Biography of Gary Cooper

Amid days of fire

May 7, 1901
May 13, 1961
The son of a magistrate and landowner, Frank James Cooper was born on May 7, 1901 in Helena, Montana State. Receives rigorous training first in England and then at Wesleyan College in Montana. Agrarian studies do not correspond to his vocation to become a cartoonist: therefore moves to California to take this path. In 1925 is the turning point: after numerous falls from his horse (with its broken bones) as an extra in some 50 silent western film gets a small part in "the burning Sands" and thanks to his skill as a Knight manages to snatch a contract at Paramount, which will build more than 30 films between 1927 and 1940.
The classic character played by Gary Cooper is loyal and brave man, supported by a clear faith in justice and decided to make her triumph at any price, simple and franco, whose traditional ingenuity excludes all forms of perfidy. Contrary to any form of stardom, shy and reserved, Gary Cooper manages to inspire confidence and sympathy. In "wings" he praises her nonchalance, "Saber fencer of the Sahara" is for the first time a non-frontier adventure, "Shipwrecked ... in love" allows him to prove himself in the comedy. "Morocco" (Marlene Dietrich), "farewell to arms", "Sergeant York" are the storefronts that make it known to the general public. Gary Cooper becomes the emblematic image of an adventurer in the West. The Sheriff Will Kane, the protagonist of "high noon", represents the ideal synthesis of that sense of duty and honor shared by the Cowboys and soldiers he brought to the screen. Interpreter of over one hundred films, Gary Cooper is the owner of two Oscars for best actor, obtained with the film "Sergeant York" in 1942 and "high noon" in 1953.
During his career he attributed many flirtations that include dive as Ingrid Bergman, Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly. Fishing, swimming, horses, hunting are his favorite hobbies. In hunting pheasants, ducks and quail, one of his best mates is Ernest Hemingway: a friendship born in 1932 during the making of the film "farewell to arms". Gary Cooper will also star in "for whom the bell tolls", film version of the famous work of Hemingway.
Know any person Queen Elizabeth II, Pope Pius XII and Pablo Picasso. In the first post-war visit Italy, in Mignano of Montelungo, near Cassino, to meet the girl at a distance through Raffaella Gravina who had adopted "Foster Parents Plan", in the American program of assistance to "war children". He returned to Naples feels bad. "Vedi Napoli e poi muori" is his ironic comment. Several years later, back in Italy, will be the guest of note Saturday night broadcast "Moustafa". Among her most recent interpretations of the film "where the Earth is hot" (1958) and "the hanging tree" (1959). Struck down by cancer, Gary Cooper died on May 13, 1961.
Article contributed by the team of collaborators.