Cooper, Gary (Frank James) (1901–1961)

US film actor. One of the great stars of the classical Hollywood era, who created a screen persona of quiet dignity, moral rectitude, and powerful action. He won Academy Awards for his performances in Sergeant York (1941) and High Noon (1952).

Cooper began his career in the silent era, appearing in such films as The Winning of Barbara Worth (1926), It (1927), and Wings (1927). He adapted easily to sound, appearing in the 1930s films Morocco (1930), A Farewell to Arms (1932), Mr Deeds Goes to Town (1936), and Beau Geste (1939). During the 1940s and 1950s he received critical acclaim for his performances in comedies, westerns, and dramas like The Westerner (1940), Ball of Fire (1941), Meet John Doe (1941), The Pride of the Yankees (1942), For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943), Cloak and Dagger (1946), and The Fountainhead (1949). He was presented with a Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1960.