and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 14, The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey.
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MLC4-LWY : accessed 4 June 2020), Frank Cooper in household of Charles H Cooper, Helena, Lewis and Clark, Montana, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 167, sheet 16B, family 378, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 833; FHL microfilm 1,374,846.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M83T-MK3 : accessed 4 June 2020), Frank J Cooper in household of Charles H Cooper, Helena Ward 7, Lewis and Clark, Montana, United States; citing ED 108, sheet 13A, line 35, family 326, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 972; FHL microfilm 1,820,972.
6. ↑ "New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24D2-8HH : 10 February 2018), Gary Cooper and Veronica May Balfe, 15 Dec 1933; citing Marriage, Manhattan, New York, New York, United States, New York City Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 1,684,807.
7. ↑ Gary Cooper, Actor, on Wikipedia.
8. ↑ "California, County Birth and Death Records, 1800-1994", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGRR-RFG1 : 22 October 2019), Gary Cooper, 1961.
9. ↑ Find a Grave Memorial for Frank James "Gary" Cooper.